Sixers by 14
Crowd of 4023

36ers to win by 3 points, a bit fresher at home,against Breakers who are the biggest improvers from last season. Good game to watch by a crowd of 4131.

I hate to sound negative&&..but clutching at straws stating they have something to play for tonight (Phil's 700) is ridiculous. They have something to play for every night!!!!!!!!

The problem is that they are being let down by a coaching program intent on being nice and popular instead of making the hard calls and actually showing some interest at the game.

Look around this league, the WNBL, the NBA, etc etc, how many coaches do you see looking like they are watching the Simpsons on their home plasma, sitting with their legs out and arms crossed? If it was a bit quieter, I am sure Phil would get to sleep. How many coaches do you see spend 75% of a time out or quarter time break consulting with each other before addressing the team? The only time Phil actually looks involved in the game is when he gets up to complain to the refs and get the inevitable Tech.

The players have the skills and most of them bring to the floor every night. The problem is that they are being let down by their coach. Contrary to the tone of this post, I really do hope that the players can carry their coach through this and light it up tonight&...............but please fans, don't use the catch cry that they have something to play for tonight, they have something to play for every night.

Spinner, I know they have EVERYTHING to play for every night. I was just saying that this one is extra special because it's a milestone for Phil. I agree what you are saying about the Sixers being too nice and not making tough calls.

Close game, crowd around 4,260.

My game preview is up on the 36ers site.

The Adelaide 36ers tonight have an opportunity to exact revenge on the New Zealand Breakers after losing to the Auckland-based team on the road earlier in the season.

The 36ers have had a week off to prepare for this game, Smyth speaking of players angry at the loss to the Blaze and channelling their energy into training during the week. New Zealand, meanwhile, had their day between games marred by travel, but will have confidence from both their win against Brisbane, and last time they faced the 36ers.

At 2-6, second bottom and three wins out of the top eight, Adelaide absolutely must dig in their heels for this match and come away with a win.

Adelaide better win while i am going.

123abc - You are actually going to a game??????????

With Paul Henare back Ryan Kersten will not play as only 10 can suit in away games and Ryan is a development player who had good opportunities with Henare out injured. Ryan may also get some future opportunities in Sunday games when Winitana does not suit for religous reasons.
It is a shame that Adelaide fans will not see Ryan the enigma - a player who did not get minutes for North in grand final but has had useful minutes at NBL level.
Sixers should win -home game and highly motivated and breakers coming off a win and travel schedule could see them struggle to keep intensity high.

sixers by 4 pts crowd 4134

Breakers by 6. Penney to top score for the game.

Maher to top score for the 36ers.

Crowd: 3915

sixer by 10 and chappel to top score

Rickets is KILLING the rebounds! 28 boards in the game and 10 are his!

10:51 left in the last quarter and the sixers are up by 7.
66 - 59.

Sounds like Brett has gone down with a calf injury again.

They are terrible. Chappell is his usual big scoring self.

4:34 to go 72-63 up. It is in the bag........

2:59 36ers up by 10.

Thats a very confident statement Sturty.....I certainly hope your right though!

50 secs to go and we are up by 16

85-69

whats happened to maher?!

good win by the boys. i wasnt at the game but did the guys play good defense or did the breakers just shoot terribly? cos penney doesnt usually shoot that poorly

I think it was a bit of good defense and at times just bad shooting by NZ. It looked like we actually did some homework for a change and held Rickert to only 6 points.

I've said it before and ill say it again I think (regardless of their win against the bullets) that NZ are an average team. So I don't read too much into this win. Obviously it was great to have Davidson back that guy is a champion! Also hopefully Maher isn't too injured or it might be some bad weeks ahead!

It was interesting to see Dench basically getting no minutes at all which seemed to work in our favour. Some bad signs are we are still getting killed with rebounds 30 to 50 tonight however we kept the turnovers down for a change (8 to 20). The win will do the team the world of good. Another thing I found interesting was Smyth basically giving Davidson a huge hug after the game like he was thanking him for saving his job. Don't get too excited just yet Smyth :) In the next 3 weeks we are playing against the 3 bottom teams (2 at home). If we lose 2 of them It should be time to say bye Smyth.

