The obvious pick is MU by plenty. The intelligent pick is 'tell you after the game'.

I will pick MU (demonstrating my intelligence). Their 6 W's in a row and Adelaide's performances to date have not been impressive. So really, that alone should make them fave's, for this one.

For Adelaide, Bairstow, listed as a Forward, is their best Centre atm. Humphries and Sotto good backs-ups but no match for MU's Jo Lual-Acuil and Ariel Hukporti.

McCarron and Delly will be great to watch. Both have seen improvement over the last couple of games. Delly seems to have regained his touch and McCarron is finally settling into his role and running his team.

If DJ is up against Jack White I predict a low-scoring return from DJ

Hannahs and Withers need to contribute heavily for the 36ers to get an unlikely W over MU tonight.

Finally, the HC's. Vickerman's experience and his familiarity with the core of his roster and his familiarity with 36ers starting PG v CJ's debut season and his familiarity with Bairstow in his own roster.

First time going to an Adelaide game.. are tickets cheaper at the venue?

Well he's hit the floor this time

Agada rocking Puma Delly1s

Delly 1's are Peak

Sorry yeah true

Great marketing for HJs, but it's so bush league and cringey that we still have announcers encouraging the crowd to chant 'Hungry Jacks' during free throws.

The hungry jacks promo is one of the best and funniest ideas the nbl have had, don't diss it

Same crap as usual. Hannahs has to be sent home, he is ok offensively, but can't defend. Withers can go too, can defend but offers f all offensively. Pretty poor roster balance wise and then don’t use a 3rd import.
DJ looks to have the sulks and Isaac injured as usual.
Hard to be excited by the season ahead

Same crap as usual. Hannahs has to be sent home, he is ok offensively, but can't defend. Withers can go too, can defend but offers f all offensively. Pretty poor roster balance wise and then don't use a 3rd import.

You know who doesn't play D. McCaron and Johnson.

Have to say disappointing in many aspects...thankful we secured the bearstove because without him it was almost all system.negative...he can't having huge demands or his body going to break..somehow the iceman got togetfitand stayhealthy.maybe wrap I ice because not much else to get excited about. Bruise free d played bytoomany..seems we get taken out of offended too easily and playing d not really much of a priority...needs to all aboard and buying chips together because once go seperate the seagulls just swarm the soft options and get their free fill... too many questions and not enough full stops and or any bloody stops... hurting to see

Agreed, without Cam we'd be even more cooked. And if he gets injured we will be.
DJ looks even less invested lately. Hopefully can bounce back but we all know he’s not playing D.
Withers offers some defence but that’s it.
If he stays then Hannahs has to go and we need a third import that can score, not sure the best position player but Hannahs can’t defend and his shooting has been disappointing.
Really worried about Humphries future after last years injuries too.
I can’t see management making moves but signing a third import is the minimum required.

Season could getta very very ugly very quickly if injury strikes CB or even if Sunday gets hurt.. the cardboard is very bear mother bear said to the 3 Piggys or bears or whoever was in the house...ain't not huffing and puffing going in the sixers house
..looking very lackylustre..need something to change soon or soneone to step up up up big time. Where is b teys when you need the glue man.

Shano76 ask yourself why Hannah's is struggling? Is it because we don’t have a true point guard that can set up an offence?
I’m confident that Hannah’s and Withers can do more offensively, but we still run our offence through DJ and McCaron. Not ideal when the bloke who takes the 3rd most shoots shots at 15%. Also he hardly ever gets to the line.

JvG you've done it again!

(Never gets old.)

Dusty Hannahs is just another G League journeyman who plays well in a league where defence is lazy and the threes are perfectly open but as soon as he's asked to play real basketball he's just not any good. NBL teams need to learn how to identify these guys and give them a big miss.

Withers is useless. looks like a basketball player but provides little in tangible results on court.

Everyone who is not Cam Bairstow can go home now.

Cam is club MVP at this rate

100% ME... but we all know there'll be no changes.
You’ve summed Hannahs up in a nutshell... best shooter outside NBA my arse.. not even fit to hold CG43’s jockstrap

Sotto saw more time this game because his minutes could be matched against Lual Acuil Jnr and Hukporti, centres who are less likely to bully him around the court. He can't match-up against bigs with any strength, cannot stop anyone with genuine body strength getting from the low block to the hoop, they move through him like water.

Is Hannahs the problem? He is second on the team in scoring at an OK FG%. 3pt% is poor granted. He scored 12pts in 17 mins at 50% is that bad for his role?

He isn't a stud import, we built this team around DJ, Humphries and McCarron and rightly so given how much they earn.

If we are going for the complimentary import strategy you cannot blame the imports for not doing Cotton things.

