I tend to think Adelaide will actually win this one. Purely due to United's complete midseason meltdown. United have the weapons, more scoring options than any other team, yet they've forgotten how to put it together. The 36ers haven't been all that good this season, but they should be able to play well enough at home to get this one against a team in crisis.

far from convinced who will win this one - will be won on the night by whoever brings their game.
Looks like it is close to a sell out and with xmas - providing a decent game is produced - should be a good night

This game's worth 2 games.

If United can win, they'll go to 12-6, with the split over Adelaide who would fall to 8-10.

If Adelaide wins, they go to 9-9, with United falling to 11-7.

Considering that United's last 10 games include only 4 at home, and 6 against either Perth, NZ or Illawarra (all who comfortably beat UTD last time)...gosh, you wouldn't want to be in that position.

We're a long way out, but this game will go a long way towards determining 4th spot.

Although in addition to my above post, it has to be said that Adelaide's last 10 games is quite tough as well.

Has Jack Soft ever tipped against the 6ers?

6ers are rubbish. United have dished up rubbish for over a month now. Be interesting to see if either of these teams can put on a show.

Three certainties in this game

1)Arguably the biggest collection of me first players outside of the NBA.

2)It will be a battle between two coaches who know SFA about any structure at either end of the court other than what can be created by individuals.

3) There wont be much defense played.

If 6ers stick to switching defence, Melb will have Kickert and even Tomlinson nailing 3pters again. 6ers love playing melb back into form.

I'm curious, how exactly does a ROFLcopter work anyway?

36ers will surely have learnt from last time and won't keep switching, leaving Johnson to defend Goulding/Holt on the perimeter or Randle defending the low block....

From a bball perspective that's what makes this game interesting- last time each team were comfortably the better team in one respective half. 36ers owned the second half and part of it was their change in D.

Nearly sold out it will be a cracker. Hopefully Adelaide win on a Jerome Randle buzzer beating 3 in 4OT. Final score 125-124. Jerome Randle with 31p 6a, Gibbo with 12p 10r 11a, Sobey with a few monster dunks. DJ with a 20p 20r. Ebi Ere to finally go ham and go for 38p. Wishful thinking.

You lost me at Ere scoring 38.

lucky if there is 150 tickets left

Why isn't this game underway? What timzone are Adelaide on?

As always, "it's the NBL, anything can happen" but I'm tipping MU. They are still one of the best teams in the comp.
As for 4th spot, I really don't see Adelaide being able to challenge from here.

"Why isn't this game underway? What timzone are Adelaide on?"

One where the 23rd is tomorrow.

ROFL, yeah getting so excited over CHristmas, I'm a day ahead.
Still tipping MU though

half full or half empty ? - if you are reminiscing on previous performances - what about the recent final vrs melb ? - nobody saw that coming! - enjoy the night / sell out - life is like a box of chocolates

When the Arena has a large crowd, there's a different feel to the game which helps the Sixers and tonight it is a big one.

Dec 23 is also "Festivus" so it's a good time to get around the aluminium pole and air some grievances.

Is Dan Kickert playing for MU? Important player in their system.

19 seats left total. I wonder how many were given away? I presume you can take away 200-250 odd from the 7,800 capacity because of the RAA thing.

Depending on the amount of members who go, I suspect we'll see a good crowd of about 6,200-6,600

$10 tickets hard to pass up - it will be full - right time of year, no clashes with cricket etc, holidays - everything lines up and a good example of scheduling after research for maximum exposure

Sold Out!!!!

Not sure if this cut and paste HTML thing will work but I'll give it a go. Good cause, get behind it.

Or even better - donate to a better cause, such as an organisation that doesn't use its proceeds for anti-gay rights lobbying ;)

^ Correct Anon, There are plenty of decent organisations that can supply the needy with food, donate to them.

36ers better bring their game tonight !

The attendance has just been announced...

7,641

HAHAHAHAHAHA Demopoulos. What a wanker.

What a game, it's had everything. Come on Sixers!

Geez.

My goodness.

Warrick just copped a hit in the chops and then got mugged. No call either time.

