Basketball On The Internet.

ARE we getting softer in our old age or does Shane Heal have a point?

The Kings coach had a justified crack this week at the NBL programming which has Sydney hosting Adelaide on Saturday night, then flying to Melbourne to face the Tigers just after lunch on Sunday.

Clearly, when they first saw the draw, the Kings probably thought nothing of the 36ers having to play in Adelaide on Friday, then backing up 24 hours later in Sydney.

But that's a separate issue.

The Hammer came down hard on the scheduling, citing difficulties in playing twice within such a short turnaround, including travel in between games, difficulties players have sleeping post-game, time to get to-and-from airports etcetera.

It was a compelling case from a professional league perspective.

But back in the pre-fulltime professional days, I can recall teams heading into Melbourne on a Friday to play St Kilda, Nunawading and Coburg over the weekend - that's Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday lunchtime, afternoon flight home, work on Monday.

And those three Melbourne teams were ALWAYS tough.

How about flying from Friday's game in Perth to play Adelaide on Saturday? No wonder it was quickly coined the Doomsday Double.

(That nickname? Some of Cal's finest work.)

All I am saying is I wonder how strongly Sydney protested about this draw anomaly when the club first saw it - when everyone and his/her neighbor was picking the Kings for eighth - to now, where they are a genuine playoff contender and this round becomes an essential piece in that puzzle for them.

Suddenly, it's a much more important issue. But it should never have happened in the first place.

Why couldn't Adelaide have played Sydney in Sydney on Friday, then the Kings play Melbourne on Sunday? And the 36ers could have hosted Townsville on Saturday or even Sunday afternoon.

It's not brain surgery.

 

NBL Rankings

This Wk ... Prev

8 (8) TAIPANS - No respite in sight with Perth the next challenge.

7 (5) 36ERS - Scott Christopherson needs to be a savior as Adelaide looks done.

6 (6) CROCS - Won four straight now, though should three over 36ers count?

5 (7) TIGERS - Substantial win in Wollongong and can maintain rise this week.

4 (4) KINGS - Need to do their talking on the floor against Adelaide and Melbourne.

3 (2) HAWKS - Tough overtime loss and now face New Zealand. True test.

2 (1) BREAKERS - Solid 2-0 road trip beating league's current two worst teams.

1 (3) WILDCATS - Routed a top four contender on the road. Quality.

 

WNBL Rankings

This Wk ... Prev

9 (9) WAVES - Finally, a round in which they cannot lose.

8 (7) CAPITALS - Crashing and burning, with Dandenong next!

7 (6) BOOMERS - Finished 2012 on a low and re-start against Bendigo. Dang.

6 (8) THUNDER - Catch Adelaide in second of two road games, chance to upset.

5 (4) FIRE - In the playoff mix for sure but didn't end 2012 on a top note.

4 (5) FLAMES - Rising steadily, stealthily and currently one of the form teams.

3 (3) LIGHTNING - Have been logging the Ws regardless of missing personnel. Impressive.

2 (2) RANGERS - Early break should see a rejuvenated re-start too. Poor Caps.

1 (1) SPIRIT - Surprise packets of 2012 now head into easier part of their draw.

THIS WEEK'S TIPS

BEEN predicting an Adelaide revival for a few rounds, which probably shows I'm tipping with my heart and not my head. But with Scott Christopherson suiting and at home, I expect the 36ers to finally beat Townsville at the latest incarnation of the Clipsal Powerhouse/Distinctive Homes Dome/Brett Maher Court/Adelaide Arena - the Beverley Morgue.

Like my tipping with Adelaide, I stuck by Cairns for a while when I shouldn't have but I learned my lesson there. Unless Aaron Fearne comes up with a miracle strategy and his players unfailingly execute, Perth will win.

Backing up against the Kings in Sydney and with the home team desperately needing to make a statement, the 36ers should be unable to prevent a Sydney victory.

So much depends on whether Larry Davidson (rib) and Tim Coenraad (foot) suit up for Wollongong in its match-of-the-round against New Zealand at Will-the-Scoreboard-Work Entertainment Centre.

Daniel Jackson has now fallen foul of the Hawks' awful run of injuries which has, in part, contributed to four losses in their past five games. The Breakers did a great job to beat Adelaide from a long way back but the question is how did they get that far behind? Was a five-point win over Cairns anything to get that excited about?

NZ is vulnerable but the Hawks may not have all the pieces back in time to take advantage.

Melbourne should beat Sydney on Sunday, the odds stacked against the Kings and the Tigers playing well at long last.

THE WNBL resumes this round as well with Townsville still trying to shake off its Adelaide hoodoo and hoping Jess Adair can do a better job on Suzy Batkovic than last time around. With Mia Newley (knee) still doubtful, so is a Fire upset.

Dandenong had a longer break than most and will be itching to get at the hapless Capless Canberra.

If Bulleen is to make a finals surge, beating a form club such as Bendigo would be just what the doctor ordered. But what the heck would doctors know? Have faith in the Spirit.

Sydney has claimed some major scalps in its run out of mediocrity, so much so that Karen Dalton has sought an extension to her lifetime coaching contract. Beating Dandenong would be a real feather though but the Rangers still look too deep.

Logan is embracing its "spoiler" role but Adelaide has its eyes on the prize and will be unlikely to let this one slip.

A TWELVE-inch pianist, an Irish Fighting Dog and a singing/dancing frog in a tuxedo walk into a bar. The barman looks up from where he is cleaning glasses, stares at them and says: "Is this some kind of joke?"