It's not just an excuse, it's reality and it would be for any team in that situation. The reality is that it will happen to most teams (if not all) and when it does they'll just have to deal with it.

Boti mentioned it in his write-up and a number of others did too. Someone like Rush (their leading scorer, in half a game) could only play 24 minutes (after 39 the night before) because he was being nursed through the game to protect his knee.

When you look to comment on a game as a fan, coach or player, I think suggesting that a 25 point second half could be a result of weariness is not ridiculous at all.

if the league wants to maximise attendances, and reduce costs, then more back to back games are needed.

a) Back to back Friday/Saturday gives the hosting team (s) the very best chance of drawing a decent crowd.

b) back to back travel reduces air fares and accommodation

c) venue availability means back to back games sometimes HAVE to take place,

here's my question for the South Australian's ....would a better crowd have been drawn if sydney had played Adelaide on Friday and then gone on to South?

Good question HO
My son played U18 at the Dome friday nite.
Maybe Fri night and sunday would be about the same attendance?
Reason being.. so many of us are involved in juniors on friday ?

Friday and Saturday will always draw the biggest crowds considering it is end of week and most people want to chill.

Unfortunately for Adelaide, crowd attendance is based upon performance. If the team could go on a 5 game streak; we'd be looking at 7000+ crowds every game.

Most fans at the dome on a game-by-game basis are season ticket holders and loyalists (which 90% are one in the same).

Had we only lost the NZ game in the past road trip; then Adel v. Perth would have been an 8000 sellout.

It's probably offered as the first excuse because it might've been a primary factor. Just like if you're missing two key players in a game, you could well mention that early as well. The Spirit's output through the game dropped every single quarter while the margin grew. Suggests fatigue to me. Also impacted them having their best player on court for 24 minutes as well.

What else might they point to in discussing the loss? Field goal percentage (shots falling short from tired players)? Rebound count (opposition with more energy and strength as the game went on)?

Wasn't there only one team that ever got the doomsday double of Adelaide Perth in about 10 years.

There is something in that surely about travel and fatigue.

But in the same note we have to travel as well so it all balances out.

if a player is getting over an injury, then fair enough playing back to back might be hard, but when you are 100% there is no reason why you can't play back to back... hell if juniors can play 3 games a day then why can't "pros" do 2 games in 2 days

Ricey, the point is not that they can't do it, it's that if they're up against a fresher side, it's going to impact their chances.

Assuming the Spirit played on Saturday night, they would've wrapped up at 10pm, then slept, had to travel (or flew then slept well after midnight), do some sort of recovery, then train, etc.

For a team like the Spirit who play a quicker game with a lot of intensity, that has to impact them a bit.

Back to back games are not ideal and the NBL admit it. They try to avoid it but can't always succeed. I personally feel that they should be avoided at all costs. There is no doubt whatsover that a back to back game creates an unfair disadvantage to a team who has to do it.. They may complain about it but they have every right to because it is a major influence on the game itself. Its also an influence on injuries to players. Whilst its fair that most teams are affected by it, its not fair on an individual basis. If anyone looked at it from a legal perspective, I would imagine that there is an avenue for suing the NBL for its scheduling if a player can prove that an injury is a direct result of the schedulng of games. For example, a minor injury in the first game is greatly exacerbated by playing again less than 24 hours later with nowhere near long enough to recover from the first injury. This then creates an injury that sees this player sidelined for 6 weeks and the disadvantage of 1 back to game game affects the next 6 weeks.