The Chicago Bulls had high hopes for the 2015-16 season, they were the second favourite to win the Eastern Conference only behind the LeBron James lead Cleveland Cavaliers. But now the are going to miss the playoffs all together, in what has been an extremely frustrating few months and they are probably the biggest disappointment in the NBA season.
Should Richmond give this season up?
Its Tiger Time, but not the one you think. Last night Richmond slumped to an embarrassing 33 point loss to Melbourne and have now dropped to 1-4 on this season. The Tigers look horrible and it might be time to embrace it and play the kids.
The Tigers look completely out of confidence and spark, they are playing scared like they don’t want to lose instead of attacking and trying to win.
While the leadership is there, Cotchin, Maric, Riewoldt and Rance where all great and play that way each week. Although Rance may miss a few for that very crude act in the last quarter on Jack Watts. The Tigers don’t have much else and that lies the problem that core group can’t continually drag them along.
Brett Deledio will be back soon which the Tigers desperately need, as they are now 3 and 15 in the 18 games that Deledio hasn’t played in his career. Their boom recruit Chris Yarran will also sure up the team but that isn’t the problem.
Too many players are getting games when they shouldn’t be. Troy Chaplin was recruited as a full back and he’s now playing in the forward line. If that’s going to happen why not try Liam McBean, give him an extended run in the team and it may unearth a very good player, that won’t happen with him sitting in the the VFL.
Another is Steve Morris, while he is an honest player, Richmond need a small forward who can kick goals also, Daniel Rioli and Sam Lloyd are doing solid jobs but where is Ben Lennon or Jayden Short?
Now the kids are going to make mistakes, Corey Ellis and Connor Menadue sometimes look a little overwhelmed but with experience the hardness and composure will come. Damien Hardwick needs to stick with these guys and back them in and not send them down to the VFL and deflate their confidence.
Has the “moneyball” recruitment really worked? While the Tigers have made finals, they haven’t really achieved anything and with that the Tigers are now stuck.
While many thought this was the Tigers year to push for top four and win at least one final, clearly it’s time to look in the other direction. Play the kids, get a good draft pick and rejuvenate the list. The likes of Cotchin, Martin, Rance and Riewoldt are still relatively young, Richmond can’t afford to waste the prime of the careers in no mans land. Embrace the change Dimma, it’s what you need.
The Mess that is the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets season finally came to an end on Thursday in way that pretty much summed up their season. A 33 point humiliation at the hands of the Steph Curry less Golden State Warriors showed what this Houston team has been this whole year.
Selfish. Uncompetitive. Broken. Continue reading
Its almost Gino Time in Boston
Now unless you are a Boston Celtic fanatic, Gino Time will have no meaning to you, but it has become a huge part of Celtic folklore. It started in 1995 and is a one-minute video that is played at the last timeout when the Celtics are at home and certain to win. ESPN’s Chris Forsberg wrote a brilliant piece on the story of Gino Time .
When making the playoffs is a bad thing
The Houston Rockets are currently sitting in 8th spot in the NBA’s Western Conference and could make the playoffs for the fourth straight season, but there is reason to believe that making the playoffs could be a worse result for the Rockets than missing them.
With the NBA Playoffs only a week away, the NBA championship isn’t the only storyline to play out in the next two months. If certain teams or players fail in the playoffs the whole landscape of the NBA may change.
Here are the top storylines to look out for in the next month;
Kyle Adnam may not be a household name in the NBL but he won’t stop working until he is.
Daniel “D10” Cappellaro, 29 years old, professional Futsal player for Pascoe Vale FC, employee at Futsal Oz Mt Evelyn.
Working at Futsal Oz isn’t your typical 9–5 job; it definitely keeps Daniel on his toes. Pun intended.
Dante Exum’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear was a crippling blow for the Australian Boomers and Utah Jazz.
The 20-year-old Australian basketball player, who was drafted by the NBA side in 2014, was injured earlier this month in an exhibition match with the Australian team.
When you think of the most storied NBA franchises you think of the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.
These teams have always been the first thought when thinking of the NBA’s best franchises. However, there is another team that, although it does not get the public attention that those three teams do, is right up there with them in the top echelon of NBA.
The San Antonio Spurs. Continue reading
It's More Than a Game 