As they prepare to square off in the first all-Melbourne Throwdown of NBL25, there’s an air of familiarity between opposing star import guards Derrick Walton Jr and Ian Clark.
Call it six degrees of separation — and maybe a little sliding doors.
They’re connected in the world of basketball by friendship linkages on and off the court, most notably through former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kay Felder.
“Kay Felder and I are like brothers and then him and Ian are really close and so there was immediately a mutual respect,” Walton Jr, in his first season with the Phoenix, said.
“He’s (Felder) probably my first ever teammate in organised basketball, my dad and his dad grew up together. His mum and my mum were really close and me and him, we grew up together.
“Kay told me about Ian and his relationship. I played against Ian two years ago when he was in Adelaide and it still didn’t come up until this year.”
Each was once a title-winning Sydney King, Clark’s in 2022 and Walton Jr’s one year removed — laced with the grand final series MVP.
Melbourne United’s Ian Clarke and South East Melbourne’s Derrick Walton Jr prepare for the All-Melbourne Throwdown. Picture: Wayne TaylorSource: News Corp Australia
It’s the first time the Phoenix have hosted the season-tip-off Throwdown — and Walton Jr’s first taste of the burgeoning rivalry, but Clark warned it won’t just be green jerseys packing out the John Cain Arena stands.
“Throwdown, for us, it’s kind of like a home game,” Clark said.
“We still have our fans there and It’s still our court that we play on, so it’s going to be fun.”
For Walton Jr, he’s still getting up to full speed after a calf injury hampered his NBL25 prep but warned it would not take him long to refine the elite skills package that makes him one of the best players in the NBL.
“I’m trying not to make an excuse but I wish I would have hit the ground running,” he said.
“(Phoenix basketball boss) Simon (Mitchell) has been super helpful to me, allowing me to just round back into form and being a leader of the team and being around the camaraderie of guys that’s trying to do something with a common goal.”
D-WALT: HOW CREEK CHINA MEET PLANTED NBL SEED
During his recent stint in China, Walton Jr, 29, said he had an inkling he’d be back in Australia this season.
“I wouldn’t say I knew that it was going to happen, but it was just fresh on my mind what I was able to accomplish here,” Walton Jr said.
“Just because I still had the relationship, I knew I probably wouldn’t have been able to go back to Sydney.
“Then I was just thinking of other places where basketball was big, and then the lifestyle of things was just a mixture.”
A chance meeting with the Phoenix’s most decorated player Mitch Creek, who was playing in China at the same time, began a chain reaction where the pair would have been teammates — until club and Creek mutually parted ways.
“I ran into Creek in China after one of our scrimmages, just telling him I was interested in coming back, if he was coming back,” Walton Jr said.
“And, obviously it didn’t, kind of, come full circle in that way.
“But I pinpointed Melbourne for the lifestyle — when we came here for the (NBL) awards ceremony (two years ago) I just knew it was a lot different than any other city I visited.”
IC: SWITCHING OFF — WITH A UNITED PLAN
Clark, 33, has NBA championship pedigree and that gives the veteran the luxury of taking his time to decide his future each year.
After late arrivals for the Kings, then Adelaide, the Tennessee Triple spent last campaign with United and, after the heartbreak of grand final defeat, decided to come back for a second campaign.
“Last year was my first full season overseas, so I really tried to disconnect and, you know, be back with my family and be Ian, not the basketball player, but Ian, the son and the brother and the partner,” Clark said.
“In the back of my mind, I knew I would be back (at United), but, at the same time, I just wanted to give myself some clarity and make sure it was the right thing I wanted to do.
“I ended up coming to Vegas (for NBA Summer League) and seeing coach (Dean Vickerman) and seeing (chief executive) Nick Truelson and just watched (ex-United men) Ariel (Hukporti), Jo (Lual-Acuil Jr), and LT (Luke Travers) play.”
The pursuit of more silverware is all the fuel Clark needs.
“Getting another one,” he says when asked why he continues to pursue basketball excellence.
“Honestly, that and I just feel good.
“I love the game, I love to compete, and as long as my body’s feeling good and I still have that joy for it, I’ll keep doing it until it’s gone.”
Ian Clark knows exactly what to expect when Melbourne United takes its 1-0 NBL grand final series lead into Tassie’s hostile home cauldron after they sent the JackJumpers back to the island with their tails between their legs.
He’s been there, done that in front of massive crowds in the NBA finals and, two years ago with Sydney.
The slick shooting guard helped the Kings eke out a 90-86 win in the face of the raucous Ant Army on their way to a 3-0 series sweep grand final series sweep.
Watch every game of the NBL Championship Series LIVE with ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Clark during that Grand Final series at MyState Bank Arena during the 2021/22 season for Sydney. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“It’s loud, I had my fair share of it a couple years ago when I was in Sydney and I’m expecting it to be the same,” Clark said after United took the grand final ascendancy with a 104-81 win in Sunday’s series opener.
“Some of these other guys haven’t been in that environment and are going into it for the first time, so it’s just making sure that they’re ready for it.
” We’ve got some guys who have experience with it and we go down there with a 0-0 mindset, knowing that they’re going to come out hard and knowing we’ve got to make sure we hit the first punch.”
“It’s what you want, right? Expansion team, great fans, they sell out the arena, it’s much better than having no fans in the arena and being quiet, we’ve experienced that before through Covid,” Goulding said.
Goulding is up for the fight in Hobart, to extend United’s series lead. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“So, embrace the challenge, go down there and be better again.”
A 23-point drubbing in the biggest game of the season has the potential to leave scars, but Clark scoffed at any suggestion the result gave United a psychological advantage over the battle-hardened but fatigued Jackies, who went into John Cain Arena off a pair of trips to Perth in the semis.
“With this team? Not really,” he said.
“We circle back to the beginning of the season (October 8) when they came in, we were up big (13) and they came back and beat us (80-75) so I think we’re just staying level-headed.
“It’s good to get a win, especially at home, but we know it means nothing.”
Clark is taking nothing for granted despite the thumping game one win. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
With five days to rest up and re-tool, the former Golden State Warrior is expecting Tasmania coach Scott Roth to make adjustments for game two.
“We know how dangerous those guys are, those two guards and McVeigh,” he said.
“We’ll be doing our best job to limit their touches and try to make it hard for them again.
“LT did a great job being up and attached to McVeigh.
Travers guarding McVeigh during game one in Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“They will double down on things that they do well and obviously try to get those guys more touches and make sure they’re a little bit more physical with us.
“We’ve just got to make it tough on them for 40 minutes.“
– Michael Randall
Battle-hardened Melbourne United’s experience in the pressure cooker situations of finals basketball looms as a key factor in this year’s NBL grand final.
United is stacked with championship pedigree, sharing a combined 16 NBL titles — and two in the NBA — while just three JackJumpers have tasted ultimate success in the Aussie league.
United mentor Dean Vickerman, the reigning Coach of the Year, owns seven titles — three as head coach and four as an assistant — Chris Goulding has won the NBL championship three times, Shea Ili twice, and Both Matthew Dellavedova and Ian Clark each have NBA rings.
It’s that rich history of success star big man Jo Lual-Acuil Jr says the minor premiers have leant on all season and it holds them in good stead ahead of Sunday’s grand final opener at John Cain Arena.
Matthew Dellavedova wants and NBL title to add to his NBA ring and Olympic bronze medal. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“I think we have a good mix of age and experience and when things don’t go right or we have any adversity, we have a calmness to us that, all year, we’ve been very solution based,” Lual-Acuil Jr said.
“Delly’s huge, we lean on his experience. We also have Shili, we have CG, LT (Luke Travers) has been in some grand finals, I’ve been in some grand finals, Newls (Brad Newley) as well, has been huge for us … it’s a collective effort (and) we have a wealth of experience.”
Both Dellavedova and Goulding own Olympic bronze medals, adding to a daunting task for the plucky JackJumpers, who are the form team of the league. But only coach Scott Roth — as an assistant — Clint Steindl (two) and Tom Vodanovic own an NBL ring.
But the Ants enter the series with a remarkable advantage over United, leading 8-4 all-time and sporting a 5-1 record at the John Cain Arena fortress, where Melbourne has won nine straight.
Memories of Tassie’s greatest triumph — the NBL22 game three semi final win over United that booked their place in a grand final, ultimately won by the Sydney Kings — are fresh every time the Jackies walk down the race at JCA.
Jack McVeigh was a United killer in that series with 15, 15 then 16 points in the decider and the gun forward has levelled up considerably, pouring in 23 points per game in his four finals appearances this season.
The 27-year-old knows United’s experience presents a mammoth task for the JackJumpers, who have captured the imagination of the Australian basketball world with a second grand final appearance in their three years of existence.“They’ve been the best team all season but we’re feeling good,” McVeigh said.
“They’ve got vets, they’re being led by an Australian NBA great (Dellavedova) so it’s going to be a fun battle but we definitely feel like as long as we focus on us, stick to what we do, we’ve got as good a chance as anyone of bringing this thing home.”
A war of words erupted between the coaches pre-game, setting the scene for a spicy game 1, but it was Melbourne United who got on with the task at hand, cruising to a one-game lead over Tasmania JackJumpers in the best-of-five NBL Championship Series.
United centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr stamped his authority on the series opener, dominating on both ends of the floor as United ran out 104-81 winners at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
Lual-Acuil Jr finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in a dominant display.
United were dominant on the boards, out-rebounding the visitors 50-36.
When Lual-Acuil Jr was on the bench, young star Ariel Hukporti maintained the advantage with seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
If Lual-Acuil Jr was Batman for United, Chris Goulding was Robin.
Sharpshooter Goulding was on fire from the outset, draining 22 points, including six three pointers.
United’s three-point shooting was a feature, going 14/28 (50%).
They defended the three-point arc well, restricting the JackJumpers to 8/18 (44%) from three.
Matthew Dellavedova’s offensive outburst in these playoffs continued with three triples in his 11 points, while NBL sixth man of the year Ian Clark was a constant threat with 18 points, including three triples.