Did these refs take some $ in the back pocket at the half or what....

Goulding goes to the basket in a last ditch attempt to keep United in it.

Gets mugged.

No call.

This is getting tiring.

Although, it has to be said. If you wanna win a basketball game you need to rebound the ball.

Bring back the RealScoMo

Sorry to say but Goulding is terribly overrated.

Jerome Randle just being interviewed by Shane Heal. A well spoken young man and not one who says "and uh" to start every sentence (in fact, he didn't say that once).

A good win by the 36ers in front of a full house.

It might be time for Warrick to start, or bring goulding off the bench try something different

Not being able to make a shot after being fouled is why he isn't in the NBA? Interesting premise.

How they turned a clear USF into only 2 shots, then gave Adl every call there on after was the turning point in that game.

Refs really screwed the pooch, once again

Mitch Creek looking very unprofessional on the sidelines there, in sneakers and short shorts! He did at least have the club polo on, but come on NBL, step up the game- black pants, black shoes and club polo- not hard, heck amateurs and semi-pros can, even juniors do it!

That no-USF call was absolutely atrocious.

Is there an off-ball foul rule in the NBL? 99% sure there isn't in FIBA.

Gotta give Gibbo and the Sixers team defence some credit for Goulding's bad game tonight. He has killed us in the past, but we gave him absolutely no space to put the ball on the floor and get his shooting rhythm.

that rejection by 6er - didn't the crowd just love it...

well done by 36ers - a must win for the entire club - big night, lot at stake - these are the sort of games that will get people back

Perth are far from the 'overwhelming' favourites, their in the hunt obviously but not clear cut. The Hawks unlike United have the proven stars to continue the hot shooting and will causes all sorts of issues come playoff time in a 3 game series. IF United continue to self implode, coach and all, the 36ers may scrape in to the playoffs and make it easy for some team to get to the GF haha

You sound hopeful more than anything. Hawks will be around and the Breakers have more weapons for mine. Cats Haven't got the shooters.

Perth come up big when they need to though. They are easily the best at closing out games, which will be important come playoffs.

Really entertaining game, great atmosphere, highlight plays, everything really. A shame it got taken out of the players hands at the end.

Kind of good that Melbourne got screwed by the refs tonight, puts to bed any conspiracy theories and just shows it's home town bias.

Strange that the two refs at the centre of the Melbourne v New Zealand debacle are repeatedly being rostered together, including tonight. Sometimes you just scratch your head.

Paul, can you confirm the rule about fouling off the ball?

What would you do to fix the issues with the refs Paul?

If it's the same guys that cannot handle any kind of pressure then perhaps they just cannot ref at this level.

It would also be good if they would learn that they aren't supposed to be the centre of attention in the 4th quarter.

Be consistent the entire game. Ignore the crowd. Don't let any of the Coaches act like babies (pretty much all of them throw tantrums that deserve T's). That'd fix a lot of the issues.

What has Teys done wrong to be in the dog house. He is a hustle guy wish he would play more minutes.

The main difference between the hawks and united is that the hawks have a centre that likes to bang inside, block shots, pull down boards and get the second chance shots for his shooters. Melbs centre sits at the 3 pt line

"What would you do to fix the issues with the refs Paul?

If it's the same guys that cannot handle any kind of pressure then perhaps they just cannot ref at this level."

I wrote the below piece on this a few weeks ago after the Melbourne v NZ debacle. We have a number of refs who have been in the league for many years and continue to ref poorly.

It's time to get rid of those guys, it's like an NBL team having 30 year olds as their 10th men, they aren't getting better, find someone who might have a higher ceiling.

http://www.fiba.com/news/common-sense-prevails-now-structural-change

Who were the refs?
Missed my 11 home game since 1985.

Now the Sixers don't play again until 8 Jan and next home game is not until 20 Jan. Strange scheduling with only one game in 28 days in a compacted season.

New scoreboard and sound system will apparently be up and running for the next home game.

We're actually getting a new scoreboard? Like, for real? And a new sound system?
It really IS Christmas!

Sobey should have been assessed a USF. But missing the resulting free throws made it a good foul even so.