Maher got injured, had an icepack on towards the end.

Crowd: 4443

Davidson played very well, Ng had a good last quarter. Ballinger dominated.

"Davidson played very well, Ng had a good last quarter. Ballinger dominated."

Ng SUCKED the whole game, again scoring a few points when the games in the bag doesnt count as having a good last quarter, until the game was said and done he played AWFUL.


Funny also that when the Sixers have won theres not as many comments on here, seems alot of people just like to complain about them instead of congratulating them.

Big difference tonight was Davidson, theres no comparison between him and Ng/Sutton.

Maher had an amazing game until he was pulled out due to injury, he managed to keep his opposing player (#6 not sure of his name) to 6 points while he racked up stats in offence and defense.


Umpires were the usual bad calling selves, they need to re-learn the rules horrible game, easily could have lost us the game.

Davo was the difference as I was hoping he would be. Ballinger once again an excellent all round performance.
I acyually thought Copeland did a good job on defence tonight, along with Mottram.
As far as Dench is concerned, well what can I say, other than why are we bothering with the guy. Might as well give his time to Dodman.
let's hope Brett is not too seriously injured, as that guy is just so important to our side - surely he has to be close to the best player we have had over such a long career.
Reckon the Breakers could have done with Kersten tonight. Henare was deplorable. After seeing NZ a couple of weeks agao, the team that came to play tonight was nowhere like the last time. The Sixers defence was indeed much improved tonight, except for Chappell, who apart from having no feet, must have shot something like 3 for 15. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

I thought it was a fairly ordinary game all round. Neither side shot very well, especially from the outside.

Sixers keep getting slaughtered on the boards, but tonight kept in it because of the turnover count.

If Maher is injured, that is really bad. Just when we got Davidson back (I love his game).

B.t.w does the NBL website ladder know something I missed? It currently states that the Sixers are on a two game winning streak...

In fact the more you look at it, the more inaccurate that ladder is. The Sixers have lost '6' games, and are 1-4 over the last five games. Hmm, why do I even bother trusting anything on the NBL website? How hard can it be to get it right???

Yes XY a win for the Sixers now counts as 2 wins didn't you know that? :P

frustrating thing for me is motts hes getting fouled out of the game 2 fouls on him when he was straight up and down should have been no calls

chappell next plane out please

We're screwed if Maher is out for any length of time. He was absolutely unbelievable tonight - he was doing everything, playing great defense on Penney, cutting out passes, grabbing boards, and he would have had a few more assists if Copeland and Ballinger had made lay-ups after they were spoon-fed by Maher. He made Penney look extremely overrated for the guy who is supposed to be NZ's most potent guard at NBL and internationl level.

Chappell really should be on the next flight out of here. He has lost any sort of quickness or explosiveness that he had (not that he was ever THAT quick or athletic) which means he cannot play defense, cannot rebound, cannot finish, continually commits offensive charging fouls - all he is doing is pulling up for jumpers which he is shooting at an appalling clip. I'd go so far as to say we will not make the finals unless we replace Chappell in a hurry.

Pretty sure I saw Dench's colon tonight after he was sat on his ass!

Brett should be out for a long while, hurt his calf.

Maher said he felt something pop in his dodgy calf. Given that Lemanis's defence was all about jumping on Brett, he took a lot of punishment. Brett could be four to six weeks if indeed he did pop a muscle.

Sixers defence of the post was great especially limiting Rickett, but i am glad i am not an import playing for Lemanis, I really only recall one import in total for the game from either team playing significant minutes in the last quarter.

