I think the Kings will win.

United lacking heart & Kings have been better of late.

I'm tipping United by 9+ Goulding to put on a clinic.

Fun fact, I'm pretty sure that the Sydney Kings have not beat United in Sydney since United changed their name

There is a slight chance that I'm wrong on that fact as it's just from memory, but if I'm right, it's pretty impressive!

It's a grand final situation for Melbourne and expect them to play with desperation.I'm hoping Melbourne get the W so the Hawks are in the playoffs.

According to the Soc. Med's it's going to be a seriously huge crowd for this one. Great news.

Carn United! Time to show us that daylight.

United have won the last 2, the only Kings win was when United was missing CG, Blanchfield and between Jackson and Ware. And it took a Lisch special in the last to kick away to a comfortable lead.

For some reason I feel quietly confident that United will get a win.

Hope I'm right cos if they lose its extremely hard from here! Would need 3 in a row and probably be relying on a split

Inside word is booking just passed 10,600. Well on track to hit 11k which will be the biggest crowd this season. Looks like Syd crowd warming up to NBL after all.

Great for the kings and for the nbl! Bout time I reckon, now they got to turn it on and make a statement. Top 4 is on the line for United.

Kings at home will get the w

I have backed Sydney to win which is a little strange considering they have let me down on every occasion I have put money on them before.

I hope they win and it is a good game in front of the big crowd for the sake of basketball, not for any personal benefit I may receive.

Good to hear Casey doing the game

Refs are Matt Beattie, Michael Aylen and Matt Townsend. Buckle up for a crap reffing night folks! Aylen and Townsend have been atrocious lately.

and for those who dont know

matt beatie

http://www-static.spulsecdn.net/pics/00/03/20/79/3207914_1_O.jpg

matt Townsend

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/referee-matt-townsend-looks-on-with-a-bandage-in-his-nose-after-a-picture-id163848032

Aylen ( on the right ;) )

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/trevor-gleeson-coach-of-the-wildcats-questions-referee-michael-aylen-picture-id513282744?s=594x594

Crowd almost as big as the margin :O

Newley and Melbourne both playing for playoffs spots. Not sure about the rest of them.

Kings making life difficult as they travel to Perth for their last game.

Craig Moller is definitely a keeper for the Kings. His rebounding and energy along with Newley are the main things keeping the Kings in the game.

Good finish to the half and at least it's potentially a contest again.
Was looking real ugly for a while there.

Game of 2 quarters. Q1 United Q2 Sydney. Newley fantastic but really short of gallop.Melbourne better team and there's to lose. Sydney need to hang around and hope they have a chance to steal it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The key to United is to shut both Ware and Goulding from the perimeter with tight man to man, force them to drive with help defense waiting inside and the third person rotating to cut off the inside pass. Force others to beat you from the perimeter. Kings didn't do that in the first one and a half quarters.

Well there you go... they're doing what I said now... lets see how smart they are to keep it up.

2 point game now

Love seeing Goulding brick so much. Can't believe he's a Boomer.

Ware has been a bit stiff on his drive

Wow that's the Lakers version of Powell there...

Goulding and Ware were woeful that quarter.

The two kids have been a really good spark for the Kings tonight.

Andersen with the dagger

Anderson has been the difference. Jeeeeeeeeee zus!

Impressive win by United. Sydney are terrible at home!

Heh Kings are pretty much done. The game is pretty much lost due to Gaze's coaching this time. Pretty embarrassing to get out-coached by DD. :)

Three teams played tonight with their coaches.

Without ^

Three? Gaze, Joey and who? I haven't watched Sixers vs Breakers yet but heard Joey got booted.

Well I think that's it for Sydney.
Even if they could beat Perth next week, I don't know that 14 wins would do it.
And I don't think they can beat Perth at home.

Thank God we didn't give Gaze a 3yr deal.

Tough to win when 3 players combined for 100 minutes, for 28 points on 7/28 (or thereabouts) shooting.
Whit, Cadee & Lisch.
Kings O is simply way to overstructured.

Thank God we didn't give Gaze a 3yr deal.

Kings O is simply way to overstructured

I'd agree with that @SteveK2 : )

Kings looked pretty good off their pick and rolls & off ball picks on the wings, but too much traffic with the shuffle in the high posts doesn't encourage or allow much penetration from the top.

Kings had so many open looks and just missed them, especially early in the game. Cadee went 3/7 from range and the rest of the team was 2/18!!

If you look over the last 8-10 games Cadee has been hot from outside but no one else has gone with him.

Had Lisch been his normal shooting self they're in the playoffs, but I guess that again comes back to poor recruiting in not filling that third guard spot.

BTW it was nice to see Dave Andersen play like Dave Andersen! Sydney with a very reactive, international-style defence which made him feel very comfortable.

Interesting the NZ struggled defensively under Vickerman the year the league was called tightly (2013/14) and Sydney's D was great early this season when it was physical, but since the crackdown started around R6-ish they have struggled.

@Zodiac Makes sense, considering his track record as a coach.

So even a few days on, that effort still stings... Over 11,000 people (just) turned out to watch them play and the only player that doesn't come out flat is Newls... Allowing 30pts in the first quarter, with absolutely ZERO help defence from teammates, crap double teams/poor rotations allowing United's multiple outside shooters to get very easy and open shots was just pathetic, and as a Kings fan, I'm fucking sick of it...

Sure, Dave Andersen has found his form again (once again, the Kings are the team to get a player back into their groove) and hit some pretty tough shots, but there is no excuses for the way the Kings came out and played for most of the game...

11,000 people pumped up for an awesome game and the atmosphere started off great, even the vibe beforehand was amazing. You could feel the excitement from everyone, something that hasn't happened at Kings games, especially on that scale, for a very long time. And they give THAT sort of performance... It was like they were TRYING to lose... After that first quarter, the crowd was dying... It didn't take much to get them pumped up, it was like they were willing the Kings to do SOMETHING to get them cheering again, but to no avail...

At one point, not sure what Unitard player it was, but they'd gotten away from their defender just after halfway, and there was only another United player guarded by Powell just outside of the key near the baseline... The United player just strolled into the key for an easy score with Powell doing nothing... Our imports, apart from small spurts, have been frigging awful... Their lack of enthusiasm and effort on the court has been embarrassing and seriously cost us games this season and Saturday nights effort was one of the worst... Whittington was wandering off with his head in the clouds and at one point during our FTs in teh 2nd half, walked back to the bench like he wanted to be subbed off and then looked to sook when it was Powell who got the (undeserved) rest...

Looking at how other teams are scrapping to win tight games and then looking at the Kings is disheartening... Such a great start to the season, a lot of great moves to build the team up and a BUNCH of improvement off the court, and it comes down to pissing the season away and losing more games than actually getting beaten...

Having a coach that isn't getting the job done for whatever reason is one thing, or even getting beaten by better teams when you've done your best is even understandable, but consistently putting in poor efforts like the Kings have this season is just unacceptable in my book...