Fiery Playoff Race Continues to Heat Up

With each team having anywhere between seven and 11 games to contest over the remainder of the NBL23 regular season, the playoff race is really starting to get fiery.

Just three wins separate Melbourne United in eighth and the Sydney Kings in first, and although there are discrepancies in the number of games played throughout the competition it can’t be denied that it’s the tightest race in recent memory and anyone can beat anyone.

The Kings and Breakers have been trading blows at the top of the table for weeks on end, while there are four teams in United, Perth, Adelaide and Tasmania who are, at this point in time, likely competing for the final two playoff positions.

Cairns has started to slide due to the blanketing of Keanu Pinder in Round 12 while the resurgent Phoenix have wedged themselves into contention talks – largely due to the impressive form of Mitch Creek.

“I’m loving how close the playoff race is,” NBL analyst Liam Santamaria said on NBL Overtime.

“The top two – trying to make sure you’re in that mix because we know that’s going to be huge this season. The top four so you’re in a better position for the wildcard games, and then of course trying to make that play-in tournament as well.

“If you look on the ladder at just the wins everyone is basically on eight or nine wins right now. If you have a slip-up like Perth just did against Brisbane it’s a massive opportunity missed.”

Perth’s overtime loss to Brisbane may have stolen the headlines, but the Wildcats weren’t the only side to falter in the tight jostling for playoff position.

The Phoenix’s hot streak of five wins in six games also came crashing to a halt in their spirited six-point loss to Adelaide.

Creek’s continuation of remarkable form wasn’t enough to topple the 36ers, and the absences of Ryan Broekhoff, Gary Browne, Alan Williams and Zhou Qi were telling.

“The race for top two was really about to heat up because the Phoenix were rolling,” Santamaria said. “Then Broekhoff, Brown, Zhou Qi and now Alan Williams are sitting out.

“That kind of put them behind the eight ball. They dropped a game in Adelaide – they played with good heart and effort but couldn’t get over the line.

“A whole bunch of injuries at a bad time of the year … we may look back and say that was the difference between them maybe even making a grand final or winning a championship.”

NBL23 continues tonight as the Adelaide 36ers host the Brisbane Bullets.