United scored as they pleased, inside and out, with the JackJumpers offering little resistance.
Only seldom did the JackJumpers threaten, with star Milton Doyle having his moments with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Anthony Drmic fought hard with a team-high 18 points on 66% shooting.
Will Magnay was one of the star JackJumpers in their semi final series against the Wildcats, but his game 1 minutes were capped after he picked up a fourth foul early in the third quarter.
The 2024 NBL Championship Series is set, with the Tasmania JackJumpers once again featuring as they look to win their first-ever title against Melbourne United.
Read on for a full wrap of how both teams got there, with Tasmania making a statement against Perth while United held off a plucky Illawarra outfit.
EMOTIONS HIGH FOR ROTH AS JACKJUMPERS CONTINUE CHARGE
The Tasmania JackJumpers will contest their second NBL championship series despite only having been in the competition for three seasons.
The JackJumpers became the only team across both semi-final series to win on the road, when they beat the Wildcats 100-84 at RAC Arena on Wednesday night.
Perth looked lively in the first half, but could only manage a three-point lead, which came midway through the second quarter.
Then Scott Roth’s boys took control.
Led by a season-high 27 points from Jack McVeigh, the JackJumpers outscored Perth 48-41 after half-time and were always in control.
“The island defended. Love those people back in Tasmania, this team loves you, we’re coming back home,” an emotional Roth told John Casey post-game.
“… It’s all about defending the island and taking care of this state.”
Nothing to lose
So, Tasmania will play Melbourne United in a five-game series, after United won Game 3 of their semi-final series against Illawarra Hawks earlier on Wednesday.
Game 1 is on Sunday at John Cain Arena.
In the past 10 years, eight championships have been won by teams entering the playoffs from one of top-two positions on the table.
The Sydney Kings (2021-22) and the Perth Wildcats (2016-17) both won titles from third spot in that time, where the JackJumpers were ranked after qualifying.
Tassie will start underdog, but that won’t bother them.
Some Milton magic
It was Milton Doyle who broke the game open in the second term, dropping 11 points for the quarter to give the visitors a nine-point lead at half-time.
Bryce Cotton had just started the term on fire, with the first five points, as the Cats went on a nine-point run either side of the quarter-time break.
The four-times MVP scored 10 points in the second term.
But when Doyle dropped the first two points of the second half, the JackJumpers lead went to 11 points. It didn’t get back below nine.
Doyle finished with 24 points and nine assists.
Milton Doyle wins possession for the ball against Keanu Pinder. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Talls just too big
Import Marcus Lee returning to the JackJumpers was just one too many tall for the Wildcats to handle.
Lee missed his side’s home victory in Game 2, suspended for unduly rough play on Jordan Usher, deemed to be intentional, medium impact and high contact.
The rebound count was 40-31 Tasmania’s way. The JackJumpers pulled in 13 offensive boards.
They were able to add 58 points from inside the paint as a result.
Will Magnay continued his terrific late-season form, with nine boards and 18 points.
Keanu Pinder had his hands full. Having scored 25 points in Game 1 of the semi-final, his frustrations from Game 2 continued to Wednesday. He didn’t score at all.
Perth scoring woes
Remember when the Wildcats went on a seven-game run mid-season, scoring triple figure totals in every game?
They reached 100 in 10 of 14 games.
But over their finals campaign, scoring hasn’t been that easy.
Cotton again led the way on Wednesday night, scoring 21 points. The four-times NBL MVP dropped all three attempts from three-point territory.
But after him, it was slim pickings. Hyrum Harris contributed 13 points, but no one else made it to double figures.
Magnay goes huge as Jackjumpers win | 02:00
‘UNBELIEVABLE’ DELLY HELPS UNITED TO VICTORY
The pressure on Melbourne United to close out a semi final series it was heavily favoured in was immense.
A basketball nation jumped on board the Illawarra Hawks bandwagon and were waiting to point and laugh at a top-ranked United if they were to slip up.
But United showed its championship credentials, standing up when it counted most in a do-or-die game and declaring the Hawks fairytale would end in their house.
Dean Vickerman’s team advanced to their first NBL championship series since 2020-21 with another tight 100-94 win in game 3 at John Cain Arena on Wednesday night.
United exorcised the demons of 2021-22 when a fourth-ranked Tasmania JackJumpers shocked top-seeded United to take game three of their semi final series.
It was all hands on deck for United with all five starters, led by 22 points from point guard Shea Ili, and sixth man Ian Clark scoring in double digits.
Matthew Dellavedova made some big plays. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
United’s offence was sharp early and a little less predictable than their go-to-Jo Lual-Acuil Jr start in game 2.
The Hawks were caught on the hop as United opened up what would prove to be an unassailable 21-6 lead.
Hawks coach Justin Tatum was not liking what he saw and called a time out just three minutes in.
It lit a fire in Hawks forward Wani Swaka Lo Buluk who unceremoniously barged through hometown favourite Chris Goulding.
Three triples from Hawks guard Justin Robinson trimmed a 15-point deficit to just six at quarter time.
United came out with a stronger defensive focus in the second.
Veteran Matthew Dellavedova typified that when he dove head first over the advertising boards in a bid to try and save a ball.
The Hawks stuck around with Robinson, who had 19 points and seven assists, a key reason, the sixth man playing his best game of the series.
Robinson was the one Hawk that was able to penetrate with regularity.
Hawks centre Sam Froling was ever-present inside the paint with 23 points.
When Robinson connected on an alley-oop with Froling, United’s lead was cut to three, but two late Shea Ili’s threes had United up 54-47 at half time.
United opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run to have their biggest lead of the night at 16.
Smooth-as-silk United forward Luke Travers, who finished with a double double 15 points and 11 rebounds, was getting to the hoop at will and providing efficient scoring.
A four-point play to Hyunjung Lee late in the third boosted the Hawks spirits.
The Hawks were not going to simply roll over, but they just couldn’t bridge a gap that hovered around 10, particularly with their slipshod 63% free throw shooting (24/38).
Target on his back
If United was going to get beaten, they didn’t want to get beaten by Gary Clark.
Clark, the game 2 star for the Hawks, was met with a double team nearly every time he took possession in the first half.
The former NBA player was bereft of ideas for most of the night and finished with just 14 points, a significant win for United.
Ty-ed down
Hawks guard Tyler Harvey endured a hellish night.
The 30-year-old had a killer mentality in game 2, but it eluded him on this occasion.
When the star scorer went to the bench in the third quarter with four fouls, he only had a single point to his name and finished with just nine.
Bryce Cotton has entered the NBL GOAT conversation, winning a fourth league MVP award – trailing only the legendary Andrew Gaze, who the award is named for.
The 31-year-old Perth star led the Wildcats to a second-place finish behind Melbourne United, and won the award from their star Chris Goulding plus New Zealand import Parker Jackson-Cartwright.
After a difficult start to the year Cotton lifted enormously, producing 26.6 points per game as part of a 15-game streak where the Wildcats won 13 times.
While Goulding missed the top honour Melbourne was still dominant on the awards night, with coach Dean Vickerman named the NBL’s best for a third time, Shea Ili the Defensive Player of the Year and Ian Clark the Best Sixth Man.
Potential No.1 pick Alex Sarr missed the Next Gen award for the best player under 25, with Illawarra’s Sam Froling beating him and Luke Travers.
Hawks cement NBL playoff spot | 01:14
Andrew Gaze MVP: Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
Lindsay Gaze Coach of the Year: Dean Vickerman (Melbourne United)
Most Improved Player: Sean Macdonald (Tasmania JackJumpers)
Best Sixth Man: Ian Clark (Melbourne United)
Damian Martin of the Defensive Player of the Year: Shea Ili (Melbourne United)
Next Generation: Sam Froling (Illawarra)
NBL First Team: Anthony Lamb (New Zealand Breakers), Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats),
Chris Goulding (Melbourne United), Gary Clark (Illawarra Hawks), Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers)
NBL Second Team: Jack McVeigh (Tasmania JackJumpers), Jo Lual Acuil Jr (Melbourne United), Milton Doyle (Tasmania JackJumpers), Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne Phoenix), Nathan Sobey (Brisbane Bullets)
Referee of the Year: Vaughan Mayberry
Gametime by Kmart: Sunday Dech (Adelaide 36ers)
Executive of the Year: Nick Truelson (Melbourne United)
Sydney Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was as animated as anyone had seen him when he called a time-out in the second quarter of the NBL match against South East Melbourne Phoenix at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon.
It was early doors but the Kings were streaky, appeared casual, and when an offensive rebound was on offer, it was like the ball had spiders on it.
Abdelfattah stabbed fingers at his men, stared at them with bug eyes, and exchanged words with Denzel Valentine as the guard jogged back into play.
The rocket seemed to be what the Kings needed when an 8-2 run followed. Abdelfattah then flexed his right biceps and challenged his team to “build a wall” before successfully reviewing a call against his team.
None of it mattered a jot to Phoenix and their best player, Mitch Creek.
With Creek and Alan ‘Sauce’ Williams (21 points, 15 rebounds) dominating, and their defence apparently inspired by the loss of two key men, the visitors ran out victors 104-94 in front of 13,097 stunned spectators.
Mahmoud Abdelfattah let loose at his players. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOT SAUCE
“Williams and Creek are doing whatever they want,” Kings assistant coach Fleur McIntyre observed at halftime. “We’ve got to be way more physical, way more urgent and start sending bodies at them. They are killing us one-on-one.”
It was third versus fifth according to the NBL ladder, the visitors going in after a season-ending knee injury to Craig Moller and the sacking of import Will Cummings.
Yet the Phoenix came out hot, with Williams raining bombs and scoring 18 points in the first half.
In a frenetic first quarter the Kings gave up six fouls, 10 free-throws and 32 points, while shooting 12 of 19 from the field, despite some athletic incursions from Jaylin Galloway who finished with 12 points and five rebounds.