Fair call Lovebroker but when you can't even play him proper minutes because he can’t guard anyone, and he’s your no 1 import, there’s a problem I reckon. And withers is worse

Hannah's defence is actually better the McCarrons and Johnson. At least he try’s. I’ll say it again 2 other NBL teams wanted Hannah’s.
Lover broker is on the money. You can’t have Your marquee signing shooting 12% and not getting to the foul line, Johnson his normal disinterested self and Humphries injury prone and hasn’t been and won’t be able to get service like he did from an amazing PG last year.

Why is Hannahs playing so little then?
Apart from Bairstow, no one is playing to expectation and he's injury prone so that doesn’t bode well.
Worried about Isaac and his injuries too.
I just think we need another gun scorer and if Hannahs can do that, that’s great. DJ, I’ve stuck up for him for years, but he looks even less engaged defensively and that’s saying something. If his offence dries up, he’s unplayable

Because it's easier to blame an import on a 1 year deal v a marquee Aussie that’s signed for 3.
I like Mitch but he’s not a stud PG. He can’t get to the free throw line. He’s not a natural scorer. He’s a perfect 3rd fiddle do it all type. Adelaide have signed him to be our best player. Our leader.
Remember Mitch is also from that agent

Come on DJ's always been paid very well and gets given a new 3 year deal every couple of years. If he opts out again at the end of this season hopefully the Sixers won't be stupid enough to give him yet another 3 year deal.

I get all the thoughts re Mccarron etc but we are in season, and the only way to get better now, as is the Sixers tradition, is import changes.
If Mitch isn't a pg, is he a shooting guard or undersized 3?
The team just doesn’t look balanced or to have the offensive firepower to match the powerhouses.
I’d love to be wrong but with Withers and Hannahs as our imports, I can’t see us being successful at all.

Many angles to the Sotto factor, on and off court.

Off court, obviously by noise at game when he scored, he brings people to the game, and from a social aspect would be ticking marketing's KPI’s pretty nicely.

On Court, there is a lot of work to be done, some not his fault. Why have a 7 footer inbound the ball when he struggles to run the court, he showed his "strength" is under the basket, but he takes a long time to get there. No confidence in ball handing, needs to learn of to set a screen, way understrength and looked like a rabbit in headlights. Offer no fear factor to opposition sides. He’s young, don’t expect miracles and be happy what he gets from the bench, he is not a starter unless 36ers get more injuries. Get him fit and strong and let him warm into games/league, his supporters need to stop putting pressure on him. He might be a solid NBL player in a few years.

Unfortunately the real way forward is to pay out a local end of bench guy and get an import PG or previous Josh Childress. Hope that an import PG can get more out of our current imports. Withers looks like he could be better. Hannah's needs to stop being tentative.
Mitch has always been a SG apart from on a star studded Melbourne United.

I'd be curious as to what part is surprising for those that tipped Adelaide to be that top-4 type team.

Granted, Humphries has been injured/unfit for longer than expected. However, it was never going to be fast, one of the two major reasons why an import PF/C was important.

With that said, Bairstow has been considerably better than expected which covers for that loss a bit.

I don’t think McCarron was ever going to solve all our problems, and would be a lot more troubling if he could run riot with two decent wings that require defensive attention. Otherwise teams will just focus and stifle MM.

The revolving door of players and coaches are an inherent disadvantage. Trying to fill a roster with lots of "average players" without a defined role and all expecting time on court is an inherent disadvantage. The one thing about Perth rosters or a guy like Teys is that the players knew their roles, knew what to expect and contribute and makes it easier to create a balanced roster.

Speaking of balance roster - Adelaide doesn’t have that, nor a style to reflect whatever type of eclectic roster this is.

I’d have liked to see:

C Bairstow (whilst Humphries is injured)
F Athletic styled def PF
F Athletic defender/perimeter threat - could be a taller guard
G Shooter
G McCarron

With a DJ, Dech, Tad providing the bench portion of main rotation.

For CJ - follow the Smyth playbook - generate your defence from your offence, focus more on fast pace licence to shoot offence and less on tactics and slow motion ball.

Given what they have now - IMO bring in that athletic shooting guard that can play SF. Make Hannahs exercise a licence to shoot, and thrill, particularly from the perimeter, instead of driving into defence.

Move Withers to just about a full time PF role. Pair him with IH when IH returns, and pair Bairstow/DJ together.

Help space McCarron with Hannahs and Import, and bring Dech in to provide that 3&D from the bench.

At the moment they are one X factor scorer and some Hannahs licence to shoot away from achieving space for MM.

Once you start getting buckets it applies pressure on the opposition to score, and that’s where MM and Dech provides good defence and Bairstow/Withers provide that helpful hard work down low.

Great summary KET.

