Another NBL grand final with FA interest. NBL has to do something about the playoffs to figure out how to compete with the AFL / NRL at this time of year. Unless the games itself are an out of the ordinary classic or something absurdly controversial happens, it just gets no attention anywhere.

My brother who has only got back into following the NBL again this season couldn't believe it when I told him the vast majority of the playoffs aren't on FTA.

Of the 10 games so far just 2 games on FTA is a great way to kill interest in the league right when AFL & NRL are starting up again. Well done.

Unfortunately basketball is a minority sport in Australia. We may have great junior participation numbers, but
NBA is what the kids want. I am a basketball tragic, but the commentators Copeland, Von huffy and Hooley are absolute cringe, each one yelling over the top of the other. I turned game 1 off before it even started, so I
didn't have to listen to them. Put the whole thing on mute when I tuned back in. Absolute rubbish coverage. The second best league in the world needs to do better!

Hawks gonna be fired up but I'm picking united to win this and hawks the next.

United got so many options and variation they're very hard to beat!

Odds are at even money in the outright market now.

Put the whole thing on mute

I hope the Hawks take game 2, but I think United's experience is going to have them up 2-0.

I'd like the hawks to win this but I think united are just to clinical. A lot of experience on united list and coaches bench, hawks don’t have a lot winning experience in either players or coaches in big matches. Hopefully a very good game without the refs favouring either side.

The NBL are advertising tonight's game will also be live on 10Play?

And away we go... Mayberry, Fernandes and Reid as refs.

Has Mayberry taped his mouth so that he can't be accused of saying something biased? LOL

Very physical first quarter. Depth and smarts so important.

Krebs is very underrated

Downright embarrasing by NBL refs. How is that an USF when it should be an elbow on Hickey. Worst refs in all of professional basketball.

USF happened before the offensive.

I don't mean to pile on jack white but he is in awful form at the moment. Worst timing possible

Agree word, Krebs does so much right. Likewise Lee. Great players to have on any roster. Just not flashy enough for sydney or sixers to sign looking for an instant fix!

Melbourne still trying to ref the game. How come Chris Goulding can put two hands on the ref ??

Also agree Krebs does what he does so well. Always reliable Just what you need in a grandfinal !

I've enjoyed the physical contest of the game, bad play at end to have a four point turn around. Still think United got this.

Also agree Krebs does what he does so well. Always reliable Just what you need in a grandfinal !

Hawks leaving the door open again. Olbrich got make free throws but going to be a gun.

CG flopping on every minor contact.

There's no contact there. Tatum about to go berserk!

Didn't see that coming. Harvey sealed it!

A great no call on the travel by Harvey. And I'm a Melbourne fan

what a game, Harvey is sensational

Glad the Hawks levelled the series.
They were lucky to snag that win given that their offence in last minutes was terrible.

United didn't really need a 3 at the end there, but then again, you kind of expect Goulding to make the shot.

We have a series.

So many travels seemed to go uncalled that whole game.

United did well to keep it so close. Had so many turnovers and gave away offensive rebounds .

Hawks deserved the win, rode their luck a bit. Goulding last shot was in and out. Cracking game, tough contest. Lots good players on both sides.

Who put Ben Allen in a Jack White meat suit?

Excellent game, massive shot by Harvey.

Illawarra had everything on their terms- a big lead, United in foul trouble, United's +/- leader and DPOY Shea Ili sidelined. Somehow United almost got it.

Hawks big 3 really bounced back.

Hawks might keep going to the same play book next game. Aggressively attack the rim. Foul trouble has been a persistent issue all year. Loe regularly gives away dumb fouls, while Lee treads a fine line with aggressive rim protection against smaller guys.

Meanwhile Jack White must be wondering which ref thinks he's texting their missus. He got royally screwed by the refs tonight- the only real victim despite the high foul count.

To win the series, United has to keep this talented Illawarra group on a leash- legally, while executing plays at a high level themselves. A tough ask and tonight they weren't able to do it consistently enough.