Mitch Creek dominated the game. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
UP THE CREEK
The game took a turn when Williams incurred his fourth foul, three minutes into the third quarter, when an errant elbow caught Jordy Hunter in the cheekbone.
Yet it only fired up Phoenix and Creek whose shooting, including a booming three-pointer, saw his team out to an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Phoenix coach Mike Kelly took a risk by putting Williams back in the game with two minutes left in the third quarter. The big man immediately made two rebounds and two points – and didn’t foul out.
Yet it continued to be Creek that Phoenix went to, the all-action man finishing with a game-high 33 points.
“It’s a massive week for the club, Creek said. “We made a tough decision this week in getting rid of a great man and a great player. We had a line in the sand moment of what we want off court and on court. And backs against the wall [enjoyed] a massive, massive win.”
NUMBERS MEN
The league’s leading three-point man, Jaylin Adams, made two from six from outside while Valentine landed four three-pointers from nine attempts, several of them from way outside the ‘D’.
Jonah Bolden was the Kings’ best with 15 points and 15 rebounds, while it was odd to see Kings’ talisman Angus Glover receive so few minutes (10:49).
— Lance Jenkinson
Three minutes of Chris Goulding mayhem turned what was a close-fought contest into a blowout as ladder-leaders Melbourne United romped to a 103-68 win over Brisbane Bullets at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
Goulding, featuring in his 250th game for United, absolutely terrorised the Bullets from the 5.24 to the 2.41 mark of the second period, reeling off five threes, before finishing with 21 points, including seven threes.
It was not a case of missed Bullets defensive assignments either, the 35-year-old just knocked down some incredibly tough contested shots.
A one-basket game quickly turned into a double digits lead for United and they powered on to improve to 11-3 on the season and maintain their advantage at the top of the NBL ladder.
United has beaten the Bullets in 10 consecutive meetings.
The Bullets raced to a 16-8 lead, but lost their way after quarter time as they slumped to 7-8 on the season, a backwards step after two consecutive wins.
Chris Goulding sparked the home side. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Having won the first half in each of their past eight games, it was no shock to see the Bullets pushing the pace early.
The visitors made it a chaotic start with their up tempo style, putting the United defence on the back foot.
Sam McDaniel had eight first quarter points, but faded to finish with 12.
There was a scary moment when the always reckless Luke Travers, who has missed time with concussion for United this season, toppled over McDaniel and landed heavily, but both players got up.
United cannot afford to lose Travers again, who offers so much at both ends and finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Tyrell Harrison made an impressive start to his 100th game with a reverse jam and featured in a mouth-watering paint battle with United big man Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.
IC RELAUNCH
The tide started to turn late in the first period when veteran United guard Ian Clark, returning from a hamstring injury, drained two threes.
Clark was impactful with 14 points.
While United’s defensive pressure ramped up at the start of the second, courtesy of some hard-nosed defence from Kyle Bowen and Ariel Hukporti, United also caught fire from long range to go from trailing at quarter time to leading by a massive 17 by half time.
Ian Clark made a successful return. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
IGNITION SWITCH
The lethal Goulding flicked the switch that left the Bullets yearning for half time.
In the first half alone, Goulding had 18 points, including six-from-eight from beyond the arc.
United solidified its lead in the third with Matthew Dellavedova as the court general.
There was a slight concern for Bowen, who went to the bench with a dead arm, but he returned to continue his defensive presence.
Bullets veteran Aron Baynes had a running battle with the referees all game and after his fourth he gave the referee an earful, a sign of the frustration that has crept in for his team.
MILESTONES GALORE
It was not only Goulding and Harrison celebrating milestones, Victorian-born Bullets captain Nathan Sobey celebrated his 250th NBL game in front of family and friends in his home state.
Sobey has evolved into one of the premier combo guards in the competition, but had a rough shooting game with 12 points on 4-from-15 from the field.
NBL SCOREBOARD
Melbourne United 103 (Goulding 21 Travers 16 Clark 14 Dellavedova 14d Brisbane Bullets 68 (McDaniel 12 Sobey 12 Harrison 10)
It has been 12 days since they qualified for the NBL Championship Series and now on Friday night (7.30pm AEDT) the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers begin what looms as a fascinating best-of-five battle for the NBL23 title.
The near two-week break from the end of the semi-final series to the Championship Series was a little unfortunate albeit unavoidable thanks to the last FIBA window ahead of this year’s World Cup but now the wait is over, and it’s set to be a tremendous contest.
Watch the NBL23 Championship Series between Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers LIVE and FREE on ESPN on Kayo Freebies. Series begins March 3. Join now and start streaming instantly >
Kings and Breakers to decide NBL champs | 02:08
The Kings and Breakers have been the best two teams all season in the NBL, they finished the regular season in first and second place, and then booked in their spots for the Championship Series by winning their respective semi-final Game 3’s on their home floors two Sundays ago.
It is now all set up to be quite the tantalising Championship Series match up with Game 1 on Friday night at Qudos Bank Arena. Game 2 is already sold out on Sunday at Auckland’s Spark Arena.
Game 3 will be in Sydney next Friday, Game 4 in Auckland the following Sunday and if required, the deciding Game 5 will be in Sydney on Wednesday March 15.
WHO THE TEAMS ARE
The Sydney Kings are the reigning NBL champions and they backed it up by claiming the regular season championship this season to come into the Championship Series as the favourites to make it back-to-back titles.
While the Kings are the reigning champions, they had significant turnover from last season and it all started with the departure of their three imports. That included reigning MVP Jaylen Adams along with NBL and NBA champion Ian Clark, and standout big man Jarrell Martin.
Coming in and the Kings must be commended for finding a new point guard in Derrick Walton Jr who was named to the All-First Team. Justin Simon has been the standout NBL defender this season and a bundle of energy at both ends with Tim Soares holding his own in the centre position.
You then have Kings captain Xavier Cooks who has gone to another level this season to be named the league’s MVP while they are the deepest team in the competition with DJ Vasiljevic, Jordan Hunter, Jaylin Galloway, Kouat Noi, Shaun Bruce and Angus Glover all key contributors.
The Kings are coached by American Chase Buford who is attempting to win a second championship in his two seasons coaching in the NBL while the Kings are looking for a fifth title overall to go with their triumphs in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2022.
It’s been quite the ride for the New Zealand Breakers since they were the benchmark franchise of the competition between 2011 and 2016. In that period they not only won four of the five NBL championships but were also highly successful off the court.
However, since then they have had a change in ownership and management, and that hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Throw in the last two years where they were ravaged and homeless thanks to COVID, and it was very much a start again process coming into NBL23.
That began with a new coach with assistant Mody Maor taking over from Dan Shamir and it was almost a complete overhaul of the playing roster with only Tom Abercrombie, Will McDowell-White and Rob Loe back.
The Breakers have got all their decisions right and that begins with coach Maor who ended up being runner-up in Coach of the Year voting.
Nailing their import signings has been crucial for the Breakers with Dererk Pardon making the All-Second Team as the centre, Jarrell Brantley a standout power forward and Barry Brown Jr as the leading scorer across the two teams in the Championship Series.
It’s been all about building a team defensively minded and putting culture first, which is where bringing back Kiwis Tom Vodanovich and Izayah Le’afa was important along with adding veteran Cam Gliddon and then topping it off with exciting 18-year-old French Next Star Rayan Rupert.
With Will McDowell-White running the ship and turning himself into the standout point guard he’s always promised to be, and it’s quite the impressive Breakers outfit who are now in their first Championship Series since 2016, and attempting to win a first title since 2015, and fifth overall.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Sydney Kings wrapped up the regular season championship a couple of weeks out from the end of the season itself and proved themselves the standout team in the competition on the back of winning last season’s championship.
The Kings finished a game clear in first place on the back of a 19-9 record which saw them winning 10 of 14 matches at Qudos Bank Arena, and winning nine of the 14 on the road including a seven-game winning streak before losing four of the last six matches of the regular season.
That earned the Kings the right to sit back to wait to find out who they would meet in the semi finals which eventually was the Cairns Taipans. Sydney prevailed in Game 1 at home 95-87 but it was a different story in Game 2 in Cairns with the Taipans winning 93-82.
Kings coach Chase Buford was ejected, centre Tim Soares ended up fined for a late shoulder charge and MVP Xavier Cooks hurt his ankle. However, Sydney bounced back in Game 3 with their depth and freshness shining in the 79-64 home win to book in their Championship Series berth.
The New Zealand Breakers hadn’t take part in an NBL finals series since 2018 but it quickly emerged they would be a force to be reckoned with in NBL23. They ended up locking away second position on the back of winning the last five matches of the regular season.
Interestingly, New Zealand won just seven of the 14 matches at home throughout the season but were superb throughout Australia winning 11 of 14 road games.
That meant the Breakers were waiting to take on the Tasmania JackJumpers in the semi finals after they defeated the Cairns Taipans to get there.
New Zealand dominated Game 1 at Spark Arena 88-68 to put the pressure back on the JackJumpers, but Tasmania was terrific at MyState Bank Arena winning 89-78 to force a Game 3.
The Breakers proved too strong in that decider on their home floor to win 92-77 with Barry Brown Jr the star putting up his highest score of the season with 32 points.
Coach ejected after dodgy flop call | 01:45
WHAT THE KEY MATCH-UPS ARE
Tim Soares v Dererk Pardon – Both import centres are new to the league this season and have had a considerable impact. Soares has been a solid performer for the Kings teaming up with Xavier Cooks up front and being a sound defender, solid rebounder and a good offensive threat with a nice outside shot. Then you have Pardon at the Breakers and he deserves to be called the best genuine centre in the NBL. He does the things of a traditional centre by rebounding at both ends, finishing around the rim, setting heavy screens and being a shot blocking presence. He offers plenty more than that too and his ability to set the tone physically will be key to this series and what impact Soares can have to quell his influence will be pivotal.
