Too early to cut down United.

Round 1 has told us:

#1 If you're a punter who likes an underdog, you probably made a fair bit of $$$ this round

#2 There's no clarity between championship contenders and the bombshelter, potentially not until the very end

#2 Illawarra's pre-season/first round and Lemanis' coaching, Kings & United star studded chemistry troubles and Perth/NZ consistency gives us 6 almost inseparable teams - with Cairns and 36ers having the potential to shake up a complacent side

Love the name "Crusty Juggler" Obviously a fan or cornettos

Well we were all calling Adelaide out until today. What can you really take from the first two games? Nothing. It's going to be an incredibly close season.

Illawarra are going to be very tough to beat. Just so balanced. The pieces fit. They will all buy into the system. Very glad I had a sneaky bet on them for the title and of course for making playoffs.

Cairns are a tough outfit. Will be very good defensively.

It looks like it'll again be very close, like last season when minor premiers UTD went 18-10.

Really I think most of us would have taken a 1-1 split over the games. We will probably look really good or really bad in games this year.

Melbourne were 8-37 from the 3pt line. When will they learn.

Live and die behind the 3pt line :(

I was very impressed with the methodical way in which the bullets ground out 2 wins. They've recruited to suit a style and it went really well this week.
Add Bairstow and I think they'll be a top 4 team.

Wollongong looked impressive. Their 2 game next week V Sydney and at Melbourne will be the games of the round.

Perth are still Perth at home, though they were a late 3 away from an 0-2 start. (This place would have gone into meltdown mode). I can't help but think this year might be the year they miss the playoffs.

Other questions..

* Why didn't Deng play today?
* Why was Goulding carrying on like he'd gone 6/6 after hitting that early 3? Running back down the court shaking his head like he couldn't believe what a hot hand he had.
* Who takes player of the week?

Craig has 16 pts - 7 boards v Perth and 9 pts - 17 boards v Sydney.

If JJ or Randle's first games work against them he'd have to be next in line

POTW Maaaarvelllous Harris

United were awful today.

Watching the timeout vision today has me wondering how DD managed to get a second year at Melbourne. He guy has NFI about the rules, how to structure a play, or how to build confidence with his guys. The new recruits must be wondering why they didn't do their due diligence: now they have to be coached by a bozo.

Can anyone explain why Majok played only 5 minutes? Why Williams played only 10?
Why did Ferguson play only 5 minutes?
Were injuries involved? Ferguson is supposed to be a lottery pick in the NBA next year, isn't he?

Still writing off a NZ team with Webster, Penney, Abercrombie, Vukona and a couple of decent imports not to mention Tall Blacks Pledger & Loe lol.

For all his abilities, and the hype, Ferguson is very obviously a boy amongst men at the moment. However, he has good basics at both ends, including good defensive footwork, which he will hopefully teach some of his team mates, and huge 'up side', which seems to be the phrase of the moment.

So, let's give him some time and dare to dream what he could be like as a rapidly maturing 19 year old with a season's pro experience come the post season!

And as a bonus we could hope that he might be able to show DJ that dropping the ball and throwing his arms in the air on his way to the basket is neither effective [no foul call, lost possession] nor a good look.

One can always dream.

Age has nothing to do with why Adelaide won and Melbourne lost.

Melb Utd does not have any structure that enables them to best utilise their talent.

Utd will wins a fair share of games given the talent that they have, but if there is no structure that has them playing to their collective strengths, then they cannot win the title.

"* Why was Goulding carrying on like he'd gone 6/6 after hitting that early 3? Running back down the court shaking his head like he couldn't believe what a hot hand he had."

Because he's a knob

^ hahaha

Yeah, that shit from Goulding at the start was horrid.

Has he been drinking his own bath water? The team needs a reality check...and fast.

Boti on DD and Melbourne (Not so) United.

JOSH Powell arrives for Sydney this week as question-marks float all around the future of Melbourne United coach Dean Demopoulos.

Last year DD swept through the preseason, collecting a Loggins-Bruton Cup along the route, then led Melbourne out of the NBL's regular season blocks with a 9-0 start.

Come the playoffs though and Demopoulos had no clue how to curtail NZ Breakers champion guard Cedric Jackson or power forward Tai Wesley as they led New Zealand to a four-game streak over Melbourne. The Breakers brushed United aside in the last two games of the regular season, then swept them 2-0 in the semi finals.


The solution? Melbourne signed Jackson and Wesley as free agents so a) not only would that improve United but b) it would weaken New Zealand.

Guess what? Despite signing that championship-winning duo AND Dave Andersen, Ramon Moore, Devin Williams, the Breakers STILL had the answers to open the season.

And then into Hisense Arena roll the 36ers, down after copping a 34-point welt from Illawarra ... only to record an 87-79 win over United.

Seriously now, can Captain Catch-Phrase coach?

Two seasons back when Chris Anstey lost his home-opener as United coach, he "resigned". And Anstey didn't have this level of talent or resources.

Demopoulos’ team already appeared completely disengaged during a number of his timeouts and following his gameplan is like running blindfolded through a maze.

All due respect to popular young guys Kyle Adnam and Tohi Smith-Milner but what the hell are they doing on the floor when the game is slipping from United’s grasp?

It seems like another case of “I know more than you hicks” nod-wink coaching, when just doing the obvious would be worth far more.

You know, like running an offence where Chris Goulding knows where his shots are coming from, opening with another sweet shooter on the other wing such as Ramone Moore, getting the ball to Dave Andersen on the block, running pick-and-rolls with Cedric, maybe starting Tai.

But instead, DD continues with Todd Blanchfield and Majok Majok as starters and has stars across the board unsure where they fit or what their role should be - those two included.

You only have to endure one of those “Awiight?” timeouts to know he is flailing, another American here to teach us the game we seem to understand far better than he does.

If I was United, I’d be tracking down the NBL’s 2016 Coach of the Year, Shawn Dennis. Last time I looked, Townsville Crocodiles didn’t have a team anymore so you know he’s available. And imagine what he could do with a team this deep and richly talented instead of operating on the smell of an oily rag?

http://www.botinagy.com/blog/nbl-rd1-wrap/

Boti is bang on.
Sign Dennis instantly!!

DD's a flog!

Remember that NZ team that beat them. You have two players, the coach is available too

I think the ladder will look more like this after the regular season.

1. Illawarra (championship faves and deserve to be)

Damn right. You need the physical guys who just play a role. Majok Majok is a rebounding machine and he doesn't need many touches on offense. Devin Williams is a beast who also attacks the glass with fervour. Put them on the court!

^ me