Demopoulis is an idiot for continuing to argue after the crowd got on him and started riding the umps. Drained the momentum out of United.

LV, maybe a couple of uncalled ones at the end, but Holt was also gifted with a couple of bailout calls. Blaming the refs for that loss is symptomatic of why United have won 2 of their last 10.

I didn't think that Sobey foul was USF, he hacked at the ball. United's coach created the turning point in that one, just a complete brain fart and Goulding was absolutely livid with him. That team is in bad shape mentally.

Was definitely good to see Joey Wright not win the annoying whinging ass award tonight.

"I didn't think that Sobey foul was USF, he hacked at the ball"

He also pushed an airborne player in the back.

I really wish I had been there to see that performance if the comments about the refs was correct.

There;s a first time for everything.

DJ - 31 pts, 16 rebounds, 1 assist. 5/7 outside the arc.
Randle - 29 pts, 7 rebounds, 9 assists
Ere - 9 pts, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

Melbourne had 5 players with 10+ points

Holt - 12
Blanchfield - 10
Kickert - 20
Goulding - 10 (3/8 threes and 1 FT. He was 0/5 on 2's)
Warwick - 20

Adelaide shot at 45% while Melbourne managed 36%.
Adelaide were 33% from the 3 point line, Melbourne were 29%.
Adelaide were 16/20 (80%) from the FT line. Melbourne were 18/27 (66%).

Adelaide won the rebounding 52-36. We grabbed 16 offensive boards to United's 9.

We dished out 13 assists to Melbourne's 10.

Melbourne had less turnovers (8-11) and more steals (4-3). Melbourne also had 4 blocks to our 2.


Adelaide committed 21 fouls to Melbourne's 20.

The tale of the tape.

"It's time to get rid of those guys, it's like an NBL team having 30 year olds as their 10th men, they aren't getting better, find someone who might have a higher ceiling."

I agree 100% They must bring in new blood and see if they are capable of controlling and also allowing a Game to flow. Being consistent and not bowing to the Home Crowd is also a must.

I feel that Aylen has, for the past season or so, decided he is "above" the NBL and is quite rude and arrogant about how he refs. It's not a good look and it sends a message to every other official that they can do it too.

For the people saying the Sobey call was correct, I will wager that if it was Tomlinson fouling DJ or Randle you'd all want USF and possible ejection.

My point?

That United should have done a lot better considering Adelaide only really had 2 guys keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

But they were killed on the boards, especially offensive. And they hurt themselves at the foul line missing 9 shots.

Goulding only hitting 3 of his 13 shots, Holt 2 of 10 and Blanchfield 4 of 11 didn't help either.

we win, we attack the refs.
we lose, we attack the refs.

gee whiz, they get it wrong/they get it right.

whoever suggested they were gods gift to baskeball reffing stuffed up big time.

sobey: usf? no way! **wanna borrow my glasses** ??

sydney once
perth twice
new zealand twice
cairns twice
adelaide once
illawara twice

Wow....the United could, based on current form, lose about 7 or 8 of those and be 14 losses.

Great game for a sellout crowd to witness, and quite a few highlights too.

DJ's first half was fiiiiiine. 5/5 three's were brilliant. Randle is an absolute star - he has hustle, he can drive the ball, he can shoot the ball and he can dish the ball (some brilliant passes tonight). Gotta find a way to keep him here for next year.

United's coach..."foul waxy, foul waxy, i'll tell the umpires we're fouling waxy"....except 1. you can't foul the guy who doesn't have the ball and 2. waxy wasn't on the court lol.

He wasn't happy about the (lack of) USF and about Kelly (i think) not being able to talk to his own players. But he lost it, and it didn't help United's cause.

That overturn of the USF was a joke in all honesty, that needed to be reviewed, surely they'd have the technology to review that. That was a bit of a game turner.

It felt like the 36ers had some positive calls towards the end, crowd certainly gets into it. Although there was some inconsistency in calling which also assisted United, but overall in that fourth quarter, it has to be said not much went Melbourne's way.