Xavier Cooks v Jarrell Brantley – This power forward match up above all others could very well determine the NBL championship. Cooks is the MVP of the league on the back of captaining Sydney to last season’s championship and being Grand Final MVP. Brantley is in his first season at the Breakers but has been superb. He can play with physicality, with athleticism and is a terrific defensive presence and a great all-round offensive threat with moves around the basket and shooting ability. They are similar physical presences too so it’s going to be a truly fascinating match up and the numbers back that up. Cooks averages 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists on 58.9 per cent field goal shooting with Brantley putting up 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 46.8 per cent shooting.
Justin Simon v Tom Abercrombie – Neither man is going to jump off the page and score a lot of points or put up huge numbers that grab the headlines, and nor will they match up on one another too much. But that doesn’t mean their role isn’t going to be pivotal on who ends up winning the series. Both can contribute offensively, but it’s at the defensive end where their true importance lies and who they get sent to for the majority of time is going to be equally curious. Simon is a previous Best Defensive Player and perhaps should have been this season. He delivered the best individual defensive performance of the season in Game 3 against Cairns on DJ Hogg and now it looks likely his coach Chase Buford will send him to try and quell the influence of New Zealand’s hot scorer Barry Brown Jr. Abercrombie is the Breakers captain and already an all-time great leading his franchise in most categories including games played and points scored. He remains a standout defender and he likely will be set to try and make life difficult for Kings point guard Derrick Walton Jr. Who is most successful in their defensive job will be critical in who ends up getting a ring.
Watch the NBL23 Championship Series between Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers LIVE and FREE on ESPN on Kayo Freebies. Series begins March 3. Join now and start streaming instantly >
DJ Vasiljevic v Barry Brown Jr – Again these two might not spend too much time on one another with the Kings likely to use Justin Simon on Brown Jr and Rayan Rupert could spend significant time on Vasiljevic. But either way they are the go-to shooters and scorers for their respective team. When the Kings need a big time basket and someone to dig them out of a hole, it’s the outside shooting of Vasiljevic they look to. And he’s a proven big time performer. Then there’s Brown and this Breakers team is built for their defence but it’s him who is their true offensive weapon highlighted by 32 points in Game 3 against Tasmania. Vasiljevic has had an up and down season but is averaging 14.0 points on 41.2 per cent shooting and 36.9 from downtown, but he did have 42 points and 10 threes against the Phoenix. Brown is averaging 19.7 points on shooting 46.8 per cent overall and 35.7 from three-point range. Who can get hot throughout the series will have a big say in the final result.
Derrick Walton Jr v Will McDowell-White – Well what a battle of two high-class point guards we are going to have. Both are terrific playmakers and floor generals for their team, both are tremendous at setting up their team and finding shots for their teammates, and both can score themselves when needed. After all, Walton Jr did put up 45 points against the South East Melbourne Phoenix and McDowell-White has a season-high of 29 against Cairns. Walton has been tremendous replacing MVP Jaylen Adams as Sydney’s point guard. He was named to the All-First Team averaging 16.5 points and 6.3 assists a game on 47.3 per cent field goal shooting and 36.4 per cent from deep. McDowell-White has had the best season of his NBL career reaching the promise he’s always had averaging 10.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds on shooting 40.6 per cent overall and 29.1 per cent from long-range.
Jordan Hunter/Kouat Noi/Jaylin Galloway/Angus Glover/Shaun Bruce v Rob Loe/Tom Vodanovich/Cam Gliddon/Rayan Rupert/Izayah Le’afa – A big reason why these two teams are in the Championship Series is because of their depth and the fact they don’t lose anything going into their bench, and indeed receive a punch. The Kings have Jordan Hunter to back up Tim Soares while Kouat Noi and Jaylin Galloway are versatile enough to give a chop out in either forward spots and then there’s the experience and quality of Angus Glover an Shaun Bruce in the guard spots. The Breakers bench is strong too and technically Rayan Rupert will be a starter, but Barry Brown Jr will play more minutes in that two spot. Rupert will still be important with his length and impact he can have defensively. Rob Loe will be important backing up Dererk Pardon while Tom Vodanovich and Cam Gliddon offer hardness and experience, and then Izayah Le’afa is another weapon they have as a guard who can score, run the offence and defend.
FINAL WORDS FROM THE CAPTAINS
Sydney Kings captain and reigning league MVP and last season’s Grand Final MVP Xavier Cooks might be feeling nervous coming into the Championship Series, but at the same time is confident of getting those three wins.
“Not many players get the chance to go for a championship so to have the chance to go back-to-back is pretty special, but right now it’s about this team and trying to get over the line,” Cooks said.
“I feel like we’ve had pressure on us all season long. Since the season started, we’ve had a target on our back being the reigning champs and everyone’s tried to come at us. We’ve stood our ground so far.
“Personally I am just as nervous compared with last year, but I feel more prepared. I know what it takes to get over the line and I know how much effort it takes to get over the line. Hopefully I can try and convey that for the new guys coming in, but I am kinda nervous.
“I am very nervous and I throw up before most games and I’m a nervous wreck, but that’s what basketball is about and it all comes down to this. It’s three more wins and you win a championship.”
Xavier Cooks of the Kings and Tom Abercrombie of the Breakers pose with the NBL Championship trophy.Source: Getty Images
Breakers captain and four-time NBL champion and 2011 Grand Final MVP Tom Abercrombie never thought he’d be back in this position to compete for another championship, but is excited for the opportunity ahead.
“It feels like it’s been an eternity waiting these last couple of weeks but we’re pumped to get Game 1 underway and get this series started,” Abercrombie said.
“Obviously Game 1 is really important and you want to come out and set the tone for the series, and play the right way. We’re under no illusions about the challenge in front of us against the best team all season long, and the defending champs. We’ll have to bring our absolute best to beat them.
“The time for reflection will come but you do think back a little bit on what we’ve been through the last couple of years and all the adversity.
“It’s wonderful to be back in this position and to be playing with a team and a group of people who are about the right things, and gone about things the right way. It’s awesome that we’ve been rewarded for our hard work with a chance to go for another championship.
“Everyone has a little bit of a chip on their shoulder with something to prove and that’s made us a very tough, and resilient group.”
The two best teams are left standing in the NBL with the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers to face off in the Championship Series but they had to battle hard to overcome the brave Cairns Taipans and Tasmania JackJumpers.
The NBL Championship Series is now set between the Kings and Breakers, but it could have easily been different with the Taipans and JackJumpers forcing both semi-final series to three games.
The Breakers dominated the JackJumpers in Game 1 at home 88-68 last Sunday but Tasmania hit back impressively in Hobart on Thursday to win 89-78 in Game 2 to force the decider back in Auckland on Sunday.
New Zealand proved too much led by the season-high 32 points from Barry Brown Jr to win 92-77 and book in their place in a first Championship Series since 2016.
It then turned out quite the spiteful and heated series between the Kings and Taipans including Sydney coach Chase Buford ejected in Game 2, and he and centre Tim Soares fined for incidents in that game on Friday.
Sydney did beat Cairns at home 95-87 in Game 1 on Wednesday but the Snakes hit back to win 93-82 in that Game 2 setting up a decider on Sunday. The Kings prevailed 79-64 on a standout defensive performance led by Jusin Simon.
The Kings and Breakers will now meet in a best-of-five Championship Series beginning Friday March 3 at Qudos Bank Arena.
The delayed start is due to the FIBA window this week which sees the Australian Boomers play Bahrain on Thursday and Kazakhstan on Sunday, both in Melbourne.
It’s Breakers vs Kings in the NBL Grand Final.Source: FOX SPORTS
PLANNING PAYS OFF FOR BREAKERS COACH TO LIVE DREAM
When New Zealand Breakers coach Mody Maor put together his plans of building his team for NBL23, he had a clear vision both in terms of play and culture he wanted to create. It’s fair to say it’s worked and now there’s nothing he’s looking forward to more than battling the Sydney Kings.
It was quite the mission that Maor embarked upon at the end of last season. He replaced the man he’s worked under around the world, Dan Shamir, and took over a team and club just exhausted after the last two years thanks to COVID and that needed an overhaul.
Maor’s focus firstly was on working out the culture his team wanted to possess, the characters he wanted involved and how they wanted to conduct themselves. Secondly was the style of play to be based on intense, physical defence for 40 minutes and then efficient offence.
On both fronts, Maor and the Breakers organisation have hit the spot perfectly to have now reached the Championship Series for the first time since 2016 as they attempt to win a fifth championship when things get underway against the Sydney Kings on Friday March 3.
To start with, the Breakers nailed their imports. Dererk Pardon could be the best genuine big in the league at both ends of the floor and Jarrell Brantley is quite the all-round talent as a power forward as well.
Then there’s Barry Brown Jr who provides that lethal scoring punch highlighted by his 32 points in a match-winning display in Game 3 of the semi-final series against the Tasmania JackJumpers at Spark Arena on Sunday.
Bringing New Zealanders home with Izayah Le’afa and Tom Vodanovich was important too as was retaining local veterans Tom Abercrombie and Rob Loe, and adding yet another future NBA first round draft pick Rayan Rupert.
Add in the experience of Cam Gliddon, the continued growth into one of the best point guards in the league of Will McDowell-White and the Breakers have not only been an outstanding team, but also one that plays with great heart and character.
That clearly starts with their coach and the energy Maor displays is infectious, but his pure love of the game of basketball shines through too. That rubs off on his players and that’s why even when he’s demanding more of them, there is a genuine love there.
Maor now can’t wait to take on the regular season champion Kings in the Championship Series starting next Friday and is proud of what he’s helped to build.
“There is nothing in the world I am looking forward to more,” Maor said.
“They’re the defending champs, best team in the league and this is what finals is supposed to be. You get to play against the best to see what you’ve got and we’re looking forward to it.
“You don’t drag in what happened before into what’s happening now. The beautiful thing about basketball is that every season is a new book, not even a new chapter and we knew exactly what kind of people we wanted in the building. That’s where it starts.
“The second thing we knew was how we wanted to play and we brought in people that fit what we wanted to do on defence and who we wanted to be as an organisation and as a team. Those were the first steps and the main ones.”
