Cairns have done well to start the season 2-0 without their best import and only one half of Jawai. At the same time I don't think the Breakers are a playoff team but the Hawks almost certainly will be.

Despite the great start the Sixers usually play pretty well up in Cairns not sure if the new import will be playing but still think Adelaide have too much firepower.

Without Jawai the Cairns front court won't be able to throw its weights around

reckon you're on the money Zodiac. And if it's a shootout we're in trouble. But if we get them in the grind, we'll get there.

I don't think Wiggins is playing.

Wiggins won't play until Saturday.

I think the Sixers will get up by 8 or so.

I expect Gliddon to have a big game, Sixers perimeter is usually pretty bad.

Scoochie,Gliddon & McCarron Vs Shorter,Sobey & Moore. Should be a great match up,I'm tipping Snakes in OT.

Sixers to win

Will be interesting to see if the Taipans will again be playing Camel's man Stevie Weigh at the four or not tonight.

Weigh will be the starting 4 until Carrera comes back, unless Evans suddenly steps up to a new level.

Well I'll be damned , the league's most versatile player.

( If more than 9 people look at nbl livestats it
crashes...)

56-75 Adelaide, 9:40 in the 4th.

What was the last technical ?

Sixers looked several classes above there. You are in trouble when Huier(?) is clearly your best player.

When DJ is playing like that he's a pleasure to watch.

This 36ers team in better without Randle.

Creek is seriously underappreciated.

Shorter seems to get a lot of hate, but he seems to fit in exactly where he needs to.

We played like poop.

Why not leave DJ in for a career average?

This 36ers team in better without Randle.

last tech was another game delay I think.

Well done Sixers

"Why not leave DJ in for a career average?"

"What's the point we play Melbourne in less than 48 hours?"

Agreed and also professional players could care less about beating their personal best.

This game was the perfect reason why the Sixers don't bring in a super talented import (Nor do they have money for it spending the money on quality Australian players). We already have a super talented team, you bring in a player that will compliment the team not one that will kill the chemistry and/or take away from the other players.

A great sign by the team was Sobey had a quiet scoring game and it didn't matter as everyone else stepped up.

The offensive movement looks fantastic. A credit to coach Wright. A credit to him also for keeping onto the core Australian players.

It will be a tough game against United but a great win tonight.

"Hodgson is useless in this team"

Probably the same clown that thought Shorter should be replaced....

Zodiac: 3 biggest under Fearne i think. We chalked up a few 40+ losses back in the day.

Jawai would never have changed the outcome of that game.
Makes Melbourne's R1 win seem even more impressive.

Just "one of those games" for both teams tonight, on opposite sides of the gradient. Not reading too much into it for either side - Sixers are good, Cairns are not quite as good but still good.

I think Adelaide scored more points in the hoop than the Taipans.

It's funny actually, you add both teams' totals and that was Nate Jawai's weight coming into last pre-season.

We were a shambles tonight. Full credit to Adelaide for some great offence. Cairns were awful. Not one player can hold his head high... maybe Stevie Weigh. Heuir at least had some enthusiasm, but failed to make much of it, and missed too many from the stripe.

Scoochie completely lacked the aggression he showed in NZ. Gliddon and McCarron might as well have not been there. Weeks never appeared to know whom he should be defending. Egwu had a shocker, even passing the rock to an opponent under the hoop. Loughton made a lefty hook and then seemed to think he should put up a hook every time he got the ball, but didn't want to know who Daniel Johnson is.

Two good things came out of the game: Adelaide didn't make it to 100, and Kuany got his first points. I love the guy, but why is he on the roster if he's not going to play?

We're not going to win very much if:
i) Damon Heuir damn near outscores all the imports combined
ii) Stephen Weigh is your top scorer and your only player in double digits for most of the game

It was just one of those games though. Nothing was going down and having Jawai around wouldn't have changed anything. That said, they're going to have to figure something out because Melbourne are going to eat them alive otherwise.

Not much Fearne could have done last night. He's encouraging the guys to get to the hole, but there's no ball movement, no movement off the ball, and guys were just leaving the ball behind when they did try to drive.

Good game by the Sixers. Depth of scoring in this squad is under appreciated I think in the media still.

I'm finding the new travel rules interesting and their interpretation. The zero step interpretation in particular. The refs still appear to be adjusting to the rules themselves, as last night there were a number of situations where the zero step was allowed, and a couple of times it was still called as a travel.

It will be interesting to see who starts using the step back rule change (think James Harden here) with their jump shooting to create space.

Anyway, good job Sixers. Their brand is entertaining to watch on offence so far, and their team defence has been pretty solid watching them switching from man to 2/3 and 1/3/1. They seem pretty connected. Loved them mobbing DJ post game. Really looks like good chemistry.

Agreed Chewie and Zodiac. I too am one of the ones who called that this 36ers team will be the real deal. Those dudes were going hard for all 40 mins, even up 20+. Each and every player looks focused and hungry. Shorter is proving his worth - 3 point shooting and decision making can be suspect, but the guy competes on both ends hard. The scary thing is this 36ers team blew the snakes out and Sobey was pretty much chilling. No one played over 30 mins either, which is good because I have them to get their revenge on Melbourne in a few days.

A good system and a good coach can only get you so far. Cairns are bereft of talent, relative to most other NBL teams right now without Jawai and Carrera.

Exactly LV.

"Naive Fearne. Your sludgeball won't work especially now with the points of emphasis calling for fouls to make the game more offensive."

You know who pays attention and who doesn't. A team that moves the ball quickly and cuts a lot, using the shot clock, isn't sludge ball.

His style worked quite well last year with tight officiating, and already this year they are 2-1 despite missing two starters.

For the record I don't think Cairns are shite... always had a soft spot for them and it is only because of Fearne's system that they have over-achieved in recent years. Remember, this is the team that were minor premiers with Wilbekin not too long ago. I just think Adelaide will be really good this year.

Aside from missing Jawai and Carrerra last night, that was also the Taipans 3rd game in 7 days, which included an away game in NZ. 2 of the 4 "free days" they had in this period were largely used up in travel to and from NZ so it was not totally surprising they weren't all that great in the 2nd half against Adelaide. Up to half time, they were going ok. The news of the extent of Jawai's injury may have also dented their morale a little. As well as that, they were playing a team that is looking very good.

It's going to be tough going for the Taipans from now on although they get a chance against Brisbane next Friday, given Brisbane are now in the US. Hopefully, Carrerra will make some difference when he returns otherwise it could be a very long season for the Taipans.

Perth are still the benchmark, with Melb close behind. But damn, if the 36ers can consistently put that style of basketball together, sweet baby Jesus.

It'll be interesting to see how the new import compliments the pieces already on the table.

Twinkle toes, it was also the Sixers' third game in 7 days in three different locations , and they were in the road. Not sure travel is a convincing excuse.

It was the Sixers' third game in 8 days (not 7). The Sixers' played their 2nd game on Saturday night. The Taipans were travelling to NZ on Saturday after having played Friday night, played Sunday in NZ and then travelled back from NZ on Monday. The travel too and from NZ is not a direct flight for the Taipans.

I was not using it as an excuse for losing. I was making the point that I was not surprised it was a blowout given the tough schedule they had and I also feel the extent of Jawai's injury may have dented their morale a little.

I acknowledged Adelaide were very good and I think Adelaide were the likely winners even if the Taipans had a couple more days of rest, particularly given Carrera and Jawai were out for the Taipans.

I agree Twinkle - it's possible to chew gum and walk at the same time.

About 3.5k I expect