Pizza Hut
Years ago

How the Wildcats and NBL rate internationally?

Bank in 1995, the Wildcats won the NBL championship, and as the NBL representative were seeded into the 2nd round of the McDonalds championship.
Where they were flogged by the Houston Rockets.

However the Wildcats went on to take 3rd place by beating Real Madrid, who were the Spanish champions from the preceding season.
Real Madrid also won the FIBA Euroleague (or European Cup) for 94-95, so in effect were the European champions.
Buckler Bologna from Italy took 2nd place.

How do you think they would stack up now?
Even forgetting it is the Wildcats this year, could the best team in the NBL take on the best in Europe?
Hard to imagine.

Was European basketball not at the same standard back then?

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MACDUB  
Years ago

My tips would be; 26 point loss to Houston; 9-12 point loss to Real Madrid; Bologna 8-10 point win.

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ME (he/kangaroo)  
Years ago

You could say that Perth was flogged by Houston, however I think you have to consider that Perth was literally fresh off of the plane, and fresh from getting absolutely wasted and celebrating their finals win. The game started off poorly for them, and they shot woefully, however they stuck around the 8-10 point mark well into the 3rd and early 4th quarter. It is not unthinkable that Perth could have been much more competitive against Houston than they were in the right situation.

As for Euro basketball, not it wasn't as good as it is now but neither was the NBL or arguably even the NBA. We tend to look back at the glory years of the NBL, NBA, and Europe and think they were better, but teams across the world were less athletic, less mobile. Basketball across the planet has matured and grown.

How would the Perth Wildcats do today against a top line European team? Well, it's hard to know. Skillwise the level of player would be similar but the European leagues would probably have a step on us in height and athleticism. Having said that, once again, I think the Wildcats could be competitive - and could possibly win - in the right situation. The NBL is no joke anymore. Casey Prather and Bryce Cotton would be handful in any league outside of the NBA.

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Pizza Hut  
Years ago

I remember watching those games. I thought the Wildcats did well against the Rockets, and at times held up well. But the result was a forgone conclusion and the score line unflattering. Beating Madrid was a great outcome.

I'd love to see the NBL champions go and play in some kind of champions tournament, but the problem would be the timing. It would have to be soon after the NBL final otherwise the best players would be playing elsewhere.

Even an NBL all-star team would be good, allow the best players to showcase their talent elsewhere, but the same problem applies.

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Zodiac  
Years ago

Houston best Perth by 44 imagine how much more they would've won by if Olajuwon had played.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

On the other hand Sixers disgraced the NBL with their appearance, coming last.

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leungtl  
Years ago

The Wildcats could put up 100 against this year's Rockets and still lose by 40... their offence is pure insanity

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Mock  
Years ago

Wildcats would knock off a number of European teams. Damo would be into them telling they aren't all that and putting them off their games.

They would not be able to hang with the Warriors or whoever wins NBA, let's be real!

But they would THRASH a lot of Euro teams who could NOT handle the athletic power of Casey Prather and coaches who aren't as smart as Gleeson.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

"and coaches who aren't as smart as Gleeson."

BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Nice one.

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Pizza Hut  
Years ago

and there goes another thread

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proud  
Years ago

Wildcats generally take good care of the ball and rebound well so that helps with more possessions but some games the Wildcats are just painful to watch with their inability to get the ball in the basket.

If they shoot well then I can imagine them staying with lots of teams... if they don't then it's just plain ugly

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Better D by foreign teams would see them murdered on offense.

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JR  
Years ago

Who would be referreeing? Fiba refs or nbl refs?
If Fiba refs the wildcats lose to NBA team by 40+, the Current euroleague leaders CSKA Moscow would dismantle them by 25. They defense couldn't handle CSKA Martyn fouls out in 5 minutes flat.
It's true Cotton and Prather are quality on the world stage but realistically the wildcats would be lucky to be competitive with the Eurocup (2nd tier euroleague) teams and win say 2-3 out of every 10 game they play. They would win against most national league euro teams except the powerhouses Spain, Italy and Adria league.
It's not so much the backcourt where the wildcats would get exploited- it's the front court.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

In the 90s that iconic Wildcats team and others could compete with Euros but not now. Yet apparently to many on here the NBL of today is better than back then. Boggles the mind.

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koberulz  
Years ago

Because it is. So is Europe.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

kr you were in nappies back then. Oh right you watched a few games from the archives and are now an expert.

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koberulz  
Years ago

The advantage I have is that I don't have nostalgia convincing me the league was better than it actually was.

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JR  
Years ago

The game has changed worldwide since the 1990's.
In 1995 the majority of the very best Aussies were playing nbl, today they play in the NBA. In 1995 the best European ballers had started to impact on the NBA.

It's impossible to compare eras, it becomes subjective so my belief is that the 1995 wildcats would beat the 2017 wildcats but it's a different game- 30 second shot clock and reset to 30 secs on offensive rebounds for starters.

That 1995 wildcat win over Real Madrid was a one off game, but remember the dream team has lost in one off games too. The 1995 wildcats were a great team but they played straight after defeating North Melbourne in the playoffs (at peak Form and fitness) and caught Real during their off season- this coloured the result to the wildcats favour.
Heck even against Houston also in preseason mode the wildcats were up 55-53 in the 3rd when Scott fisher hit a 17 foot wing jumper in transition and turned to Rudy T and the rockets bench and gave them a spray. Rudy T immediately calls time and they belted us by 44 just to make their poain't.

If Fish kept his mouth shut it might have been 15-20. So don't read to much into one off games between leagues.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

1995 team smokes any 201x team, despite what kr claims.

Fisher could be a bonehead at times, what a moronic thing to do.

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JR  
Years ago

Haha..anonymous. Yes I guess Fish did do the occasional boneheaded act but I get the feeling that his overwhelming sense of pride is what made him the great player he was with that amazing work ethic.

Great players are always territorial, the more they are driven to dominate the
more territorial they become- you can bank this at Barclays.

This is the main reason for trades in the NBA- there is a disagreement over who "owns" the ball in crunch time, who is the "main man" on offense and then management picks a side and moves the other or others out.
As a coach you must always take the good with the bad.

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koberulz  
Years ago

Fisher hurling an advertising sign onto the court to protest a call is still my favourite moment in NBL history.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Nah fave was naked Cannons streaker at the first Hunter Pirates game

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