Coach ejected after dodgy flop call | 01:45
POST-GAME ACT SHOWS WHY JACKJUMPERS HAVE CONNECTED
The Tasmania JackJumpers have won the hearts and minds of the community of the Apple Isle and what captain Clint Steindl did to try and brighten up a young fan in Auckland highlights just how genuine that connection is.
Even if you just look at what the JackJumpers have accomplished on the court in their first two seasons in the NBL and reaching one Grand Final, and being within one game of reaching a second is quite the feat.
It’s a better start in the NBL for any expansion franchise in the history of the league and they gave themselves a real shot of back to back Grand Final appearances with a stirring win in Hobart on Thursday night in Game 2 against the New Zealand Breakers.
While winning Game 3 on the road like they did a year ago against Melbourne United in the semi finals might have eluded them with the Breakers winning on Sunday, it shouldn’t take away from what the JackJumpers have done.
When Scott Roth arrived as coach, the club didn’t exist, the fight for the hearts and minds of the Tasmanian community was up for grabs and there was no such thing as a JackJumpers brand.
Not only have the JackJumpers been successful on the court after two seasons, but what they’ve done within the community of Tasmania is even more remarkable.
Suddenly so many youngsters in the state is dreaming of playing for the JackJumpers and are wearing the green proudly every day, and feel like they have a sporting team on a national stage that is truly theirs.
That has taken a lot of work. The entire JackJumpers organisation has put in enormous time and effort to connect with the community and it’s paid off.
The connection the state of Tasmania has with their team is unlike anything else in the NBL and it just happens to be a bonus that the team itself has battled above their weight and given them plenty to be proud of on the court.
It’s that connection with the community that has a young fan like Henry travel with his family to Auckland for Sunday’s Game 3 and why he was so devastated his team couldn’t quite get over the line afterwards.
When captain Clint Steindl saw that, he put aside all of his own emotions having just had his season ended and put Henry first. That’s why not only have the JackJumpers won the hearts of so many, but why Steindl himself has been the ideal first captain.
“We did the handshake line and were walking off the floor, and the little fella was in tears,” Steindl said.
“So I just had a chat to him and kind of walked off but saw my shoes and took them off, went back and gave them to him. He was still in tears but I just told him to keep his head up.
“He travelled all the way out to see us get a win and unfortunately it didn’t happen so it was just something I thought I could do try and put a smile on his face.
“As much as I tried, he still had the tears but maybe he can put them up in his bedroom or something and it will give him something to aspire to. That’s what we’re trying to do in Tassie and I just tried to help the little fella out.”
Xavier Cooks wins NBL MVP | 00:45
DELAYED START TO BENEFIT KINGS AND COOKS
The league’s MVP Xavier Cooks battled through an ankle injury to help his team into the NBL Championship Series but now the 12 days before Game 1 against the New Zealand Breakers will be of great benefit to him and the Sydney Kings.
The Kings came into this season as the defending champions and while they did have expectations by many of being favourites to go back-to-back, it shouldn’t be undersold their achievements to now be back in the Championship Series.
Sydney lost all three imports from that title winning team with the departures of Jarrell Martin, Ian Clark and league MVP Jaylen Adams. To replace them was never going to be easy but they’ve done tremendously with the additions of Tim Soares, Justin Simon and Derrick Walton Jr.
However, the key to any success the Kings have had this season has gone with their captain Cooks. Fresh off becoming a championship winning captain and Grand Final MVP last season, he has gone to another level in NBL23.
Despite any arguments over the merits of Bryce Cotton winning a fourth MVP award, it’s hard to deny Cooks was a deserved winner and after all he was the best player on the best team in the league.
Cooks showed his MVP credentials with a spectacular performance in Game 1 of the semi finals against the Cairns Taipans where he produced 27 points and 14 rebounds in a match-winning performance.
He rolled his ankle early in the second half of Game 2 in Cairns on Friday night and didn’t return. There were questions over whether he would play in Sunday’s decider or indeed what impact he could have.
Clearly he was not close to 100 per cent, but he shook off the pain to still deliver 11 points and 11 rebounds in his team’s eventual 79-64 victory over the Snakes to book a spot in a second consecutive Championship Series.
The Kings will now host Game 1 against the New Zealand Breakers on Friday March 3 at Qudos Bank Arena and this is where the near two-week break thanks to the FIBA window before the Grand Final starting will benefit Cooks and the Kings.
“Going back to the other night and they told me if I really needed him that he could play, but I just felt like in the moment he wasn’t very good in that game anyway, and it didn’t feel like we were having much of a chance to win it,” coach Chase Buford said.
“It just seemed smarter to shut him down and give him every chance for this game. I know he was hurting and he battled like hell to play in the game and to play as well as he did.
“He had 11 rebounds and I just can’t thank him enough, and couldn’t be prouder of him. He’s just a warrior and hopefully this extended layoff will give him time to get healthy.”
TAIPANS DEFY THE ODDS TO GET EVER SO CLOSE
Cairns Taipans coach Adam Forde always knew he’d feel up against it trying to battle the bigger clubs and whether it was the change in officiating in Game 3, his team’s injury woes or a rough finals schedule, one thing never changed and that was the pride he had in his group.
The Taipans did end their season frustrated on Sunday after losing Game 3 of the semi finals to the Sydney Kings, but they deserve to be proud of everything they overcame to get so close to the Championship Series.
Even just in the semi-final series against the Kings, the Taipans started it having already played two Play-In Games just to reach it having lost to the Tasmania JackJumpers and then defeated the Perth Wildcats.
Then they started the series against the Kings missing superstar forward Keanu Pinder and energetic guard Tahjere McCall. Then while McCall returned for the last two games of the series, they lost their cool-headed and efficient point guard Shannon Scott with a hamstring injury.
The Taipans did win Game 2 on their home court on Friday night to force a deciding game back in Sydney on Sunday, but coach Forde always knew his team would be up against it with the dramatic way that game in Cairns unfolded.
With the Kings unhappy with the way the game was officiated which ended up with coach Chase Buford ejected late in the game after disputing a flop call against Kouat Noi that the NBL later revealed as the wrong decision, there was a chance Sunday’s game would be called differently.
As a result, the Taipans high pressure defence was getting called tight right throughout the game on Sunday and at one point the Kings had attempted 22 free-throws to just 11 from the Snakes.
That was just one source of frustration for Forde post-match.
The other was that with his team fighting so hard even without key players and with a shorter rotation with really only Sam Waardenburg, DJ Hogg, Lat Mayen, Ben Ayre, McCall, Bul Kuol and Jonah Antonio playing significant minutes, that they just ran out of gas.
With the Kings having had nine days from the end of the regular season to the start of the semi finals, the Taipans had to play the games against the JackJumpers and Wildcats in that time.
So by Sunday, the Taipans had played five games from the previous Thursday and it clearly took its toll.
Despite the reflections on all of that, Forde was rightfully named Coach of the Year and he deserves to be proud of how competitive a team he oversaw all season long despite what they had to battle through.
“A lot of that is skewed because they 17 foul shots in the first half so that’s bang for your buck if you’ve ever seen it,” Forde said.
“We knew what it would be like going in because this is history repeating itself and they did it last year, and got the benefit of it. We talked about it before the game about the changes that will take place after fines had been paid and everything else.
“So you flag it but that still doesn’t mean you let them off the hook when you see it coming, you’re just prepared for it. It is what it is, it’s a business right and about what’s more entertaining.
“That’s the reality and we know what we’re battling with and we don’t shy away or pretend we’re something we’re not. We know we’re a community owned club who will have to find the diamonds in the rough and play our style, and not always get the benefit of things.”
UNFINISHED BUSINESS JUST ONE FACTOR IN PINDER’S DECISION
Keanu Pinder will have a sour taste in his mouth this entire off-season having not made it back on the court during the NBL finals and that could factor in his decision in wanting to return with the Cairns Taipans, but it’s just one consideration.
What a three-year ride already it’s been in the NBL for Pinder. He started off in Adelaide as a big man seen as being supremely talented with great athleticism for his size and a decent outside shot.
Well, things never clicked and then coach Conner Henry struggled to find a role for him and to have confidence in him to be able to go out and do what was asked of him.
It’s fair to say it was a mutually agreed decision from both Pinder and the 36ers to part company at end of that 2020/21 season.
That’s when Adam Forde came calling to Pinder fresh off being appointed coach of the Taipans. The two had already previously worked together in underage state programs in Western Australia so that connection was there.
Forde was then prepared to back in Pinder to play a key role on his team and really, build around him with him being a focal point while giving him the confidence that he could be a genuine star in the league.
The rest is history. Pinder has gone back-to-back in winning Most Improved Player awards turning himself into a quality player last season, and then one of the very best players in the NBL this season.
Had he not missed nine of the last 11 games of the season through injury, he would have been genuinely a candidate for the All-First Team and in the MVP discussion, that’s how good he was.
Pinder returned for two games from an ankle injury but against the South East Melbourne Phoenix on January 25 copped a stray elbow from Dane Pineau and hasn’t been able to play since.
He suffered a fractured orbital socket and was bed ridden unable to let any light into his eye for some time, but this past weekend he was hounding coach Forde to let him play against the Kings.
Common sense prevailed and Pinder wasn’t allowed back on the court, but had the Taipans reached the Championship Series and with almost two weeks until they are to start, he would have been right to go.
That’s why he was so frustrated to have missed the chance to try and help Cairns win a championship this season, but now offers will come thick and fast for him.
His two-year deal with the Snakes is over and given any club in the league could legitimately build around him, there’ll be no shortage of offers coming his way. On top of that, big money European and Asian clubs would love to secure his services too.
It’s going to be the biggest off-season of Pinder’s career because this could very well be the biggest contract he ever signs and it could be life changing.
So he has a lot to weigh up. There’s that love and appreciation he has for coach Forde and the Taipans for helping him reach his potential. There’s also the unfinished business to try and help them win that first NBL championship.
