The NBA – Looking to the Future

At Nellakir the work continues with new courts being installed at the State Netball and Hockey Centre, the Twin Rivers Echuca Primary School and Sirius College in Keysborough. Ongoing annual maintenance projects have continued through the school holiday break.

So during the lockdown here’s a bit of interesting news on the NBA for avid fans of the hoop.

NBA spends more than $500K to keep prospect Jalen Green from facing actual competition

If you want to drill right to the core of the NBA’s new deal with California high school prospect Jalen Green, the league is going to pay him a half-million dollars to not play in the G League because it might be too hard for him.

Green will have no concerns about learning the campus map, no freshman English papers to write and no high-pressure March Madness games to worry about losing. And neither will he have to worry about joining a team such as the Erie Bayhawks or Maine Red Claws and coping with the jealousy of teammates who would be earning about 1/14th his salary.

ESPN reported Thursday that Green will enter a program in which he will be coached and join with other top prospects and professional players for exhibition games against G League teams, national teams from other countries and teams from worldwide NBA academies. Isaiah Todd, who decommitted from Michigan earlier this week to turn pro, is another who might join this program. Green is a 6-5 guard from Prolific Prep in California and is ranked the No. 3 prospect in the 2020 senior class by 247 Sports.

After years of pushing to have the NBA age limit raised to 20 years and two years out of high school, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reversed course a few years back and now wants it down to 18 years with players eligible upon completion of their senior years. But the Players Association has yet to agree, and agents are pushing hard to convince teens to eschew NCAA basketball for that year they must wait to enter the draft and instead turn professional immediately.

A few did last year, but not here in the States. Wing R.J. Hampton and point guard LaMelo Ball chose to play in Australia rather than in NCAA basketball this past season, which led to Silver encouraging the development of an alternative to American teens joining the NBL.

In October 2018, the NBA had introduced a program for high school prospects that would have paid them $125,000 to compete in the G League for a year, before they were eligible for the draft. The typical G League salary is closer to $35,000.

But there had been no takers. That six-figure offer was not as lucrative as what Australia was paying. The prospect of playing in the G League — which lacks glamour but suffers from no shortage of hungry, talented players who would eagerly use an under-prepared teenager as a backdrop for their own resume tape — was not appealing.

G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim told ESPN that it was “counterintuitive” for NBA scouts to travel Down Under to scout those players.

“The NBA is the best development system in the world, and those players shouldn’t have to go somewhere else to develop for a year,” he said. “They should be in our development system.”

This is interesting, because it never seemed like the NBA was a development system. It seemed like the highest level of competition in the world.

If the G League itself were an ideal development system, teenage players would not be fearful of entering. But that’s what was apparent in 2018, when Cincinnati forward Darius Bazley decommitted from Syracuse, announced he would play his post-high school year in the G League and then opted, instead, to serve an internship with an athletic apparel company and then enter the 2019 NBA Draft. He was chosen with the 23rd pick last June and averaged 17 minutes in 53 games with the Thunder before the league suspended its season March 11.

So instead the league is concocting this alternative, which seems like an awful lot of gymnastics to accommodate a few prospects and whose merit is a complete unknown.

Eleven of the 15 players on last year’s three All-NBA teams were products of NCAA colleges, including three who were “one-and-done” collegians. If the NBA thinks it is wise to compete with that success and it’s worth $1 million or more to try — hey, it’s the league’s money.

“This trend has been coming. It’s going to happen. And it’s going to be more and more prevalent,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said in a teleconference Wednesday. “We’re just going to have to deal with it.

“But you know what? Here’s my attitude: We’ll have kids take their place. There’s so many good players out there. If a guy wants to go, go to the G League or go to Europe instead of giving us a year, go. Go do your thing. We’ll fill in behind with kids that want the opportunity and are good players.”

Source: sportingnews.com

For all Construction, Installation, Maintenance and Scheduled Cleaning of premium Timber Sports Flooring, call Victoria and Tasmania’s leading experts on 03 9467 6126 for a free, no-obligation quotation. Or visit our website and leave your details here for a prompt reply.

Nellakir use the ASF/Horner Sports Flooring systems exclusively.

Nellakir – Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Nellakir and Netball

Nellakir is proud to be involved with the construction and installation of the new indoor courts at the Victorian Netball & Hockey Centre in Royal Park.

Here is the press release from Netball Victoria:

Redeveloped State Netball & Hockey Centre

A key netball facility development project – many years in the making – is now underway, with the State Netball Hockey Centre (SNHC) in Parkville currently under construction.The Andrews Government announced funding of $64.6 million for the redevelopment and expansion of the SNHC.

The huge support of the entire Victorian netball community has also been key to ensuring the project’s progress.