Shea Ili the big question. United's difficult job gets harder without him. But potentially a career making opportunity for Flynn Cameron if Ili's out. Perform on this stage and get big money offers, if he isn't already.

Love the NBL finals version of Ian Clark.

Olbrich +14, Froling -10, did score points though. Krebs +20, White -13.

Reflecting on this game.

Gosh it's a wild ride being a United follower.

In 8 years under Vickerman, United is the only team who's put themselves into a position to compete for championships virtually every single year.

This is their 5th grand final in 8 years. 7 years out of 8 made a tight semi-final game 3 or better.

The 8th year they had bad injuries but still posted a winning record 15-13, and won the last game of the season to make play-in. Perth needed to make their victory margin later that afternoon to knock United out.

If you think through those 6 previous playoff runs, United was rarely beaten convincingly in any game. Virtually all losses were tight, or at least, United was in a position to challenge for victory in the dying minutes.

The only team who broke them, who unequivocally had their number, was the 2019 Wildcats. That was a master-class of coaching by Gleeson and systematic execution by his team.

This all speaks to the culture that's been established, Vickerman's effective scouting of the opponents, and the emphasis he places on high character and low ego in recruiting.

This year I didn't think they were much of a chance at all. Illawarra, Perth and Sydney all looked comfortably better to me, in my pre-season judgement.

But they're here, and they're competing for a title- again. Love it.

Although they did get pretty comfortably beaten in the two 2018 losing GF games

But still, vast majority of the time the losses have been like tonight and game 2 in Perth, where it's tightly contested.

Illawarra really got off the chain in game 3 vs SEM. Will be interesting seeing if they can do likewise against the remarkably consistent United.

There was a Grand Final game on?

Going by the low post count of this thread many others are going to have the same reaction.

"Olbrich +14, Froling -10, did score points though. Krebs +20, White -13."

Krebs +20 is highly significant, the next best for Melbourne was +4. The other three mentioned had teammates around the same mark so a bit more investigation needed on those.

It reads like there's errors in those numbers.

I mean the +/- numbers across the board.

Yes PW, a lot interest died at fiba break, plus GF games so far apart. I believe they should start season two weeks earlier and cram them in a bit more as to finish before fiba break.

Well done to hawks. United didn't play well because of hawks great defense, but we’re in the game right till the end. United need to find a way to get Jack White into the game. Goulding needs to find better shots, they just need to move the ball around a bit more.

Definitely a travel by Harvey on that last play.

Jack White barely played the first 2.5 quarters.

His first two fouls were very very soft. Comes back on, gets pushed in the chest by Olbrich, falls off balance and reaches in on the way down.

Could've easily been two no calls then an offensive. Instead you have United's MVP of the first third of the year benched, and not playing with his usual aggression after returning to the court.

White later gets his 4th foul with 3 minutes left. United successfully challenges.

After the ensuing jump ball one second later, White is beaten to a loose ball and genuinely commits his first obvious foul of the game. Except its his fourth. Fifth they've called on him, counting the reversal.

He's a level headed professional, but you could all this was impacting his mindset.

Goulding got fouled hard on two threes that went uncalled. One happened in game one too. Pretty crazy that's happened three times in two games.

(To be fair, he also went to the line on one that didn't appear to be a foul).

Delly could've easily gone to the line with 40 seconds left. Kell jumped forward into Dellys space- out of his own cylinder- and made contact with Delly's off hand. No call.

That's basketball though. Perth fans justifiably said similar about the Clark travel and Lee goaltend. United has to be better.

Overall Hawks were the better team across the floor, and only great shooting from IC and CG got United back in it.

The other point is, there's been great examples these playoffs of people getting in foul trouble then coming back on with huge impact (CG and Pinder from memory). That's what White has to do. A learning experience for him.

One things for sure,Mayberry will make every close call, a hawks call.

Reverse bias? But still biased? Doubt it.