"Benchmark" Kings Deserving of Title: Mitchell

The Sydney Kings are deserving winners of the NBL23 title according to former South East Melbourne Phoenix head coach Simon Mitchell, who says the back-to-back champions have “set the standard” over the course of NBL23.

The Kings topped the ladder for almost the entirety of the regular season, and despite being forced into a three-game Playoff Series against Cairns and a five-game Championship Series against New Zealand, they weathered the storm to earn the fifth title in their history.

“They’ve had the most consistency with their line-up,” Mitchell told RSN. “They’ve had the most consistency on the floor, they’ve had moments of greatness on the road, they’ve been pretty strong at home and have held the top position for the majority of the season.

<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/4Eu55WPvCLyreqH5UFCITN?utm_source=generator&theme=0" width="100%" height="152" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe>

“I think they’ve certainly been the benchmark of the league … they’re the standard on the floor at the moment and have set and exceptional standard off the floor for everyone to meet with another sell-out crowd and a record of over 18,000 [people].”

In a low-scoring, defensively minded clash the ability to create offence down the stretch is what separated the Kings from the Breakers in the final minutes of Game 5.

After trailling by as many as seven points in the final term the Kings stormed home on an 18-3 run.

Both sides struggled to shoot from three – the Kings hit just four of 20 attempts, while the Breakers dropped just six of 23 from behind the arc – and Sydney won the points in the paint battle 48-34.

Mitchell believes the decisive factor was the ability of Sydney’s stars to create and make big shots.

“It was a roller coaster of a game. New Zealand looked like they were in the driver’s seat early in the game and Sydney looked like they were playing some pretty atrocious offence, but still finding ways to score,” he said.

“I think what it came down to in the end – and something I suspected all through the Playoffs – was the Kings have the ability to make something from nothing.

“They’re not the most fluid of offensive teams but they have the ability to create one-on-one. Xavier Cooks and Derrick Walton Jr are the chief protagonists there and they were just exceptional in that [final] quarter.

“Especially Walton Jr who just played the point guard position perfectly in the fourth quarter.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? ???? ?? ???? ?<br><br>The Kings hold off the Breakers to emerge with their second chip in two years ?<br><br>Congratulations to your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> champs, the <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyKings</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/9KVUO4Mw9E">pic.twitter.com/9KVUO4Mw9E</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1635953150132912128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The ‘villain’ status of the Sydney Kings in NBL23 has been well-covered over the course of the season.

From Darth Vader walkout music to a consistent and loud confidence in their own abilities, the entire Sydney Kings organisation looks to have relished the opportunity to play the antagonist role in the storylines of fans and teams around the competition.

Mitchell – whose Phoenix side earned a 1-2 record against the Kings in NBL23 – says they have some way to go to take the mantle of the side opposition fans dislike the most.

“I think the Perth Wildcats still hold that title,” he said.

“Sydney is trying really hard … they want to be the most hated and the biggest and the baddest but I think there’s a little more bluff and bravado there than the authenticity of 40 years of hatred the Wildcats have earned.”