The SNHC is a vital headquarters for netball, hosting more than 5000 participants each week for training, competition and events. Netball has been a tenant of the facility in Royal Park for nearly 80 years.

Please read this safety message now that works have commenced.

Our New Home

The redeveloped centre is due to open in March 2021 and will include:

• 11 indoor netball courts
• New major event and spectator facilities
• Capacity to provide an expanded range of competitions, programs, coaching clinics, tournaments and camps for participants from throughout Victoria
• High Performance facilities to support elite and pathway teams, national teams and visiting international teams
• Administrative headquarters for Netball Victoria and Hockey Victoria
• The Victorian Women in Sport Leadership Centre, nurturing transformational leaders
• Occasional care facilities
• Universal Design Principles to ensure equitable access for all

Source: vic.netball.com.au/snhc

Netball is Australia’s most popular womens sport catering for competitions ranging from Junior through to Senior with an Australia-wide premium competition that has been featured on Free to Air Television – Netball Australia’s 8 team National Competition.

Nellakir have been involved with the construction of most premium competition courts in the Greater Melbourne area and the nearby Regional Cities. The Nellakir team constructed the current Victorian Netball Centre main courts. These are constructed in premium sprung timber sports flooring and can be viewed on our website here. Nellakir are now engaged with the construction and installation of the new courts at the facility.

As well the company is actively involved in cyclical maintenance of a large number of courts both in Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria currently used for premium competitive Netball.

At Nellakir we believe in fostering the sport of Netball as a healthy, regular team sport. The Victorian State Government PPP program is now ensuring that kids have a genuine opportunity to play and participate in most parts of Melbourne and rural Victoria. The PPP (Public Private Partnership) program is ensuring that Netball Courts are incorporated in the majority of new schools built and also with school upgrades.

Netball is a skilful game. It requires quick thinking and action with good hand to eye coordination. It is fast becoming a recognised international sport.

It is more than interesting seeing the sport regain a foothold in the USA. This is where it started many years ago, as a genteel version of Basketball for ‘proper young ladies’. However since those days the game has evolved dramatically and it is now a fast paced, incredibly skilful game with major differences to Basketball. This includes court position, no dribbling the ball, no contact and the three second rule that requires ball disposal within a three second period. It’s a wonderful team sport that encourages the development of physical, mental and social skill sets.

For anyone looking to encourage their children to play sport and exercise, Netball is an excellent choice.

And remember in junior grades boys can play too! So step to it. Netball is the buzz. Enrol your children for real fun and fitness now. And you never know – if they’re playing indoors on a sprung timber sports floor – it’s probably a Nellakir floor!

Call now to arrange a consultation with Nellakir on construction, installation and maintenance of your Timber Sports Flooring and Indoor Stadium requirements. Call 03 9467 6126 and book a free no obligation appointment to discuss your requirements. Nellakir now offer an excellent cyclical court cleaning program that ensures your Competition Courts provide the very best surface for all competitors, young and old.

Nellakir – The Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

The 2019 – 2020 NBA Season Rankings as they stand.

Basketball fans world-wide follow the NBA with great interest and intensity. It’s the sports premium competition. Just as the premium playing surface here in Victoria is FIBA approved ASF/Horner Timber Sports Flooring supplied and maintained by Nellakir – the experts in the construction, maintenance and scheduled cleaning of all premium Timber Sports Flooring in Victoria and Tasmania.

The current NBA rankings are as follows (Courtesy of Jason Guilbault and reprinted from Lineup.com)

2020 NBA Power Rankings (Updated 12.13.2019)

1. Los Angeles Lakers

2019-2020 Record 22-3 Previous Rank: 2

Winning nine of their last ten games, and with the big names clicking, the Lakers come in red hot. Anthony Davis and LeBron James are playing like an MVP duo, and that rusty start to the season is nowhere to be found.

2. Milwaukee Bucks

2019-2020 Record: 22-3 Previous Rank: 3

The Bucks have rattled off 16 straight wins at the moment, and are putting up over 120 points per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo has taken his game to another level, and the secondary pieces are all playing well.

3. LA Clippers

2019-2020 Record 19-7 Previous Rank: 5

You could say this Los Angeles team has had a harder time gelling with new names, but now 8-2 in their last ten games, and everyone healthy again, the Clippers have been showing why they are such a tough team to beat.

4. Miami Heat

2019-2020 Record 18-6 Previous Rank: 6

Miami is just seemingly playing under the radar as they have the third best winning percentage in the league right now. Jimmy Butler has been playing excellent basketball, but once again Erik Spolstra has been doing a lot with younger or lesser names.

