Is the race for the Final 4 over? Can the Huskies keep their finals aspirations alive. Will the Giants keep winning and put some pressure on both the Huskies and Sharks? Here's our Five Biggest Questions in R10 of the Sal's NBL.
FAST FIVE - Question 1
Q: If the Sharks beat the Huskies will that mean the top four is set?
A: People love to talk about mathematically possibilities when it comes to sport, but there is little doubt that should the Sharks beat the Huskies it will make life incredibly tough for the Tasmanians, particularly when you consider they still have another trip down to Invercargill to come. Added to that, if the Sharks win this round it will mean they hold head-to-head advantage over the Huskies. Put all that together and this game is literally make or break for the Huskies ..... and of course the Giants will want them to win as well.
FAST FIVE - Question 2
Q: Can the Giants realistically make it to the Final 4?
A: Start by reading Q1 and our love of mathematical chances in sport! If the Giants are any sort of chance of getting to Christchurch this July they must beat the Hawks on Thursday night (tough ask) and then they will be hoping the Huskies can at the very least topple the Sharks. If that happens we will head into R11 with the Sharks on 14pts, the Huskies on (at least) 14pts and the Giants still lurking on 10pts. If the Sharks beat the Huskies you can as good as close the gate on the Giants.
FAST FIVE - Question 3
Q: Can the Saints rediscover their shooting stroke against the Jets?
A: In short, yes! The Saints have been a bit off at the offensive end of the floor in recent weeks but don't expect that to continue. Most teams go through a flat spot during a season and you can't help but feel the Saints have just done that. With 11 straight wins and buoyed by the confidence of having five players named in the Tall Blacks World Cup 'long list' squad, you get the sense the Saints are about to start amassing some big scores once again. Look out Jets!
FAST FIVE - Question 4
Q: Are the Rams a certainty for the Final 4?
A: Most coaches in the league will tell you nine wins is enough, but grab a 10th victory and you can start planning for the Final 4 without fear. The Rams have won nine and now face the Huskies again, a contest (based on last week's two encounters between the same teams) that promises to be fierce. The run home for the Rams is Huskies (H), Airs (H), Saints (A), Giants (A), Rangers (H), Saints (H) and Hawks (A). Given they are on a 7-game winning streak it's highly unlikely the Rams don't win another game from here. All Rams fans should start buying up Final 4 tickets with confidence ..... here's the link to help you out - https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/Shows/Show.aspx?sh=FINAL4S19
FAST FIVE - Question 5
Q: Who is the hottest player right now in the race for the TAB MVP?
A: Tim Quarterman (Rangers) hit the top of the leaderboard last round, but if you take a glance down the list you will see Brandon Bowman (Hawks) is now inside the Top 10 and rocketing up the list. Don't forget that Bowman missed his team's first five games of the season. The seasoned import might be the one worth keeping an eye on.
