Rankings #5 ... and much less than usual
TweetTHE battle to be recognised as Perth's main challenger for the NBL crown heats up at Adelaide Arena tomorrow night when the 36ers host in-form Melbourne.
Can't recall when I was last this excited about a Sixers-Tigers clash.
No. Wait. I've got it. When Julius Hodge came in and stomped on Brett Maher's signature on the court after an overtime thriller in the 2009-10 season.
That was one hell of a night. The crowd incensed, the atmosphere seething with electricity and venom.
Dang. Come to think of it, the first time Mark Bradtke came back with Melbourne Tigers in 1993 was one to remember.
The fans were merciless. I've never seen or heard them that hostile, relentless and unforgiving ever. They had similar feelings for Goorj and Hammer but it was never to the level of animosity poor old Hogey copped that Sunday afternoon.
A year later in the semi finals, Game 1 was a gem. Mark Davis had his shoulder dislocated after a late challenge by Dave Simmons, Andrew Gaze fouled out - yes, as rare as hailing a cab driven by a Caucasian driver - and the 36ers prevailed.
Last year's season-opener was made memorable by the brief grapple between former Blaze buddies Anthony Petrie and Chris Goulding who were both thrown out.
Again, that was a wild officiating over-reaction, more aggro evident at a Scotch College chess club soiree.
But it was a nice touch in terms of getting the crowd involved.
Goulding - a.k.a The Unicorn - comes in now as the hottest Australian player in the NBL and time has been good to Petrie too, starting for the Boomers against China and at the Oceania Championship.
Adelaide will be trying to win its first three home games for the first time since the 2006 season when it went on to win its first 11, making Adelaide Arena a home fortress.
Really looking forward to this match-up.
KING James has reached another NBA milestone as just the fifth player to score 10 or more points in 500 consecutive games.
LeBron cracked the milestone yesterday morning, Australian time, and he did it in style with a putback dunk with 2:31 left in the first quarter against the Raptors in Toronto.
He still has a fair way to go to catch Michael Jordan (866) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (787 and 508), though he should catch Kareem's second successful run.
The Malone brothers - Karl (575) and Moses (526) are next in his sights.
OK. No emails. We ALL know the Malones aren't brothers, but thanks for thinking for a moment that I did.
(They're cousins though, right?)
James, a four-time MVP, has cracked double digits in every game since scoring eight at Milwaukee on January 5, 2007. He scored 19 at New Jersey the next night.
FUN FACT: LeBron has more regular-season games where he has scored at least 50 points (nine) than nights when he's scored less than 10 (eight).
GOT to say I liked the free-to-air coverage of the last NBL round.
Sure, the Perth-Wollongong match was ugly for any Hawks fan but having Rob Beveridge on the call and crossing to Damian Martin - even Warrick Giddey thinks he doesn't shoot enough - in-game on the bench made ONE's delivery of the event very palatable.
Fast-forward to Ten's Sunday Sixers-Kings game and there's some old footage to savor, including some halftime action of interval guest Phil Smyth, albeit clearly colorised from the original sepia.
For just a brief instance, you almost got the impression the network gave half a flying fruchoc.
THE countdown to the 36ers-Tigers showdown has thrown up a couple of good opportunities to catch up with the game's stars for News Corp.
Here's a few you may have missed.
CONGRATULATIONS to the soul of the Bendigo Spirit, Kristi Harrower, this week's WNBL's Player of the Week.
Kristi had a double-double with 11 points, 10 assists in her milestone 300th game, adding another memory by breaking the 4,000-point barrier as well in the 63-51 win over Dandenong.
The top-of-the-table clash saw Kristi become just the eighth player in WNBL history to crack 4,000.
WHAT goes around comes around (I like that. It might even catch on.)
Durrell $ummer$ may have flown the Hawks coop in search of more dosh in Hungary but was cut by Atomeromu SE PAKS after just three games of averaging 3.3 ppg at 35%, 2.7 rpg and 1.3 turnovers.
I think they officially told him to "Menj a pokolba".