Sixers offence lacks variation and is very perimiter based, and looks similar to the basic shuffle Phil has been running for years. What happened to your Stack/post variation sets Phil? wouldn't they suit our set of forwards?

breakers shot poorly and turned the ball over badly and sixers were only 6 up late in the game....A win but still some question marks. Brad and Bret were key players for sixers... they will need more players to play with that intensity every game to deliver more wins.

Skud, the game was in no way in the bag when Ng scored a few points. They were only up by 6 with still a few minutes to go. Ng's 3 pointer in the last few minutes of the game broke a temprorary drought and turned the heat on scoring. It was the confidence from then on that resulted in a 17 point win. That 3 pointer was worth a lot more than just 3 points. He needs to be given credit where credit is due. I kept my eye on him the whole time he was on in the last quarter. He was pressured by the opposition and lacked the opportunity to get in a good position to shoot the 3.

exactly EC and also he only played 18 minutes i dont think 6pts 3rbs 1blk and NO TURNOVERS is a bad return.

Chappell: 8pts 3/13fg He's over his injury there are no more excuses he should be performing and any decent club would recognize that there are far better players out there who are willing to take his spot.

Lejmanis: What a d!ckhead!!! After having Rickert off for ages while Ronaldson played Centre (hahaha he runs like a girl) finally Rickert comes on in the 4th when the game is still to be won and 1 minute later hes off again for Oscar. u shouldve seen Rick's face when he was subbed off then, PISSED! Lejmanis you're a tool, u cant coach and u lost that game yourself.

Oh and if Maher is out for 4-6 we can say godbye to finals. Last two games he's guarded James Harvey and Kirk Penney (averaging a combined 43ppg) and he's kept them to a combined 12pts. Well done Mahersy hope it's not too serious.

No Maher and you can probably say goodbye to any more wins this season too !!

NBL live scoreboard must be screwed again. It said 36ers actually won a game.........

I disagree skud, Ng played well in the last quarter and hustled very well at both ends and the three pointer was what made the game in the bag for the Sixers.

Mottram got called for a foul when just standing and he was called for a holding foul... wtf?!

He never initiated any contact, so the call was wrong and i am betting that this isn't the last time it will happen to him.

Davidson's defence on Penney was just awesome he even took a charge and Davidson held the NZ Tall Black who averaged over 20 points against the Boomers, just 5 points.

Maher was just maginificent and shot like the 36ers captain we all know and love to watch. Even when fouled he scored and also showed alot of drive to the basket and converted, as did Davidson.

Ballinger was awesome, as per usual.

"Last two games he's guarded James Harvey and Kirk Penney (averaging a combined 43ppg) and he's kept them to a combined 12pts."

Furthermore, 5 of Penney's points came when Maher wasn't even on the court. The thing with Maher, is that while he won't block your shot or get many steals he always contests shots and is able to consistently stop his man penetrating, due to his fantastic lateral movement. He's always been a very solid and underrated defender in my book which is another reason why it was so disappointing to see him on the bench in the past for the Boomers, when various other players on the court play zero defense.

i have had enough of sticking up for chappel sorry mate but u got to go

36ers played like a completely different team. Their defense was far superior to previous games. NZ were woeful anyway, but the D contributed to that. Breakers did not get many clean looks.

Maher showed that he is a class above Penney leaving Kirk pressured low-percentage shots, while making tough baskets himself. Ballinger and Davidson were very good also.

That passage of three straight dunks showed that the 36ers were in a different frame of mind to previous outings.

11 points from NZ in the last quarter is pretty terrible! Winitana and Rickert were probably the only real shining lights for them, though Jones and Ronaldson persisted.

Hopefully Maher's injury isn't too bad?

As I said on OzHoops, if they look to replace Chappell, now is the time to do it. Singapore next up, week between successive games, time to 'gel'.

Right now, they have three reliable players in Maher, Ballinger and Davidson. A different import could give them four and make them more of a threat.

Pleased to see a couple of you including Isaac acknowledging that 36ers defence actually contributed to the turnovers for NZ. It wasn't just a bad night for them. It would be good to see supporters actually give credit where it's due for a change.