Basketball On The Internet.

LET'S be blunt. Kevin Lisch should be interim coach for Sydney in Game 3 of the NBL Grand Final Series against Tasmania on Wednesday after Kings coach Chase Buford again was found guilty of breaking the league's code of behaviour after kicking LED signage during Game 2 in Hobart. But the NBL is as weak as urine. 

It appears to have perpetually lived in fear of upsetting Chase, who is the son of NBA heavy-hitter R.C. Buford, because the league likes to think it is the NBA's little brother.

Can't risk riling up big brother.

In the last regular season round when Buford called out referee Chris Reid, the NBL "sanctioned" him - whatever the hell that means  - and fined him $10,000 along with a single match suspension that would be held in abeyance until the completion of the 2022-23 NBL Season.

The penalties were for "multiple breaches of the NBL Code of Conduct following the match" against Illawarra.

Now by any reasonable person's understanding of that ruling, Buford had to stay squeaky clean for the rest of this season AND next to avoid the one-match suspension being invoked.

On Sunday, TV vision caught Buford angrily kicking the LED signage during the third quarter, resulting in damage to the panel.

Consequently the NBL charged him for unsportsmanlike behaviour. But instead of AUTOMATICALLY  applying the one-match suspension - which the league conveniently overlooked - it fined him $500, reduced to $375 after he accepted an early guilty plea.

Pathetic?

It may well be true the referees were unaware of the incident, and as such, no in-game penalty was applied. But the NBL did see it and thought enough of it to fine him for another of his petulant outbursts.

If the league had any low-hanging mangoes, it would have "sanctioned" him way back when he left the bench to harangue and manhandle Perth Wildcats' centre Matt Hodgson after the latter's ridiculous on-court indiscretion toward Dejan Vasiljevic.

But instead it turned a blind eye. And don't think Chase doesn't have any form. Check out this commentary from him after a G-League game he coached. 

He escaped scot free over the Hodgson stunt but several times since his emotions have gotten the better of him. Saying it was an "immature thing to do" to call out referee Chris Reid - one of the three offficials calling the GFS - suggests some degree of contrition.

So he learnt from his G-League behaviour?

The NBL again has shown itself to be weak and inconsistent.

Since the game, the NBL and the Kings reached an agreement that the club would pay for the repair or replacement of the panel.

So they should, and whoop de doo.

THE Kings are insisting league MVP Jaylen Adams, who injured a hamstring in Game 1 of the GFS, will be a "game time decision".

The greater likelihood is we won't see him again in this series. Hamstring injuries are extremely rarely ones players quickly can bounce back from and it is a great shame for Sydney and any fan who has enjoyed the joy he has brought us this season.

Chances are though, Sydney will get home without him.