Pinder has to weigh that up against also doing what’s best for his future both in terms of basketball and life. Right now, he will get over the frustration of missing out on getting back on the court then will focus on his big decision.
“Honestly not being out there hurt more than I thought it would because I was very close to coming back,” Pinder said.
“I felt like if we had won this game I would have been able to come back to play the Grand Final so I was really looking forward to that, and I was ready for that.
“I wanted to play the last game honestly but they didn’t let me obviously so it’s all good. I’m very upset about it and I’m just going to deal with it in my own time I’ll be alright.
“Something you will always think about is where you feel most comfortable and play your best basketball,” Pinder added.
“I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m not playing my best basketball and stuck in a pigeon hole as just another piece of the puzzle.
“I would rather be in a place where I can be the man and play the best basketball I can so I can reach my goals in life. So obviously it’s going to play a factor in the decision and we’ll see how things go.”
What an NBL23 season we‘ve just had. The finals are still to come over the next month but the regular season came down to the very last second to determine which six teams would take part in the post-season action.
Aron Baynes returning to basketball through the Brisbane Bullets and the Adelaide 36ers shocking the NBA‘s Phoenix Suns saw the NBL in the headlines before the season even started, and put those teams in the spotlight.
Watch every game live of the 2022/23 NBL Season on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Wildcats nick NBL finals spot late | 00:30
While their seasons never went to plan, the race for the top six positions proved fascinating with the Perth Wildcats needing to beat the Sydney Kings by 11 points in the last game of the regular season, and winning by 12 to finish sixth and knock out Melbourne United.
It was a fitting way to end an NBL season that delivered so much from the inaugural Christmas Day game, to record crowds around the country and outstanding play from everyone from Xavier Cooks to Mitch Creek to Bryce Cotton to Keanu Pinder to Milton Doyle to Antonius Cleveland and countless others.
Before the finals begin this Thursday night with play-in games featuring the Cairns Taipans at home to the Tasmania JackJumpers, and the South East Melbourne Phoenix hosting the Perth Wildcats, let‘s look at how each team performed in NBL23.
SYDNEY KINGS (19-9, First)
The defending champions had to replace all three imports for their title defence, but they‘ve done a terrific job and have been the standout team all season to claim the regular season championship and now are sitting back to find out their semi-final opponents.
What worked: Replacing championship winning import trio Jarrell Martin, Ian Clark and Jaylen Adams wasn‘t an easy task, but they did it well. Tim Soares has proven a more than handy centre, Justin Simon has been tremendous in that three spot at both ends and then Derrick Walton Jr has been more than adequate as point guard replacing MVP Adams. Xavier Cooks has gone to another level to be a strong chance to be league MVP but more than anything it’s how deep the Kings go. Jaylin Galloway, Shaun Bruce, Angus Glover, Jordan Hunter and Kouat Noi come off the bench and they lose nothing. They play at the fast pace in the league, the second best offensive rating, third best defensive rating and rightfully are the regular season champions and title favourites.
What didn‘t: Their free-throw percentage of 72 per cent is only third worst in the league, but it remains the potential to be their undoing in clutch moments when they get their second most times out of any team. If that’s your biggest concern, though, you are in pretty good shape. There has been patches of the season where turnovers have been an issue and so have fourth quarters, but at 19-9, that’s nit-picking.
Xavier Cooks of the Kings shoots a free throw during the round 18 NBL match between Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings at RAC Arena.Source: Getty Images
The outlook: The immediate focus is freshening up and getting ready to host Game 1 of the semi finals on Wednesday February 15, and to make a run at back-to-back championships. They should be at full health too with Xavier Cooks and Derrick Walton Jr having plenty of time before that first semi-final game. They are going to be mighty tough to stop and it might only be themselves that can be their undoing if their free-throw and turnover woes rear their heads when it matters most. But if they play anywhere near their best, they are clearly the best team in the competition.
Potential award winners: Xavier Cooks is the favourite to win the MVP award while Chase Buford is right in the hunt for Coach of the Year. It was a shock to many that Justin Simon wasn’t nominated to be Best Defensive Player while point guard Derrick Walton Jr should be named in one of the All-NBL teams.
Final Grade: A. Whether it‘s an A+ or not will be determined over the next month and if they win the championship or not, because that’s the bar this team has set. But they haven’t put a foot wrong to claim top spot as defending champs despite swapping over three imports.
NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS (18-10, Second)
After a horror two years thanks to COVID, the New Zealand Breakers didn’t have it easy again this season but what they have done is come together as a cohesive unit, built everything on defence and developed a tremendous spirit and culture, and now have earned an automatic semi-final berth.
What worked: Building back the chemistry and culture that was such a key part to the Breakers winning four NBL championships in five years between 2011-15. Coach Mody Maor deserves enormous credit in achieving that and by bringing in players that fit the character and mindset he wanted to be team first, defensively oriented players. They have had plenty thrown at them, but with the leadership of their coach and the players fully buying in, they‘ve overcome it all. They got the imports right to start with. Dererk Pardon is the ideal modern day big, Jarrell Brantley is a brilliant all-round four man and then Barry Brown Jr gives that potent scoring punch. Add in Will McDowell-White and Izayah Le’afa to the backcourt, the youth of Rayan Rupert and experience of Tom Abercrombie, and then strong roles played by Rob Loe, Cam Gliddon and Tom Vodanovich, and everyone’s played their role to a tee. They are the best defensively rated team in the league and that’s what they’ve based everything on, being physical and intense defensively, and then efficient offensively.
NZ Breakers lock in second spot in NBL | 00:57
What didn’t: Being healthy. It took until their 19th game of the season to have a full roster available. Tom Abercrombie suffered a freak eye injury in pre-season and from there, Barry Brown Jr, Will McDowell-White, Rayan Rupert and Rob Loe have all been sidelined for multiple games. They also had to deal with some horror travel schedule, a three-week COVID enforced break and even the recent Auckland floods, but nothing has denied them because of the spirit and culture in the group they’ve built.
The outlook: Finishing second was every bit as important in terms of what an achievement it was for where they‘ve come from, but also because it gave them almost two weeks to freshen up and get healthy for their semi-final series against either the Cairns Taipans or Tasmania JackJumpers. They will know who they play after Thursday night’s game in Cairns and then can get ready for that Game 1 on Sunday February 12 at Spark Arena. Barry Brown Jr will have time to get over his hand injury and they should be at full strength for just the seventh game all season long.
Potential award winners: Barry Brown Jr appears just about a lock to be named Best Sixth Man by putting up 19.5 points a game. Dererk Pardon is a good chance to take out the Damian Martin Trophy as Best Defensive Player while Mody Maor is a shot at Coach of the Year. Point guard Will McDowell-White is in the mix for Most Improved Player and Brown, Pardon and forward Jarrell Brantley are all good chances to find places in the All-NBL teams.
Final Grade: A+. Coming off two years of hell, nothing has come easy for them this season either. They‘ve had some horror travel schedules, rarely been at full strength, dealt with a three-week COVID break and still have finished second to be straight into the semi finals.
CAIRNS TAIPANS (18-10, Third)
Coach Adam Forde wanted to put his stamp on the group in his second season in charge and get a team to suit the style he wanted to play. He did that and got full buy in from the group, and the end result is they finished third, only narrowly missed second and will be giving this championship a real shake.
What worked: Dealing with adversity. Tahjere McCall missed five games early in the season. Keanu Pinder missed nine of the last 11 games and Sam Waardenburg missed three games too but even without key players they played tremendously with others stepping up. That‘s especially been the case without Pinder where they’ve won eight of nine games without him. What has worked started in the off-season. Coach Adam Forde knew how he wanted to play but needed to recruit players to suit that style. The Taipans backed him in to do that and he’s found the perfect pieces. DJ Hogg and Shannon Scott have been the cool and composed imports who deliver no matter the situation while Pinder’s gone to another and formed a potent front court with Waardenburg. Bul Kuol has had a terrific second season at both ends, McCall has been a tremendous leader with the energy and hustle he brings, and then Ben Ayre and Majok Deng have played key roles. As a result, they play at the second highest pace, shoot the most three-pointers and do it at 32.5 per cent and have the second best defensive rating.
Melbourne lose out in epic final NBL day | 03:09
What didn‘t: Surprisingly playing at full strength didn’t work too well for them. They found their groove early in the season and then blending Tahjere McCall back in didn’t immediately click. And then after winning six straight without Keanu Pinder, they lost both games with him before he got hurt again. That’s more than likely just a curiosity though rather than an issue. In the end, losing three of four games before Friday night’s breakthrough win in Perth is what cost them second spot and an automatic place in the semi finals.
The outlook: They gave themselves a chance to finish second with a stirring win on Friday night in Perth despite the absence of Keanu Pinder and Tahjere McCall. They could have used the extra time and automatically qualifying for the semi finals, but it wasn’t to be. Now they have a short turnaround from playing in Perth on Friday, spending all Saturday travelling, having to go to the NBL awards in Melbourne on Tuesday, coming home to practice on Wednesday and then hosting the Tasmania JackJumpers on Thursday night. Winning that will see them straight into the semi finals or else they have to back up to play either South East Melbourne or Perth on Sunday. Pinder won‘t be back unless they reach the Grand Final but McCall should be right to play Tasmania this Thursday.
Potential award winners: Keanu Pinder slipped from MVP contention with his two late season injuries but he remains the raging favourite to go back-to-back in the Most Improved Player award. Sam Waardenburg was also locked in as Rookie of the Year before that was scrapped in favour of the Next Generation Award, which he is a chance to win. Both DJ Hogg and Bul Kuol had cases for Best Defensive Player nominations while Adam Forde would be a more than deserving Coach of the Year winner. Hogg and Pinder should find spots on All-NBL teams.
Final Grade: A+. What a performance it‘s been to go from second last to third and to have done it by putting together a playing group perfectly suited to how coach Adam Forde wanted to play.
TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS (16-12, Fourth)
Nobody gave them a chance in their inaugural season and they shocked everyone by reaching the Grand Final. Even fewer people gave them a chance of backing it up in NBL23, but they have again finished fourth and played with tremendous heart and spirit, are coached outstandingly by Scott Roth and you wouldn’t write them off from going all the way over the next month.
What worked: It surprised many when the JackJumpers didn’t bring back Josh Adams after his playoff heroics last season, but his replacement Milton Doyle has been nothing short of brilliant. Then there‘s the continued growth of Jack McVeigh who has become an inspirational presence. Will Magnay had a rough first season and-a-half with the JackJumpers, but his back end of this season has been encouraging too and the growth of Sean Macdonald has seen him emerge has one of the more effective Australian guards in the league even though he’ll still be a development player in NBL24. More than anything it’s the spirit they have once again played with and heart they’ve shown. Not everything’s gone to plan this season, but they have bounced back strongly on each occasion. Their defensive rating is just fourth best in the league but they conceded the second least points a game at 81.7 and their offence has more potency.
Jackjumpers thrash Hawks in Wollongong | 01:12
What didn‘t: Captain Clint Steindl’s season has never quite got going after he missed the first 10 games while injury has also limited the impact of fellow key players Matt Kenyon and Sam McDaniel. Consistency has also been a bit of a problem with the JackJumpers never winning more than three games straight or losing more than the three in-a-row they started with, but they did close out winning eight of the last 12 to finish fourth. They also struggled more at home than you would expect given the incredible atmosphere they play in front of, going 7-7 between Hobart and Launceston. They are another team who only played six games all season with a full squad available and they will be missing Josh Magette likely for the entire finals series.
The outlook: The JackJumpers locked away fourth spot in Wollongong on Saturday, but it came at a cost. It looks unlikely now that point guard Josh Magette will play again this season with a facial injury while there‘s an injury cloud over captain Clint Steindl ahead of Thursday’s play-in match up with the Cairns Taipans. Rashard Kelly will return and both teams will have their injury woes and a win in that game to go straight into the semi finals and avoid a cut-throat match up on Sunday with either the Phoenix or Wildcats will be crucial.
Potential award winners: Scott Roth can consider himself unlucky to not be nominated to go back-to-back in Coach of the Year awards. Development player Sean Macdonald has been nominated for the Most Improved Player award and Rashard Kelly is in the running for Best Sixth Man. Milton Doyle wouldn’t have been far off an MVP nomination and will be in one of the All-NBL teams.
Final Grade: A. They might not have the same defensive grunt as they did last year, but they are a bit more offensively dangerous and in many ways this has been a better achievement this season to be fourth than it was last year.
SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX (15-13, Fifth)
At full strength, this South East Melbourne Phoenix team has looked a championship calibre unit. The problem is, they have rarely had everyone available and time will tell if that happens in the finals, but they‘ve at least made it and that’s the first box ticked for this team that is not short on talent.
What worked: Mitch Creek and Alan Williams up front proved to be quite the impressive one-two punch for the Phoenix. Creek had the best and most consistent season of his 316-game career to be in the MVP hunt while Williams became a powerful presence once he figured things out, averaging 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds. Gary Browne when healthy became the ideal point guard for this team too and had the team running smoothly when at his best. They made it a focus to be an inside focused team and that helped them be terrific rebounding the basketball, being the strongest rebounding team in the league with 38.6 boards a game and 12.3 at the offensive end. Combined with the third fewest turnovers in the league and that helped them win the possession battle most nights, and give themselves a chance. They showed good heart throughout the season too. They had personnel issues the whole way, but rebounded from an early three-game losing run and late five-game losing streak to go on winning runs on both occasion to end up deservedly in the finals.
What didn‘t: Being at full strength has been their biggest problem. They started the season missing imports Gary Browne and Trey Kell III along with Ryan Broekhoff. Then the signing of Zhou Qi never paid off, he only ended up playing nine games and never returned after heading back to China for family reasons. He had the potential to be a real difference maker with his size and like to offset the powerful presence Alan Williams provided. They did struggle shooting from the outside going at just 32.3 per cent from three to be only ahead of the Illawarra Hawks while they did struggle at times to contain their opponents, giving up 89.7 points a game and having the fourth worst defensive rating.
Watch every game live of the 2022/23 NBL Season on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
The outlook: They had a horribly nervous wait over the past week to find out if they would reach the finals or not, but things worked out as well as could have been expected by ending up in fifth spot to get to host the Perth Wildcats this Thursday night. They will be fresh having had the week off so whether or not they come off well after a break or not will remain to be seen, but their bodies should be healthier at least. Ryan Broekhoff is an outside chance to return to face the Wildcats while they‘ll be at full strength aside from that if you don’t factor in the continued absence of Zhou Qi. Their outlook is good because of how well they match up with Perth. They have a significant advantage on the Wildcats up front and should they win on Thursday, they’ll like their chances against the loser of the Taipans-JackJumpers match up with both those teams battling physically right now.
Potential award winners: Mitch Creek is one of three nominees in the MVP award and he would be a deserving winner after the best and most consistent season of his career. He should be named to the All-First NBL Team too but it might be slim pickings for the Phoenix at the awards night outside of that. Alan Williams deserves consideration in an All-NBL Team though.
Final Grade: B. They had to deal with plenty throughout the season and to steady the ship late to win three of their last four games before the nervous wait and now earn a home final is a good effort.
PERTH WILDCATS (15-13, Sixth)
What a ride it was for John Rillie in his first season as a coach in the NBL. The pressure was on for the Perth Wildcats to return to the finals after the streak ended last year, and they‘ve ended up doing that albeit only secured on the very last second of the regular season. However, now that they are there they have enough firepower to do some damage.
What worked: It might not have been John Rillie‘s plan when he took over, but this Wildcats team became quite the offensive threat. They averaged 92.1 points a season to be ranked second with the highest offensive rating across the league. They shot the fourth most three-pointers a game and did it well with a second best percentage of 36.6 as a team. You can’t ignore the brilliance of Bryce Cotton this season, leading the league in minutes played and points scored. He didn’t always get enough help, but Brady Manek continued to grow as a scoring threat as the season went on and Corey Webster proved his ideal sidekick once put in the starting group. Luke Travers also showed terrific three-point shooting improvement the longer the season went.
What didn‘t: Rebounding and defence proved their two glaring weaknesses as the season went on. They finished with the least number of rebounds of any team across the league with just 33.5 per game with the worst defensive rebounding rating, and second worst at the offensive end. Then there’s the defence, they just couldn’t stop teams scoring and at times looked decidedly disinterested at the defensive end. They conceded 91.7 points a game while having the worst defensive rating across the league. The longer the season went, the shorter coach John Rillie’s rotation became and that became horrible news for veterans Mitch Norton, Todd Blanchfield and Majok Majok who all saw their playing time almost shrink to zero with the trio all having the least productive and fewest minutes on court in their NBL careers (aside from Majok’s lone season in New Zealand).
Wildcats nick NBL finals spot late | 00:30
The outlook: Returning to the finals was the first goal of this season after the playoff streak ended a year ago and they‘ve done that – albeit just. Now that they’ve made it, they will like their chances of making the most of it considering they have the best player in the competition with Bryce Cotton, and the offensive weapons of Brady Manek, Corey Webster, Tai Webster, TaShawn Thomas and the emerging Luke Travers. The Phoenix loom as a horror match up for them because of how dominant they were inside against them last time, but if their front court can stand up, they are a chance to get through on Thursday and then throw everything at the JackJumpers or Taipans to earn a crack at the Sydney Kings in the semi finals.
Potential award winners: Bryce Cotton is every chance to win a fourth MVP award after being the league‘s leading scorer with 23.5 points a game to go with 4.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Luke Travers is in the running for the Next Generation Award too and Brady Manek can consider himself unlucky to not have been nominated for that. Cotton is just about a lock for the All-First NBL Team too but it might be a quiet awards night for the ’Cats outside of him.
Final Grade: C. They made finals so that‘s an improvement, but only by the slimmest possible margin. They never got going defensively or rebounding wise, but pure talent has got them into the top six.
MELBOURNE UNITED (15-13, Seventh)
What a rollercoaster ride this season was. At 5-10 they looked dead and buried, but they went 10-3 the rest of the way and it was one solitary basket that cost them a spot in the finals. They overcame plenty to become a standout team in the back end of the season so can take heart from that.
What worked: The way they finished the season deserves a lot of credit because at 5-10 things could have capitulated. However, coach Dean Vickerman released the shackles on the team from there and encouraged them to play at a faster pace with more offensive freedom. Finishing 10-3 over the last 13 games suggests they are just about the best team across the league across the second half of the season, but they left themselves too much to do. The backcourt combination to close the season of Chris Goulding, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Rayjon Tucker was exciting and just about unstoppable when the shackles were taken off. Marcus Lee‘s inclusion proved tremendous as well even if he didn’t get a lot of time with Isaac Humphries to show what a centre combination they could be. David Okwera’s emergence shows what a bright future he has and what they did over the last 13 games will leave them frustrated they missed out on finals – by two measly points.
What didn‘t: Things began to go wrong in the off-season when they lost Matthew Dellavedova and Jack White unexpectedly to the NBA. Then on the eve of the season, Next Star Ariel Hukporti ruptured his achilles and couldn’t be replaced due to not taking up a roster spot, so they would have been three of their five starters. There was plenty of faith put into Shea Ili to be the point guard without Dellavedova but on-going concussion issues limited his impact and he only played 14 games while Dave Barlow also missed the last five games through concussion. Jordan Caroline didn’t work out early in the season particularly as someone to step up to replace Hukporti, but Marcus Lee proved ideal. Had they had their team together for the full season, they will be left wondering what could have been had they managed to sneak into the top six. Ultimately blowing that eight-point lead with 45 seconds to go in Perth is what cost them above everything else.