5. Philadelphia 76ers

2019-2020 Record 19-7 Previous Rank: 10

Philadelphia has struggled on the road this season going 6-7, but they have dominated at home. Defensively they have been excellent, but offense has hit a wall at times. This was expected to be an early season struggle at times, and hopefully it is just that.

6. Toronto Raptors

2019-2020 Record: 16-8 Previous Rank: 8

Toronto has hit some tougher teams in their schedule, and we have seen them showcase where they are exactly at in this league. They are a top ten team for sure, but are closer to ten than they are to one.

7. Houston Rockets

2019-2020 Record: 16-8 Previous Rank: 9

Houston is a tough team to rank right now, as they have been a bit inconsistent to start the season. James Harden is scoring at will, but overall this team doesn’t seem to have quite the same appeal as the last year or two.

8. Dallas Mavericks

2019-2020 Record 17-7 Previous Rank: 12

Dallas is certainly here. They are scoring 118 points per game with Luka Doncic leading the way, and we have yet to see Kristaps Porzingis really click. The Mavericks are 8-2 in their last ten games and have put themselves as one of the better teams in basketball.

9. Indiana Pacers

2019-2020 Record 16-9 Previous Rank: 14

Indiana is 7-3 in their last ten games, and Malcolm Brogdon has strong competition for most improved but we can see what he brings to the Pacers. Domantas Sabonis has also been playing tremendous basketball.
Boston Celtics10. Boston Celtics

10. Boston Celtics

2019-2020 Record 17-7 Previous Rank: 1

It has been a few weeks since I last updated, so you can see a steeper drop here for Boston. They have failed to beat some of the more notable teams of late, and the offense and rebounding still seem iffy.

11. Denver Nuggets

2019-2020 Record 15-8 Previous Rank: 4

A team that was expected to be contenders in the west has not looked to be that just yet. Returning the same core, this is a bit confusing, even with a tougher conference. Defensively they have played well, but the offense comes and goes, and the same goes with Nikola Jokic.

12. Utah Jazz

2019-2020 Record 14-11 Previous Rank: 7

Utah has been a bit disappointing so far this season, but there is still a long way to go. They have slipped of late going 4-6 in their last ten games, as they have really struggled on the road.

13. Brooklyn Nets

2019-2020 Record 13-11 Previous Rank: 17

Brooklyn has gone 9-4 without Kyrie Irving this season, and are a few games over .500 now on the year. This has been a weird season for Brooklyn, and Irving’s return is going to cause more talking points if they slip once he returns.

14. Phoenix Suns

2019-2020 Record 11-13 Previous Rank: 11

We knew Phoenix wasn’t going to keep it up, but this team is already drastically improved upon last year. Deandre Ayton is going to return from suspension fairly soon, which will help.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder

2019-2020 Record 11-13 Previous Rank: 18

Oklahoma City has relied upon their strong defense so far this season, and while they are not going anywhere this season, they have been very competitive and not an easy win for the rest of the league.

16. Orlando Magic

2019-2020 Record 11-13 Previous Rank: 20

This is looking a lot like last year’s Orlando team where they are struggling to score, but the defense has been able to keep them in games. They are allowing the fewest points per game this season, but are also scoring the fewest.

17. Sacramento Kings

2019-2020 Record 11-13 Previous Rank: 24

It was a slow start to the season, but the Sacramento Kings have picked up their play. It was going to be tough building upon last season, but the Kings flirting with a .500 record the rest of the way wouldn’t be the worst outcome.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves

2019-2020 Record 10-14 Previous Rank: 13

Currently on a six game losing streak, and 2-8 in the last ten games, Minnesota’s fast start to the season quickly came to a close. Defensively this team continues to be one of the worst in the league.

19. Charlotte Hornets

2019-2020 Record 11-16 Previous Rank: 23

I don’t think anybody expected Charlotte to be this competitive. It comes with Devonte Graham who has blossomed into a machine in the Hornets backcourt. While they still have below average talent around him, the Hornets are not a team to take lightly.

20. Detroit Pistons

2019-2020 Record 10-15 Previous Rank: 21

Detroit continues to play middling basketball, and are 5-5 in the last ten games. Blake Griffin has not looked like himself since returning, and the injury might still be looming.

21. Portland Trail Blazers

2019-2020 Record 10-16 Previous Rank: 16

The Trail Blazers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the league this season, which is surprising after being one of the more consistent teams in the league. However, this might be the year they look to move pieces around Lillard.

22. San Antonio Spurs

2019-2020 Record 9-15 Previous Rank: 15

San Antonio is allowing 115 points per game, which is uncharacteristic for them. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are not a duo that will contend, and the Spurs have to know that.

