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Week #7 Rankings: Grand final fever
TweetTHERE are some monster games looming in the NBL and WNBL this round - 2014 Grand Finalists of both competitions among competitors squaring off.
Adelaide hosts its championship-conqueror Perth, adding another page to the book of the NBL's longest rivalry.
And in country Victoria, the WNBL's two most powerful regional clubs of all time and Grand Finalists of the past two seasons - Bendigo and Townsville - revisit their burgeoning rivalry in what will be a masterful match to close the round.
In between, Perth also will meet Melbourne in the full-strength showdown between the two clubs most tipped to be battling off for the NBL silverware in the competition's final game of 2014-15.
That's just the tip of the iceberg of course, with Sydney and West Coast determining their WNBL bona fides, Canberra keen to grab a road win and Dandenong staving off the onset of irrelevancy, Wollongong trying to save its season on the road, the Kings needing a big scalp and the Breakers under the spotlight too.
Settle back and enjoy the pixilations!
SPOILER ALERT
NO, this week's WNBL rankings are not a reprint of last week's. It's just that for the first time in as long as anyone here can remember, they are the same as they were last round, results merely shoring up existing standings.
WNBL PotW
COULD not agree more with the WNBL choice for Player of the Week in Sydney guard Leilani Mitchell.
Her numbers may not have been the round's most imposing, but her domination of the Flames' two wins certainly was.
The NBL went with Perth's Jermaine Beal, at odds with B.O.T.I. selection Jordan McRae but a good choice nonetheless.
Hard to argue his two games were not right alongside McRae's though Jordy's efficiency and ability to turn a hostile Adelaide crowd into begrudging admirers was a sight rarely (if ever) seen at The Fortress.
NBL Rankings
This Wk-Prev
8 (8) HAWKS - Starting to run out of time to get it right without altering the group.
7 (7) CROCODILES - Host Hawks on their second NQ leg for a "must win" to restore the faith.
6 (5) KINGS - Just needed to do better than that against Perth but can upset Cairns.
5 (3) 36ERS - Still look formidable on paper but defence currently is shambollick.
4 (2) TAIPANS - Dropped two in a row but will get the winning feeling back this round.
3 (4) BREAKERS - Doing enough to be thinking post-season but have a real home challenge.
2 (1) WILDCATS - Efficient in disposing of Crocs-Kings but still not ruthlessly imposing... yet.
1 (6) UNITED - Smacked NBL leader Cairns, destroyed 36ers in Adelaide. Message delivered.
WNBL Rankings
This Wk-Prev
8 (8) LIGHTNING - Saw precious little to indicate change in fortunes is imminent.
7 (7) RANGERS - Caps are gettable and Dandenong has to get a move on in W column.
6 (6) BOOMERS - Close but no cigar last round but catch Adelaide on the hop.
5 (5) WAVES - Last shot wins are great but West Coast need to beat Sydney to be in the mix.
4 (4) CAPITALS - On the road again and must close out a win over Rangers to avoid slide.
3 (3) FLAMES - Looked sharp last round and can burst West Coast's balloon.
2 (2) SPIRIT - Chance to reclaim #1 spot, hosting Townsville this round in a GF preview.
1 (1) FIRE - Should tune up on Adelaide before revisiting their least favourite venue.
This Week's Tips
CAIRNS pulled out a stunning last quarter to over-run Sydney when they last met, the Kings down Josh Childress in that one. This time in Sydney, the Kings will finally enjoy the last laugh unless Cam Gliddon and Scottie Wilbekin revisit their backcourt smarts. Liking Sydney though.
UNITED's home win over New Zealand signalled the start of Melbourne showing glimpses of what it could be. Adelaide found out what United is on its best day last week and it was scary. Now in Auckland, it is the Breakers who need to make a statement or risk being rolled again by the awakening giant. You have to like Melbourne.
AFTER last round's home humiliation, you know Adelaide will put in a huge showing against arch rival Perth. The question is will it be enough right now against a Wildcats team which has surged into first place and is loving life? Deandre Daniels continues to improve, Beal is for real and Adelaide is far from settled. This is a Perth win, unless Gibbo again goes crazy.
WOLLONGONG has had to take stock this week after Gordie McLeod reshuffled his starters against NZ Breakers and got even less from them. Cairns has been going in the wrong direction and while these clubs have a recent history of winning in each other's gyms, that will end with a Taipans victory.
IN the preseason, many were expecting any Melbourne-Perth match to be a GF preview. Of course both opened with losses and only recently started to justify that faith. United gave the Wildcats a run for their money in Perth with a depleted lineup and knowing the animosity which exists just below the surface, this could be a fiery Melbourne win.
IF Townsville is to be more than a spoiler lamenting how another one "just slipped away", beating Wollongong at home falls into the MUST category. The Hawks' only win was their season-opener against the Crocs so they will take some measure of comfort from that but it has been a long time between drinks. Townsville's season virtually rides on this.
THE familiarity of Adelaide Arena for Townsville takes away any edge of that nature Lightning may have enjoyed and, right now, Adelaide needs every break it can get. Unfortunately, a further break of their spirit is all that lies in store against a Fire team which may boast as many local fans as the locals.
FLYING into Melbourne to play at 3pm in the ABC-TV game after hosting Townsville at 5pm the day before is hardly WNBL programming at its finest - not that such a term even exists - and Adelaide already has enough going wrong. The Boomers have been on the edge and this will be the breakthrough win they have been needing.
AFTER years of watching Sydney Fiascos, cannot stress enough how pleasurable it was to see the Sydney Flames going about their business with great efficiency and a fun atmosphere to boot. West Coast is trying to emerge from its past failures this season and needs a scalp such as Sydney's to alert the eastern states. Right now though, it would need a big Flames form reversal.
CANBERRA is vulnerable, as it showed in losing last week in Perth. On the road again, it can fall into the same Ranger-trap they set for Townsville not all that long ago. While Abby Bishop will have no keyway issues, the Caps will have their hands full with Penny Taylor and Cappie Pondexter. With a few others lifting, this looms as a Dandenong upset.
THE battle for #1 spot will be on in earnest when Bendigo hosts Townsville at Bendigo, which hardly has been a happy hunting ground for the Fire. Gabe Richards will need help combating Batgirl and Cayla but Townsville also will need to find ways to contain Kelsey Griffin and emerging Sara Blicavs. Match of the round? Yep. Bendigo to win at home? Yep.
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WHY did the chicken cross the road?
To get ahead of the line of NBL CEO applicants.
