No 36ers for first 2 rounds? Going to be involved in the NBLxNBA maybe?

The fixtures have reversed from last season. Only thing that is the same is the rivalry rounds who teams get to play each other twice at home and twice away.

I don't like how some teams only play each other once. The big issue is having Melbourne United based out in Melbourne Park. We got no home games in January like usual.

Europe play so many more games then the nbl, it’s a joke but I guess it’s what the people want in this country. Playing 36 game season and squishing games to back 2 back is what I wanted. Not the one games per round, the NBA do it so much better.

The season could be done by the end of February depending on playoff dates and length. Really?

The grand final series is likely to commence on Sunday 26 Feb, so would end in 1st or 2nd week of March, depending on 3-5 games. All done before NRL and AFL start.

Yeah I suspect 36ers are involved late in the piece nbaxnbl wise.

Interesting that the games on Sunday are 2 and 4pm instead of 1 and 3pm. That extra hour later is good imo.

Does Ten have any commitments between 3-4pm on a Sunday? I wonder if they'll do that highlights of the first 3Q before playing the last quarter live for the 2pm game....

45% of the season's games are being played in 7 weeks between mid December and the end of January. They are stacking the holiday season.

There is a Fiba window 20th - 26th Feb

Pre-covid the regular season usually ends in mid-February and the GF ends in early March.

FIBA window was previously earlier, and was gap between regular season and semi-finals. This year the first round and semi-finals will be played before the window.

Really happy to see lots of Thursday and Monday games. A few other mid week games as well.

It's good that they're avoiding clashes with AFL/NRL but this is even earlier than I expected

With the regular season finishing Feb 5 United only has one home game post Christmas due to the Tennis

This gives United a huge run of home games directly before the playoffs. Not the best situation to be in, you'd prefer the opposite - giving you a better chance to be in good form heading into playoffs

Although having said that, a similar situation worked well for the Hawks this year, they found some form on the road late in the season

Crowds wise the crowds typically start well, then dip, then build again, so squeezing even more home games than usual into Oct/Dec isn't ideal.

Although avoiding AFL, and less covid fear, means United/SEM crowds will be massively up on last season

Notable that they're not doing the JCA game in the second week of the Australian Open this year. Would have given them another home game in the run home.

It isn't an ideal fixture for United. If they don’t get clarity on Delly’s situation soon plus they also need good imports, otherwise it will be long season for United.

Melbourne need to get out of Melbourne Park. It’s sad the Parkville Stadium isn’t big enough. You would of thought 3,500 seats is enough for Platinum and Gold members to have a seat. Just doesn’t work for bronze and general admission members.

I was a fan giving each team extra 8 games to balance the 14 reserve seating for members. They should of started the season in September, I know there’s afl finals but most teams are out of contention by then.

I know the last couple of seasons United has been good on the road away from JCA. Not ideal, guess it’s our turn because of the extra NBL Cup home games. But then again this will happen every season with the tennis.

United will be alright

they might even be better without Delly. If he's really on 700k as the rumour goes, then without him they'll throw serious cash at 3 top tier imports. I assume Delly's salary was the main reason why they only got 1 import last year, who hadn't even played in Europe's top leagues

Humphries, Goulding, Hukporti, Ili, Peatling, Newley and 3 top shelf imports would be a contending team for sure (assuming Humphries is healthy which is a big IF I suppose)

Without that JCA Aus Open game, they should've looked at regional fixtures like Bendigo, or State Basketball Centre or The Cage

Laughing about Agada not being an expensive import. He had big offers from all over the world.

Agada has signed with a Ukrainian team this season in the Latvian-Estonian league. I think SEM signed Devin Thomas out of that league last season and he never played a game for the Phoenix.

Agada led the Israeli league in scoring in 20/21, so he might've got some offers, but 19/20 and prior he played Spanish Div 2. No way he would've got similar offers to other NBL imports of the ilk United usually signs like Ware and Kennedy. Those are the types United will go after if they lose Delly

Hi all! Does anyone know where I can watch the NBL season in the UK? I'll be moving over at the end of the year, but obviously want to keep watching if I can.

"Agada led the Israeli league in scoring in 20/21, so he might've got some offers"

You may not be aware, but leading the Israeli league in scoring results in BIG offers, especially when you burn the best team in Israel for 40 and play very well against Team USA.

He was an import in big demand last year, and United forked out big money expecting him to be a major scorer rather than the all-around contributor he was. If he produced his Israeli league scoring Melbourne possibly wins the title last year.

^^
Exactly, euro money like everywhere has gone down, but still exceeds the nbl greatly. Marquee and imports are the players that get good coin in the nbl, the rest not so much.

Two things suggest Agada wasn't on that big a money last season being Delly is supposedly on $700k a year so took up a large amount of the cap and if Agada was on big money it was obvious early he was a mediocre import so United would've cut him before his contract became guaranteed for the rest of the season.

There is no 'cap', there's just a point where you have to start paying luxury tax. Melbourne spends well past that point.

Not to mention Dellavedova would have been a marquee, and therefore what he was actually paid was irrelevant for cap purposes.

"Hi all! Does anyone know where I can watch the NBL season in the UK? I'll be moving over at the end of the year, but obviously want to keep watching if I can."

I think the NBL stream it on their YouTube channel outside of Australia and New Zealand.

There are a handful of other countries with specific broadcast deals, but that's broadly correct.

Okay I didn't know the cap had been scrapped but that doesn't change the point if United were shelling out huge money for Delly, they would've had to pay up to re-sign Goulding keeping him away from the JJ's and JLA would've re-signed for decent money too.

United's bench was cheap and nasty last season which is why I predicted they wouldn't make the playoffs, they did make them but were never a legitimate title contender last season when United usually are every year. Too much would've been spent on Delly, Goulding & JLA to pay Agada too big a money and again it was clear early he wasn't up to it so if he was on serious money they would've cut him before the 7 game cut off point.

Okay I didn't know the cap had been scrapped

predicted they wouldn't make the playoffs, they did make them but were never a legitimate title contender

and got knocked out in the SF. I was hardly on my own predicting United to miss the playoffs plenty of others did too.

That doesn't mean you were correct.

That they weren't legit title contenders? Yes I was.

You're moving the goalposts.

No

You can also watch NBL on their website if you make NBL All Access account. It's free of charge which makes it good.

Hopefully they do stream games on YouTube. Otherwise you could watch the local UK BBL league. London Lions are competing in the 7Days EuroCup which is massive for the league and club. There also have 4 trophies every season which is pretty cool in my opinion.

They were legit title contenders until Goulding got injured and missed G3 of the semis.

What are 36ers fans' view on the schedule?

I know there was plenty of complaining last time. This time, is it hit or miss?

It's on public record that United were $9 for the title at commencement of last season, with Hawks, Perth, SEM and Sydney all $4 to $4.50

Which is to say, bookies didnt expect them to make top 4. Neither did the majority of Hoops.com.au posters I'm fairly sure

The major reason for their exceeding expectations I would suggest is 3 letters: JLA

Were they contenders?

They were minor premiers, and eventually lost Game 3 of the Semi by 3 points after their 2nd most important player was ruled out late. I'd say that made them a contender under any reasonable definition

United was $8.50 with TAB and $9 with Sportsbet from memory, with the big 4 all $4 to $4.50 with both agencies