'Cairns last home game' that was actually SEM’s. It really has been a crazy season

Jois has been ruled out as he's part of the Worst Stars program.

I assume because Melbourne are already in Sydney it makes sense to keep them there? This wasn't originally a Cairns home game, was it?

Melbourne might not be allowed into Qld?

Correct. Melbourne would have to quarantine if they entered QLD

Crazy season, yes, but it's been great. One more week, finals, reset for a normal season next hopefully.

Unless massive foul trouble or more injuries cairns should not get close. Cairns though have fought to the end, looking at you Sixers players and have had a go. United should win well, their team is so strong but at times look fragile, no certainty to win competition. United by 22.

Depending on how long this lock goes for, Melbourne might be playing a whole bunch of road games during the finals. Sweet irony!

The NBL Cup is the only reason why fans from outside Victoria believe MU had a home court advantage that was disproportionate to the rest of the competition. Some facts:
- NBL Cup was in Melbourne due to multiple reasons, none of which were in control of MU
- The NBL Cup was MU's worst period in terms of win-loss
- The clubs do not make the fixture
- Apart from the incredible circumstances that have impacted NZ's season, all other clubs will have had the same amount of home and away games across the regular season, apart from the fact that SEM and MU have most recently had 'home games' relocated interstate, meaning those two clubs will have had LESS home games than other clubs
- We all forgetting that Vic was in lockdown for most of last year? Meaning the impact on the two victorian clubs from all this craziness is much greater than on other interstate clubs
- Both SEM and MU had members of their clubs contract COVID-19

"all other clubs will have had the same amount of home and away games across the regular season"

Thats plain wrong.

"meaning those two clubs will have had LESS home games than other clubs"

Also wrong

"We all forgetting that Vic was in lockdown for most of last year? Meaning the impact on the two victorian clubs from all this craziness is much greater than on other interstate clubs"

So?

United didn't leave Melbourne for three months. That's unheard of.

"Thats plain wrong."

Wrong.

"Also wrong"

Also wrong.

It's not the NBL Cup that is the reason Melbourne got a massive advantage and no cases about that. It's the two month period that followed where they left Melbourne once.

Still, it's all in the past now and it will be all for nothing when they end up finishing second.

You can see how many home and away games have been played by each team on the detailed NBL ladder: https://nbl.com.au/stats/ladder

And those numbers on the ladder don't take into account the four "away" games Melbourne played at John Cain Arena during the Cup. They were home games that the league decided to call away to pretend they were evening the ledger.

"It's not the NBL Cup that is the reason Melbourne got a massive advantage"

???

I've already said, it wasn't about the NBL Cup. It's the two months after the Cup where they left Victoria once. Was the rolling schedule the league was producing at the time taking covid into account at the time? I can't recall any other states being in lockdown or closing their borders to Victorians which forced the NBL to give United ten straight home games.

I also liked the NBL Cup and understand the need to adapt to the covid situation. I just pointed out that saying all teams having played the same number of home and away games according to the ladder is simply false.

WA was closed as was QLD post Cup

WA wasn't. Perth played four of their next five games at home straight after the Cup.

#566 WA locked down 12.01am April 24 after the Brisbane game. (there was an outcry for ANZAC day). The footy the following day was played without crowds. Brisbane had to fly to Sydney because they couldn't go back to QLD

WA locked down 12.01am April 24 after the Brisbane game

Solid response. I'm not sure if you're worse at maths or English comprehension.

I'm just glad the season went ahead, if Melbourne teams got a slight advantage so be it. Between the players taking pay reductions and the nbl working through all the different scenarios it’s been very successful. Let’s just hope it all finishes as is required.

The message to all this is get vaccinated, even if the federal government are saying it’s not a race, it is. Countries with high vaccination rates are going quicker at opening. I feel for nursing home workers who have not been vaccinated and have now started transmitting again through Victoria.

Very short on players Cairns, very ugly start, United doing as they please.

Surely Jois' NBL career is over?

Does anyone know if Kelly is under contract next year? I know he's had some personnel issues with injuries and players leaving. Seems like a nice enough guy and a decent assistance coach, but it’s pretty obvious he’s not up to being a head coach at NBL level.

Kelly is an excellent coach, his cattle are poor, if he had a decent team like last season they perform.

I don't know why Cairns brought in Jois, this dp Hunt bloke has shown more in five minutes than all Jois games. Jois is entertaining though, certainly on free throw line.

Deng just chucked the ball to himself, that's a carry isn’t it.

Mike Kelly lost the guys. Can clearly see that. Saying it's the cattle when the only difference is DJ Newbill is rich.
Sydney had more injuries than Cairns.
Jamie O’Loughlin should take over next season as head coach.

Kelly would be great coach at Sixers or Brisbane if Cairns don't want him. I’d say Sydney would also take a look I’d think.

Lost the players, lol, they have been out of finals for ages and still compete, even today with half a squad they competed. You can’t compare them to Sydney, they had Didi, Bruce, Moller, Newley coming off the bench, better than cairns starters.