GOTTA say while the NBL website has been god-awful at times so far - thanks again to PERFORM for making the company name a total misnomer - have really been enjoying the various celebrity columns by Damian "Damo" Martin, Jesse "The Colonel" Sanders and that antsy Chris Anstey.
Anstey's pieces in particular should be required reading for junior coaches and parents.
NBL Rankings
This Wk - Prev
8 (6) HAWKS - Last round was brutal and with no Laz, the trip to Melbourne will be tough.
7 (8) BREAKERS - Managed to beat a weakened Hawks, just, and still not quite there.
6 (7) CROCODILES - Last shot loss, but PC is back and this game will be season-defining.
5 (4) TAIPANS - Hit a skid but have enjoyed past trips to Sydney and this could be similar.
4 (5) KINGS - Got the split last round and must beat Cairns to be a genuine contender.
3 (2) 36ERS - Beat Kings and will move up again if they can take Tigers by the tail.
2 (3) TIGERS - Impressive in Cairns and already beaten 36ers. This is a big road test.
1 (1) WILDCATS - The Menace is throwing down dunks, Real Deal Beal swishing 3s. And it's a bye.
WNBL Rankings
This Wk - Prev
9 (9) WAVES - Putrid in Adelaide and must save face in Alice. Sydney's six-loss skid ends there.
8 (8) FLAMES - Beaten again in Queensland but will enjoy hospitality of NT and feed big.
7 (6) CAPITALS - Went down fighting but face #1 and #2 away. Praying for Abby.
6 (7) THUNDER - Watered down the Flames but will find the Fire an inferno.
5 (5) FIRE - Bit more of a challenge on the road but it's coming together now.
4 (4) LIGHTNING - Can they reproduce road form of the Sydney trip? If so, an upset looms.
3 (3) BOOMERS - Handled Waves but lacking some of the early spark. The season wears on.
2 (1) RANGERS: Dropped to Spirit, lucky to escape Caps. Bit more vulnerable now.
1 (2) SPIRIT - Met the challenge head-on for seventh straight win over Rangers. Found it.
THIS WEEK'S TIPS
CAIRNS has dropped two home confidence-breakers and need Cam Gliddon back in the lineup. Even without him, they've now had two games to adjust and must get Sydney's scalp on the road.
THE game of the round has #2 Adelaide hosting #3 Melbourne two rounds after losing by 14 to the Tigers. Goulding-Gibbo, Wortho-Petrie, Walker-Frye, Morrison-DJ - all great matchups. But who stops Gary Ervin? 36ers to win, narrowly.
LOSING Mirko Djeric has been covered by Townsville with London Olympian and All Star Game swingman Peter Crawford back for this clash with a yet-to-impress Breakers outfit. NZ will be turning the corner soon but this is one the Crocs can still get.
OH dear. "Stick a fork in a Hawk" is the Tigers' welcoming promo for Wollongong, already down key big man Larry Davidson (ankle) for a month. Wollongong has an active winning streak in just one current venue - The Cage - where it has won its past three. Oh well. All good things must come to an end. (I like that. That has a chance to catch on.)
LIGHTNING are hopeful injured vets Jenni Screen and Jo Hill will be back for the ABC-TV clash against Melbourne who are still down Rachel Jarry. Adelaide, if it can contain Tess Madgen.
WEST Coast's run of injuries - Deanna, Nat, Shani - makes it virtually a glorified state league team. Against the Flames, that will never do. Just expect more heart than last week's zombie effort.
THE Caps won a lot of fans and hearts with their gritty home loss to Dandenong and Abby Bishop (ankle) is desperately trying to get right in time. But it won't matter this time. Rangers.
BACKING up against the champs in Bendigo won't be any picnic for Canberra who have a monumental job here. Carrie Graf will need to find some magic to conjure an upset.
TOWNVILLE is starting to find the groove again and while Logan had a major confidence-boost last round at Sydney's expense, the Fire should have just a few too many weapons for Thunder to contain.
DEAR Windshield Wipers,
Can't touch this.
Sincerely,
That Little Triangle