Field Theory by Hadyn Green

God I loved 90’s basketball, possibly because I was a teenager at the time. Doesn’t seem to hold the same sway now. There was Shaq, Shawn ‘the rainman’ Kemp, Stockton and Malone, Pippen, Jordan, Ewing, Hakeem the Dream… I could go on. Good times.

Loving the Breakers as well

I feel ashamed that I have let such an interesting and frankly amazing sporting contest go by without mention.

The cricket world cup? ;)

But yeah, go the Breakers.

The cricket world cup? ;)

Did that finally end did it? Cricket might be the only sport where I become less interested in a World Cup year.
(I joke)

It was actually a pretty good World Cup, I and others were surprised to find how into it we got as it went along.

It needed 2 games a day instead of the usual 1 but aside from that it was quite intriguing and the crowds were terrific.

The Breakers have been fantastic in the past few games, and Pledgers one handed alley-oop dunk from well away from the hoop was madness. NBA highlight reel styles.

Hadyn, are you still doing the "if I watch this, they'll lose" thing?

WOW!

There were 5 3-pointers in that game that were crazy. Bruton's to get it into overtime with 3 seconds left. Braswell's 2 that gave them the lead and then a 4 point cushion with 12 seconds left, then the 2 by the Taipans to send it into 2nd overtime period.

Crazy stuff.

Taipans deserved to see a game 3 though, in the lead for most of the game and then nailed the miracle shots they needed and closed it out at the death.

So will the Breakers play like they did in game one and win? or will they tense up and the taipans carry on hitting the needed ones? Will Lemanis get the blame if they blow it?

So many questions, so few fingernails.

So many questions, so few fingernails.

Sure was a tense one. I really think the Breakers are the better team, and the NZ crowd should carry it, but I hope like hell they turn up a bit earlier next week. Leaving it to miracle shots with 6 seconds to go just causes arrhythmias.

Friday seems like a long way away.

Yep. If they go out there determined from the get go to win every rebound, nail every pass, pressure the Taipans and are at the very least average with their shooting they should win it by a reasonably comfortable margin.

It'll be won between the ears somewhat. The Taipans are hard to pick. Will they come out riding high figuring they have nothing to lose or will they come out thinking they've done well to get this far and are up against a very good side on their court and submit.

Possibly different things going through different players minds so the Breakers will do well to start well and get that negative vibe going on.

I can't see any 20+ point leads with 15 minutes to go though. This'll be much tighter.

Well this thread didn't exactly capture the imagination!

Congratulations Breakers. A totally deserved win. They ended up with a 26 win, 8 loss record on the season which is pretty remarkable in a competition with a salary cap. I probably shouldn't mention those words since the ANBL is doing an audit of all 4 teams who made the playoffs. First one they have done in many years.

If they can hold that team together there is no reason why they can't go back to back. Just a matter of keeping the hunger. I know certain basketball followers who will also be thinking that the side will be MUCH better off with Henare gone. Went out on a perfect note though and good luck to him.

Think a lot of people were excited, but there was that blessed wedding to contend with. Had watched a few games early on and followed them into the finals series, and it seemed they were able to turn it on when it mattered. The game last week and the first in the play-offs were a bit anomalous, and they really needed the home crowds to build up the confidence and harden their defensive resolve. They never looked like losing on Friday. Impressive stuff.

Maybe next year they won't be snubbed in the ANBL awards, but I suspect the Aussie teams and organisers will be hurting, so who knows. Your salary cap review makes me a bit nervous. Then again, can't imagine them having extra money to throw around.

Bit early to start speculating, with that RWC coming up, but surely they become a top contender for team of the year with that?

I heard that mentioned on radio yesterday but they don't really qualify for the Halbergs in the sense that they aren't representing New Zealand. Forget the "New Zealand" in the name, that's obviously for marketing purposes like the NZ Warriors. But we have a New Zealand basketball team already called the Tall Blacks and they would be the only male basketball team that could win that award unless one of our NBL teams had some kind of astonishing, one in a thousand season beating everybody by 50 points. Even then they would be ignored as it isn't rowing or some football team coming 20th.

Even then they would be ignored as it isn't

rugby

Even then they would be ignored as it isn't

Yachting.

What did the Kiwis (Rugby League) team get for winning the World Cup again?

Zip.