Melbourne have themselves to blame though, the wide open three's missed, if you're going to put them up, get them in when you're wide open. Rebounding rebounding rebounding. United were terrible (except for Warrick crashing the Offensive boards).

Do the other teams deny Daniel "Zoolander" Kickett his right hand?

In the 3 games this season between the Sixers and United he has had great success when the Sixers let him go to the basket with his right hand. On the few occasions when they have denied him that option he has struggled to score with the same consistency and looks considerably less comfortable.

"you can't foul the guy who doesn't have the ball"

There's no FIBA rule to that effect, yand the ref didn't mention anything about it, so I'm not sure that's true.


"surely they'd have the technology to review that."

The technology is irrelevant if the rules don't allow it.

Marcus, United look spent.

sydney once (W)
perth twice (L, L)
new zealand twice (L, L)
cairns twice
adelaide once
illawara twice

There's probably one certain win, and four certain losses, with 5 games 50/50.

I'd have Illawarra down as losses as well.

The Adelaide game will be huge.

koberulz - Repeating what Heal said in commentary, he could be incorrect but I have heard this before in the NBL so i've been under the impression this is the case.

And given each game is telecast now, USF ought to be reviewable under the rules if it isn't already, this is one of those (perhaps few) times the NBA rules have it right.

koberulz, potentially, there's nothing but duck eggs for Melbourne for the rest of the season.

They appear to be mentally soft and their game plan has been disected to such a point where other teams have worked them out. They have failed to alter their plan and if Demopoulos does a Marty Clarke and sticks with a failed plan, they could tumble out of the top 4.

Great result for the Sixers heading into the holiday period.
My how the mighty Melbourne have fallen from grace.

DJs best sixers game, and american import pg giving him assists instead of wanting to be top scorer. Pretty hard to beat.

I've never heard of a specific off the ball foul rule, I think it would be up to the ref to determine if it was unsportsmanlike or not.

As a basketball fan and not a Adelaide or MU follower, I thought the way the game was reff'd was poor.

The number of times that there was solid contact made that had an impact on the play and a foul wasn't called, then seeing the refs fall for the ball handler throwing his head back and playing for a foul, which was called.

The foul from Sobey on the big fella was definitely an unsportsman foul. Warrick had a clear dunk, Sobey had no angle at all to make a legit play on the ball, he shoved him in the back, and he used excessive force.

But this was one of many calls that the refs got wrong.

Difficult situation but from all of the games that I have watched (nearly every game this season) the one common issue is the way the game is getting called.

The NBL has made significant progress this year and the refs need support to make sure they are not 'holding' the progress back.

Some of calls that I find the most annoying:
- When players are making a play and driving to the hoop, clearly the D makes contact and bumps them off their line which impacts the shot. No call. Then D gets the rebound and there is minimal contact and the original offensive player gets called for a foul.

- Offensive player makes a good play and penetrates, defense jumps in their path, has 'limited' position and then flops backwards. Offense gets called for a charge.

- Ball handler forces contact and then throws their head back, and the ref falls for it and rewards them with a call against the D.

On another subject, very disappointed with MU head coach for a while now. His timeouts are terrible, the instructions to players a basic to say the least, his rotations aren't reflective on what is happening in the game...

it was a strong foul from behind - IMO a hand was on the back but not pushing - the physicality of the foul was on the shooting arm from behind - ball out of reach for the defender - watching it in replay I can see both sides - IMO a 50/50 call

Demopoulis;'Let's get rid of the johnson enigma.'
Creek;'Joey put something up dj's sleeve.'

I'm with Interested in hating those calls. I can't wait for the first ref with the guts to issue a warning for throwing the head back in order to get the foul call. It happens too much in Europe, often when TV replay shows no foul happened

it is what it is - walking amongst the people is a nice touch

Well done Sixers!

On the officiating, well the way I see it they are torn between making the calls they need to and servicing the NBL's 'Hardball' tag...

This is a key aspect to why they are unsure of themselves and why they are so inconsistent, IMO that is...

It must be hard enough to referee at this level, imagine copping the shit they have all season and then being reminded that the NBL is the toughest league in the world, apparently, I mean really!