I think Andrew Warren will be the x-factor. You know how teams are against us from long-range. If he explodes, they're fairly strong at PG, PF and C and will have a big advantage. Otherwise, our chances improve. Get inside Crosswhite's head, maybe he picks up some quick fouls containing Johnson. Simpson and Loughton negate each other, etc.

Even though Cairns are exceeding predictions and killed the Breakers last game, I think a win should be the expectation for the 36ers this round. If we're to be a team that improves and hangs on the fringe of the play-offs, we have to put away the Hawks, Kings, Crocs, Taipans, etc.

In his seven games before NYE Warren was averaging something like 18ppg, so he is quietly finding some form.

If you can stop loughton and crosswhite getting bulk offensive rebounds, then you should win, if they both have came to play though I am afraid it will take a 60% shooting game to get the win.

Saying that, I tipped you guys so dont let me down!

Nothing on Hill? The Hillbilly is 8.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 apg. Those stats are the best he's played. I suspect he will be out to get season high stats this game. (Will he bring a bag of washing home for mum?) Expect him to try a few fancy jams. Let's just hope he doesn't do a "c'mon" past the Sixers bench.

Wilson and Warren are where they get their offensive grunt from. Creeky's minutes were limited last week and I wonder if his place in the starting 5 is up for grabs. Herbie is someone you can't discount. Bartlett might be flying high too.

One matchup not discussed is the Helliwell-Dodwell clash of the titans. I am leaning towards the Sixers as I feel that on the individual matchups we can knock them off.

The bottom line is D. The Taipans are #1 and we are #9, but getting better. If the Sixers get the rotations and the matchup right, then at least Marty can say that he has got two in a row.

Taipans are #1 on defence simply because they walk the ball up and use up the clock. That style suits their slow bigs, and their shooters who like to rest and catch their breath before they catch and shoot.

It will be a battle of the tempo, 36ers will be continually trying to speed the game up, Taipans will be trying to slow the game down. Up tempo suits the 36er forwards who like to be in motion {except Helliwell} but also our wing shooters.

If the Sixers are going to make a run they need to get this one. I think they can but agree that our backcourt needs to contain Warren and Wilson. I would have thought Simpson is the better matchup for Crosswhite, leaving DJ to carve Loughton up?

BF- you make it sound like the taipans are physically un-fit??

that is not the case.

firstly they have an aba strength bench, so the starters have a big work load.

secondly they dont have the fire power to match it with the top teams.

the theory is to limit the amount of 'plays' in each game by using up clock at both ends of the court.
eg smothering early in defence.....then the'slowing down' in an offence designed to take time off the clock.

simple really !!

taipans by six

The Taipans throw up 65 FGA/game to the Sixers 72 FGA/game. It works out the Sixers throw up 10% more shots per minute of play than the Taipans. Maybe the "slow and steady" style of the Taipans is true.

A fast tempo game will suit the Sixers then!

Any radio links, or just live stats?

er,sorry......i meant taipans by 5 points !!

Sixers beat themselves. Were probably the better team. But just couldnt shoot, and it wasnt because cairns were forcing them into tough shots

Great defensive pressure from the Taipans in the last quarter, coupled with some poor shooting from the 36ers in the third quarter swung the game the Taipans way. Great atmosphere and a very good crowd. And the guy swishing the half court shot to win the $5000 at half time was a laugh.

Big mistake Marty taking out Simpson and Johnson together in the third quarter and bringing in Helliwell. We had just been on a roll extended our lead to 7 points. That sub cost us 6 points.

Next mistake in the last qutr was benching Creek when he got his 4th foul. Should have let him run as he was playing well and had 9 points for his minutes. Instead he went with Ng who had only managed 3 points and for whom he set no plays and who could not get shots away with such a tight defence.
Also using Herbert who managed 2 points for the game.
Would have been better to use Creek and Bartlett at the end.
Dissapointing finish.

We suck.

Marty needs to go.

I got nuthin' else.

I want to say the Refs tonight were awful..not because they called bad fouls..they did both ways but that didnt affect me. I had 2 people with me who had never seen an NBL game before. The Refs made this game so boody slow and just waltzed around at every stoppage. They should be pushing the tempo of the game and getting the floor wipers on the ball. This really wasnt an enjoyable game to watch for me and while the 2 teams caused alot of that...the Umpires should be kicked in the balls for delaying the game. Delays like this could have inpacted both teams offence and was absolutely rediculous.

Why we lost, why we always lose. Clark doesnt know how to put a team on the floor. Why the hell were Simpson and Johnson both on the bench at the same time...Helliwell struggles to do anything with their help, alone hes just horrible.
Why bring Ng on in the last 15 seconds of the game..if you want him to have an impact put him on the court for the last minute and RUN SOME PLAYS FOR HIM.
Simpson...seemed to spend alot more time providing a screen for the PG's than usual and CONSTANTLY had his calls for the ball go unanswered. Really hindered his scoring tonight.

Fed up with this constant rubbish Clark gives us every game. Get rid of him now and watch them grow instantly.

Once again Clarke stuffed up. Why start Simpson and Warren on the bench going into the last quarter. Instead they start bartlett who was hesistant the whole game and Helliwell who was being Helliwell. Start the last quarter with your best players!!!! I am pretty Cairns had their Imports play the WHOLE last quarter! Someone correct me if I am wrong on that one.

Weigh once again was an embarrassment playing so many minutes for no result

Few reasons we lost:
Couldn't buy a field goal. Warren (ours) 1/9 from long range. Most very gettable. Then when someone finally makes one, they promptly get subbed out. 33% from the field, just not our night.
Our complete disregard to the fact Warren (theirs) was having a night out. Did we try defend, no, we just sagged off and gave him look after look. I could have put up 15 with the looks he got.
Stephen f'ing Weigh. Let's try drop him one night and see how we go.
DJ became predictable after quarter time. Same with Simpson. Crosswhite just camps out and swats them away.
Herbert can't hit a shot anymore.
Simpson still can't get his head around free throws. Saw him in the warm up and he was giving it air and actually looking like he might have a clue, then promptly went back to normal when he stepped on the court.
That period in the late third quarter, early last when Simpson and Johnson sat. There's no excuse imaginable that both should be off at once. Just can't happen.
There's no way they won that. We sure as hell lost it.

Ive never made a big song and dance about rotations but why change a game when its going so well?

This year Im more frustrated than ever. I have to wonder if its really worth going cos its either gonna be my blood pressure going up, ending up in hospital or something worse.

Gee and I thought Benn McDonald was crap both at reffing and football with the Gullies. Those 3 tonight were insipid and I gotta wonder, what bet they had on Cairns to win cos gee, the word 'cheat' comes to mind a few times. But definitely strange calls both ways

The Clarke Years at the Sixers might be as well remembered as the Shaw Years at the Crows.

Good call Jack T. Clarke thinks the fans are irrelevant and expect too much blah blah just like Shaw did. Not that it matters but was Shaw a Tasmanian too, or just a Vic?

Actually, a good spot Jackie C. Both are Tasmanians, or Taswegians, or Apple Islanders.

Brothers from the same mother, sister, aunt, grandmother then.