Great insight KET. I really hope they do add a third import as there's talent, just not balance. I hope CJ gets a chance to shape next years roster and isn’t too harshly judged on this season.

Yep KET agreed, even with our imports now I think getting a athletic 3/4 will make a world of wonders. Then with the team being faster it will make MM look and play even better. I also think that if dusty starts to figure out how to find his three shots (not much of an excuse but it's still early) the team will look much better.

Before addressing some comments here I want to reiterate something: Sydney were lookimng at McCarron and they didnt like his asking price so they went for Jaylen Adams.

Understand that. JAYLEN ADAMS

Now we dont know if Adams was cheaper than McCarron or if the difference between the two was small enough to justify the get. But the fact remains, McCarron is vastly overpaid and we could have done much better.

Another massive JVG brainfart for all to behold.

""He isn't a stud import, we built this team around DJ, Humphries and McCarron and rightly so given how much they earn.""

He was billed as the best shooter outside of the NBA and you can be sure he was paid accordingly.

McCarron as I've discussed is overpaid.

""Because it's easier to blame an import on a 1 year deal v a marquee Aussie that's signed for 3.
I like Mitch but he’s not a stud PG. He can’t get to the free throw line. He’s not a natural scorer. He’s a perfect 3rd fiddle do it all type. Adelaide have signed him to be our best player. Our leader.""
"
Thats right. This is some classic JVG Hijinks. McCarron isnt a bad basketball player by any stretch but only an idiot pays him like the main guy on a team.

I’d love to be wrong but with Withers and Hannahs as our imports, I can’t see us being successful at all.""

Our goose is cooked this season.

""Get him fit and strong and let him warm into games/league, his supporters need to stop putting pressure on him. He might be a solid NBL player in a few years.""

I agree with this. I dont want Sotto to crash and burn, just his fans and countrymen. Theyre delusional.

I'd be curious as to what part is surprising for those that tipped Adelaide to be that top-4 type team.

Granted, Humphries has been injured/unfit for longer than expected. However, it was never going to be fast, one of the two major reasons why an import PF/C was important.

I expected Humphries to be fit after an entire off season.

I did not expect a whole raft of new issues.

HE is expected to be out for another 3 weeks which would mean a third of the season gone (and thats in a delayed / postponement world).

But when fit he is a top C in the league, high teens points per game, top in blocks and field goal %.

Is that worth a roll of the dice?

With that said, Bairstow has been considerably better than expected which covers for that loss a bit.

Bairstow has been good, I was wrong to dismiss his recruitment.

I don't think McCarron was ever going to solve all our problems, and would be a lot more troubling if he could run riot with two decent wings that require defensive attention. Otherwise teams will just focus and stifle MM.

Bearing in mind we are talking about my perception before the season started. He was by far the best free agent, still young, experienced, can do a wide variety of things, knows how to win.

We haven't had that for a while (since Sobey), that is why I thought his coming in would greatly improve the backcourt.

I think he still will. He had a bad game last outing but do we too quickly forget about his performance against Perth? Are we too quick to judge the bad games?

He isn't a pure PGbut he is the best PG you can get in a combo.



On the matter of Withers, I have not fully worked out his place in the team yet.

Initially I saw some Justin Simon esque value where he would take the opposition best wings.

I don't think he is a bad player, but we could do better.

Not only did the Sixers outbid the Kings for McCarron's services but we also gave him a 3 year deal and made him the sole captain of the team before he ever played a game for us. DJ & Teys were the co-captains last season.

When this season ends, first item on the agenda needs to be showing JVG the door once and for all. Too many all-sizzle, no-steak signings and ideas. He's a marketer - if anything a snake oil salesman - and he has NO BUSINESS constructing a basketball team.

Actually all Sixers management has had their time now.

JVG has since become a part-owner of the team so I would imagine it would be quite difficult to fire him.

No sure that JvG plays in any games...surely it's all on the players and coaches for the on court system and structures..certainly appears lack of confidence and second guessing between players.. the gelling and jelly not smooth at all.. the no love for DJ is unfounded..how many times is he being given the ball when he works arses off to seal or set screen and rolls..he doing the 1% but seems to be the last option with 5 second to play..he needs far better service and delivery. Reflects team being very new no continuity.. we waited joey gone well some did. At joey had team playing with excitement and level of intestinal that was fun..

I love your intentional typos.

Yeah, King needs to give the coach a reason to leave him out there. Harris is taking his minutes right now because of his defensive hustle. King has shown a nice shooting stroke on a few catch and shoot threes, but his defence has been average and his ball-handling needs to improve a lot so he can use his athleticism to attack off the dribble.

So unkind anon. New Year give someone a chance ... think I make perfect sense...like you to put afullstop to your negativity because raisins question mark about your humidity .. my opion is my prerogative...