I agree Isaac. That game vs the Kings was the game that showed to me the direction the team was heading this year. And it's pretty much played out the way I suspected since then.

The key for me is when Maher is not on the floor.

Rudderless, passionless and no go to guy in offence and no harassing d at the top of the key.

Brett slipping was the only real error i can recall Brett ever making and really to call a slip an error is being harsh.

Maybe the team dropped their heads collectively at that moment and the confidence has never been back.

Maybe the signs were there last year when Brett bailed us out time and time again....take those wins away and we were lucky to be in the finlas last year.

You hit the nail smack on the head there Mr Brockman.....

I don't like to continually blame poor officiating, but that night Brett slipped, the floor was actually wet and the refs did not pick this up and call for the floor to be wiped. This game was the biggest disappointment so early in the season. Since then there has been a continuous dispute regarding the refs. It would not surprise me if we can't win games because the 36ers do not feel free to play their best game when they get called for every petty foul. The frustration of this was made clearly evident by Horvath in the game from Hell against Townsville when Hill was injured and he was being called for nonsence fouls.

What bothers me is that this is becoming a trend where other teams know what they can get away with here and how restricted we are. One might argue that they should be professional enough to not let this affect them, but how do you ignore it when you have so much on the line. My opinion and I stick by it.

We have not been losing because of the umpires. We've been losing because we are not a very good basketball team. It's quite simple really.

After 17 games you can get a very good idea as to what sort of basketball team you are watching. This one is not all that fun to watch, and does not have enough weapons.

So, the turning point of the season is that every other team has adjusted to the officiating, but the 36ers haven't? That we are too physical a team and get called for petty fouls? ("the 36ers do not feel free to play their best game when they get called for every petty foul")

From the NBL site:

They've lost more games than everyone except West Sydney and in their back to back defeats last round on the Sunshine Swing just looked like a team that couldn't stop anyone. Right now, the Sixers are the worst defensive team in the league, and while they still can put points on the board that butter-soft D won't get them anywhere... The Kings love playing Adelaide because they aren't physical, they don't play defence and they can't keep up with a team that loves to run.

For me, it was when Forman, Holmes, and Rychart left within a week or two of each other, and then a week later we signed Mark Nash. That set the tone for the whole season. We've been lucky with Horvath, in that we've gotten a better player than Dusty, but we haven't come close to replacing Oscar or Jacob.

The injury to Brad Hill is irrelevant, not because he isn't a solid player, but because Smyth wasn't playing him anyway. Maher being out did hurt, but we've been just as bad if not worse with him in the lineup.

Ng's absence has meant we've lost a scoring punch, but he gives up SO much at the other end. Sutton's absence will hurt, as will Copeland's. If Timmons isn't in the lineup next Wednesday we will be losing to West Sydney.

Matt McQuade's preview of the Sixers v Kings game made some very accurate comments about the Sixers so far this season.

The NBL officiating is soft anyway. Sixers are so so soft it is not funny anymore. I not keen on the Timmons pick up but if he comes in with some aggro and muscle maybe its a good move. Time will tell. The season turning point was when Phil Smyth said we haven't worked on our defense in the pre season as we have been focussing on our offensive structure. Sent bad message to players in my mind. Defense should be the first thing you fix or develop because everything else flows from the defensive end. Talent can put points on the board regardless of what offenses you run (how often does Farley stick to the offense anyway) but hard work and team work can stop talent through solid D.

I'm with you Mutley. We lost the 2 best rebounders, and the luxery of having a tall outside shooter.
However, I think the other factor is the lack of an enforcer. We havn't had one for a while now, and miss the confidence and comradeship that style of leadership brings. Would R Sapwell have done nothing after the Brad Hill incident? That style of player will sacrifice their own game for the team, and right now, IMO, we need a huge dose of good old fashioned team stuff.

Just on the whole Maher being the rudder of the side, it seems that's pretty much been the case in recent years, I was just thinking back to the glory days when we had Maher, Mee, KB and Cat all leading the side. We weren't dependent on any one player and Maher was free to go out and add to an already quality side, if he had a quiet one then were still in with a chance, if he had a good one then we were laughing.

At the moment it's like the side functions well below capacity in his absence, and when he's there it only brings us up to scratch with other sides. As good as Farley and Horvath are they just aren't leaders in the same way Darnell, KB and Cat were which leaves too much pressure on Maher's capable but ageing shoulders.

Phantasy Phil - I can't believe a team can only work on one end of the game in preseason. Don't these guys train hard and long enough to do both???
Gee whiz Under 18 teams have an offensive and defensive structure by the time the season starts

I want to know what offences he instilled anyway!!

As far as I have seen, Phil doesn't call plays/time outs and the only time he gets out of his seat is to berate the refs. The Phil Smyth of previous seasons didn't worry about that sort of crap, he just got on with the game.

So the question is...What did we focus on during the pre season....

DB5

...his bank account!

Arthritis??

along with the day they let Jacob and Ozzie go as well....