The one lock is that Adelaide won't make the playoffs.

Hi

I can't see it’s a lock that Adelaide will miss the playoffs.
But I’ll now to Perthworld’s superior knowledge on all things basketball.

Is it still top-4 guys I haven't heard anything yet.

My predictions:

1. Sydney
2. S.E.Melbourne
3. Illawarra
4. New Zealand
5. Perth
6. Melbourne
7. Adelaide
8. Brisbane
9. Tasmania
10. Cairns

Sydney defeat New Zealand, 2-1.
Illawarra defeat S.E.Melbourne, 2-1.

Illawarra win Championship, 3-2.

My dream top-6 predictions:

1. Sydney
2. S.E.Melbourne
3. Illawarra
4. New Zealand
5. Perth
6. Melbourne
7. Adelaide
8. Brisbane
9. Tasmania
10. Cairns

Quarters:
Melbourne defeat Sydney, 2-1.
S.E.Melbourne defeat Perth, 2-1.
Illawarra defeat New Zealand, 2-0.

Semis:
S.E.Melbourne defeat Sydney, 2-1.
Illawarra defeat Melbourne, 2-0.

Final
Illawarra defeat S.E.Melbourne and win Championship, 3-2.

Top 6 won't see 6 play 1

Top 4 remains.

If you had top 6 imo you'd just introduce 3v6, 4v5 elimination games.

Bit of fishing going on! Not many bites.

I have a feeling talent wise this is a closer year than ever.

Whether in the W/L column that proves to be the case is another thing.

Obviously this season is going to impact teams.

Grouping teams I'd say:

"Expect to lockup a spot" group 1-3: Sydney (stacked), Perth (they start the season with 5 home games in a row - good way to get winning momentum), Illawarra (Goorj + improved roster)

“Fighting for the last spot” group 4-6: SEM, NZ, Melbourne

“Could be anything” group 7-8: Adelaide, Brisbane

“Stragglers” group 9-10: Cairns, Tasmania

I think KET's is a fair assessment before any games have been played.
Looking forward to the Blitz, can't wait to see Siva & Martin and the French Connection Dieng & Besson in action.

Agree KET's assessment is fair before the season kicks off. Sure teams will use a lot of rotations in the blitz, especially in the first couple of games. Getting minutes into some players and looking at what works or doesn't. Looking forward to a taster.

GK's hard earned money going straight down the drain (or someone else’s pockets) again. It’s almost farcical how much that guy wastes to produce so little.

Lucky if they finish 7th in my opinion (which I know is worth exactly zero).

I actually cannot put together a list of a ladder predictions because I am conflicted by so many what ifs, all with significant weighting, for example what if :

- Humphries is out for a large part of the season? How long is Jack White / Vasilivic out for?
- COVID does not improve and NZB cannot play in NZ?
- the new coaches like CJ, ScoMo and Roth are not the coaches their team needs?

I do have Adelaide in the top 4, but that could be some bias and I cannot say which team I would kick out of the top 4.

Matt Logue has

1. Perth
2. Illawarra
3. Melbourne
4. SEM
5. NZ
6. Sydney
7. Adelaide
8. Brisbane
9. Cairns
10. Tasmania

Hearing/reading next to nothing on the Bullets other than they are not worth posting about!

The only real faith I have in the team is Patterson's apparent attitude and fitness. If he is as good as he was 3 years ago, he will make the team better than the 'sum-of-all-its-parts'. Franks looks the goods, and Sobey is Sobey!

Who would make up the starting 5?

PG: Sobey/Moss? (Not a fan of Sobey as PG, but has to be a starter. Is Moss a PG, SG or a Cotton?)
SG: Sobey/Moss?
SF: Patterson
PF: Franks
C : Salt/Harrison/Liu? (Which one? Are any ready as starters?)

At its best, looks underwhelming. Up to HC, James Duncan now.

Ok Grant.

Anon, Jawai was out, and no team ever plays full strength - they mix and match players, they even out minutes.

Cairns will be much better than that, and so will Adelaide.

Trying to glean anything from a game like that is a rookie mistake.

The Age predicted (assuming everyone stays healthy and there are no lockdowns, I guess)

1. Melbourne United
2. Sydney
3. SE Melbourne
4. Illawarra
5. Adelaide
6. Perth
7. Brisbane
8. NZ
9. Tasmania
10. Cairns

Personally, I'd rank SEM and Illawarra lower, and NZ higher.

Melbourne, Sydney, NZ, Adelaide and Perth are in my top group, with a gap to the rest.

I've probably slightly amended mine to boost SEM now that they’ve got the other import and XM is looking good.

Illawarra, SEM, Perth, Sydney is probably the top 4 for me in order.

I think NZ if they get their 14 home games (what a home run that could be!), Adelaide - keeping in mind the extra slot, Melbourne (cooling on them a bit at my own peril), Brisbane fill out the next group in order.

JJs, Taipans to round it out.

I agree with some of the stuff I’ve listened to: Hawks look brilliantly placed, SEM look brilliantly placed and Creek could really take control of an MVP race. Kings are stacked with Adams potential to be a surprise, Cooks could be a MIP type season. One of the 36ers or Bullets will probably make everyone look foolish. NZ could be strong finishers like previous years but hold off too much damage before the home game relief - albeit the Corona gods have not been kind lately. JJs will be real punchy, they won’t lie down. Cairns need Machado to turn back the clock real fast.