Melbourne United star Chris Goulding.Source: Getty Images
The outlook: There will be a lot of dissection over what went wrong this season because Melbourne just isn‘t used to missing out on taking part in finals, but a lot of this can be put down to bad luck. Moving forward, they could do worse than bringing back the import trio of Rayjon Tucker, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Marcus Lee. They showed great heart and chemistry in the run home. Lee and Isaac Humphries up front for a whole season would be dominant, and another season of Tucker, Rathan-Mayes and Chris Goulding in the back court will be tough. The health of Shea Ili will be a big factor. If he looks able to play a full season, he can be locked in as the starting point guard. Otherwise they’ll need to go hunt a new playmaker. They’ll also need to find some added help up front and to bring in a strong power forward either as a marquee local or an import. Basically their two needs are in what they lost – Jack White and Matthew Dellavedova. They should feel good about hitting back strongly though.
Potential award winners: If Rayjon Tucker had started the season playing the way he finished, then he would be right in contention for both the MVP award and a spot on the All-First NBL team. If Xavier Rathan-Mayes had also played as well in the middle patches as he did at the start and finish, then ditto. If Shea Ili played more than 14 games, he would be a legitimate Best Defensive Player option too. Unfortunately for United, their season was basically split in two and as a result they might not be up on stage too often.
Final Grade: C. Their first half of the season was rough and being 5-10 left them in a hole they couldn‘t quite get out of. But going 10-3 the rest of the way is to be commended.
ADELAIDE 36ERS (13-15, Eighth)
The great disappointments of NBL23. They put together an exciting roster, shocked the world by beating the Phoenix Suns and then in the NBL season proper, just never clicked, never got going and the result is a fifth consecutive season out of the finals.
What worked: For everything this team promised when they beat the Phoenix Suns in the pre-season and with the roster put together, it‘s really hard to say too much at all worked given a team with such aspirations finished at 13-15. Perhaps the greatest positive was the remarkable home support they received, continually setting new records at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Antonius Cleveland lived up to his billing too, improving on what he did last season at the Illawarra Hawks. He played with great heart and defensive intensity, and his offensive game rose so he can hold his head high. Another positive was Anthony Drmic. In his second stint at the Sixers, he could very well have had the best season of his 199-game NBL career. But really, it’s not a season where they will feel much worked or went to plan at all.
What didn‘t: Bringing together so many potential stars always has the issue of developing the right chemistry, and figuring out how to play as a cohesive unit. Let’s be honest, that never happened with this Adelaide team. A lot of that early was blamed on Craig Randall but it never really improved after he left. While winning against the Phoenix Suns was a historic event, having to miss the first two weeks of the season as a result and the sideshow that created might have also done more harm than good. More than anything, though, what hurt them was an apparent lack of interest and effort defensively. With Mitch McCarron, Sunday Dech and Antonius Cleveland, this should have been a good defensive team. They finished as the third worst defensive team in the league. Coach CJ Bruton also wasn’t fully able to put his imprint on having a team play to his identity.
Adelaide 36ers keep finals hopes alive | 00:59
The outlook: Five straight years out of the playoffs and patience is wearing thin in Adelaide. The city couldn’t be more behind the team breaking attendance records game after game, but they deserve a winning team now. Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland are locked in to return and so are Sunday Dech, Mitch McCarron, Kyrin Galloway and Nick Marshall. The writing is on the wall that Daniel Johnson‘s time in Adelaide is up and it would be unlikely for Kai Sotto and probably Ian Clark to return. Anthony Drmic was terrific and should be welcomed back. CJ Bruton has talked about wanting his team to more play to the identity of their coach next season so he’ll be recruiting to fit what he wants, but ideally a strong and powerful big man presence and then a quality point guard would be high on the agenda because they are well covered in the two, three and four spots. Without doubt it’s a make a break season in NBL24 not only for Bruton as coach, but the whole organisation.
Potential award winners: Antonius Cleveland holds the best hopes of anyone from Adelaide to grab the limelight on Tuesday night. He is nominated for the Best Defensive Player and is every chance to make it consecutive Damian Martin Trophy wins. He should also find a place in an All-NBL Team. Kai Sotto would have to be the runaway favourite to win the Fans MVP too on the back of having all of the Philippines voting for him again.
Final Grade: D. So much was expected of them but at no point did they come together as a cohesive team. They showed flashes, but equal flashes of disunity. Make or break time now in NBL24.
BRISBANE BULLETS (8-20, Ninth)
There was such excitement around them coming into NBL23. Many had them as championship fancies, but the season never got off the ground. They had three coaches in three weeks, import changes and for a while lacked competitiveness, but they at least finished off on a more positive note.
What worked: It‘s hard to say too much worked well but things really threatened to spiral out of hand with a record 49-point loss to Sydney, but they at least played with some pride and heart the rest of the season. They won three of four games directly out of that game to their credit. Bringing in Tyler Johnson proved to work well once he figured out the league and DJ Mitchell’s emergence was a definite highlight. Greg Vanderjagt’s performance as coach is something that must be commended too and he showed that he has a future as a head coach in the league either remaining with the Bullets or elsewhere. The home crowd support was also tremendous from the Brisbane locals despite the struggles of the team topped off by a sold out 5253 in their final game on Saturday against the New Zealand Breakers.
What didn‘t: The off-court turmoil in the first half of the season just got out of hand. James Duncan was unceremoniously dumped as coach just hours before the team flew out to New Zealand, with him replaced by GM Sam Mackinnon rather than one of the assistants. Then just as the team was flying to Cairns, Mackinnon was replaced by Greg Vanderjagt, it’s just unfathomable how it was all handled. Releasing Devondrick Walker was also baffling when it took them so long to bring in Andrew White III meaning they played eight games with Tyler Johnson their lone import. And as good as it was to see Aron Baynes back playing basketball, at no point did they ever fully get the most out of what he could have provided both through him not getting enough touches in the right spots and his frustrations with the officiating.
Aron Baynes.Source: Getty Images
The outlook: This is the biggest unknown out of every team. Firstly they need to decide on their coach. Do they back in Greg Vanderjagt to continue in the role after the players appeared to respond to him, do they appoint a quality local like Pero Cameron or Anthony Petrie, or look completely out of the box. That is going to be the biggest question and will determine where they go with their player personnel. Nathan Sobey and Aron Baynes are locked in contractually, but there‘s a lot to go under the bridge before Baynes is guaranteed back. That leaves them with three import spots to fill and they need to find a genuine point guard but the other two spots largely depend on Baynes. Should he not return, they’d need an import centre but if not, they could go for a three/four man as import and potentially try to lure Tyler Johnson back. They have great potential with DJ Mitchell, Tyrell Harrison, Tanner Krebs, Gorjok Gak and Kody Stattman as the core of locals to build around while it’ll largely be up to Jason Cadee if he wants to remain at the Bullets or not.
Potential award winners: It will be a quiet night for the Bullets at the Gazey‘s. Tyler Johnson has been nominated as Best Sixth Man and he deserves serious consideration for that award, but that might be about it in terms of anyone from Brisbane being recognised. DJ Mitchell made his point on Saturday night that he deserved a look in for the Next Generation Award too after putting up 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting tremendously in his first NBL season, but he wasn’t nominated.
Final Grade: D. This threatened to get out of hand with that record loss to Sydney on the back of the three head coaches in a matter of weeks and import changes. They finished the season better, though, to give some positivity.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS (3-25, 10th)
They might have finished with the worst record in franchise history, but that should be put in perspective of the fact they had a rookie coach, lost four imports to season-ending injuries and did a lot of good in the second half of the season building for the future.
What worked: They had every excuse in the world to think it was all too much for them, but the great positive is how hard they fought especially through the second half of the season. Sure, the wins didn’t come, but they gave themselves countless chances and made themselves hard to beat and provided hope for the future with that competitive spirit, and blooding fresh talent. Tyler Harvey was the almost complete defensive focus of opposition teams but he still put up 18.9 points a game including 10 straight late 20-point performances while Sam Froling had to do a lot of the heavy lifting, and strong so they provided impressive leadership as co-captains. Emerging guards Lachie Dent and Davo Hickey showed good signs while the return of Dan Grida from a horror injury run was encouraging and Deng Deng had his best career season with increased opportunities up front.
What didn‘t: The tone was set in the very first game of the season when Justin Robinson went down with a season-ending knee injury. He was ultimately replaced by Peyton Siva who only played 11 games before his own shoulder injury. George King didn’t pan out and left injured after nine games too and Michael Frazier II proved a tremendous replacement, but he broke his arm after playing eight matches. Losing four imports in one season to long-term injuries is unheard of. While they were competitive for the most part, they did struggle to close out games and execute late which is why they lost 14 games by 10 points or fewer. Ultimately they just didn’t have enough help for Tyler Harvey in the backcourt or Sam Froling up front with too much left to rest on their shoulders.
The outlook: It might seem strange to say after a team just went 3-25, but the outlook looks relatively bright. Tyler Harvey and Justin Robinson are locked in to be the import back court they were hoping to have this season before Robinson got hurt in the very first game. Having another quality playmaker alongside Harvey will only make him more dangerous. Sam Froling will only be better after the role he was put in this season and the minutes put into Lachie Dent and Davo Hickey should pay off. Michael Frazier II deserves the chance to come back but that likely depends on if they can find a quality local big man to be their marquee. If not that role would need to be filled by an import because Froling and Deng Deng need more help up front. Having Harvey, Robinson and Froling as the centre pieces, the potential of Frazier, a marquee big and then solid role players like Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Deng, Dent, Hickey and Alex Mudronja should ensure their competitiveness provided they get a better run with luck.
Potential award winners: It wouldn’t shock to see Tyler Harvey sneak in for a spot on the All-Second NBL Team after the way he battled through the season and averaged 18.9 points including 10 straight 20-plus point games. Sam Froling has to be favourite for the Next Generation Award having put up 14.0 points and 8.0 rebounds so the co-captains could be recognised on Tuesday night in Melbourne.
Final Grade:C-. Sure, 3-25 looks horrible. But deeper investigation and losing four imports along the way, blooding plenty of young talent and the way they battled in the second half of the season deserves to be acknowledged.