23. Chicago Bulls

2019-2020 Record 9-17 Previous Rank: 27

Chicago is on their way to at least surpassing last year’s win total, but they remain one of the poorer teams in the league. Zach LaVine leads a stagnant offense, and we haven’t seen bigger steps from the young guy.

24. Memphis Grizzlies

2019-2020 Record 8-16 Previous Rank: 25

Memphis has a young core that is fun to watch, and they are pushing the pace more than any other season prior. The wins won’t come, but at least Memphis is a team we get excited to watch.

25. Washington Wizards

2019-2020 Record 7-16 Previous Rank: 29

The Wizards have a young team of names they are looking to see if they fit in the future. It won’t be a pretty record, but this Wizards team can put up points in bunches, unfortunately they are allowing over 120 per game.

26. Atlanta Hawks

2019-2020 Record 6-19 Previous Rank: 19

Atlanta continues to spiral out of control, which is a bummer after I believed they could be a team to push the playoff picture given the talented young squad. That prediction looks to be a year away.

27. New Orleans Pelicans

2019-2020 Record 6-19 Previous Rank: 26

There were higher expectations than what they likely should have had. New Orleans has now lost ten straight games, and continue to allow teams to run right through them offensively.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers

2019-2020 Record 6-19 Previous Rank: 22

Cleveland has listed about everyone for a possible trade as they are 6-19 and heading back down in the standings to where they were last season. This team will get worse once Kevin Love is traded.

29. Golden State Warriors

2019-2020 Record: 5-21 Previous Rank: 30

Golden State is just flat out taking a year off after being the best team in the league over the last five years. With the lineups they are rolling out due to injuries, it is no surprise.

30. New York Knicks

2019-2020 Record 5-20 Previous Rank: 28

The Knicks are the Knicks. They continue to be ran in a horrendous fashion. Dave Fizdale has now been fired, and this is not a job I would want moving forward.

Source: lineups.com

For a complete court maintenance and cleaning program, please call 03 9467 6126. Book in a free consultation from one of our expert technicians and start the new decade in 2020 on the right foot. For premium performance on all Timber Sports Flooring, always rely on Nellakir, the sports flooring experts. Leave your details here for a prompt reply.

Nellakir – Timber Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Ben Simmons – Melbourne Boy Under Scrutiny

Ben Simmons will play for Australia at the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. The former Junior from Knox Raiders and Whitefriars College in Melbourne’s leafy Eastern Suburbs was last year’s Rookie of the Year (2018). As is often the case, awards bring greater scrutiny . The scribes are now questioning his ability to shoot 3 pointers.

Here’s the latest 76’s Game report.

Simmons still gun shy from 3-point range as 76ers maintain unbeaten record at home

With Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons slightly subdued it was up to Philadelphia’s other NBA gun, Tobias Harris, to fire them past Utah 103-94 with 26 points and nine rebounds.

Power forward Al Horford also added 17 points and eight rebounds for the 76ers.

Embiid contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds while Simmons had 14 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and four steals for the Sixers, who improved to a league-best 10-0 at home.

It was their fourth straight win.

The Jazz whittled down a 26-point deficit to close within 101-94 in the final minute before Embiid sank two free throws with 41.3 seconds left.

Ben Simmons needs to shoot threes but everyone yelling him to do so with 20 seconds on the shot clock late in a game they're trying to walk down is an absolute jackal

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) December 3, 2019

The Jazz are playing as far off of Ben Simmons at the top of the offense as I can remember lately. Royce O'Neal was just in the lower half of the foul circle as Simmons was at the top of the arc. Did not even think about shooting.

— David Murphy (@ByDavidMurphy) December 3, 2019

Ben Simmons is having another great game, but the #Sixers are leading by double digits–a perfect opportunity for Simmons to shoot some three's in a game.

The #Jazz are leaving him wide open too.

— Dave Uram (@MrUram) December 3, 2019

Rudy Gobert paced the Jazz with a season-high 27 points to go with 12 rebounds while Joe Ingles had 13 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo needed only 14 minutes to record another double-double, finishing with 29 points and 15 rebounds as Milwaukee won their 12th straight game in a 132-88 rout of the New York Knicks.

The Bucks (18-3) led by as many as 47 and cruised behind Antetokounmpo, who pulled down his 10th rebound in the second quarter for his NBA-leading 20th double-double.

The reigning MVP shot 10 of 14 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, in 22 minutes. He exited with five minutes left in the third quarter and the Bucks ahead 93-54.

Milwaukee’s winning streak is the longest this NBA this season and the franchise’s longest since 1981-82.

Trae Young scored 24 points, rookie De’Andre Hunter added 18 and Atlanta snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 104-79 win over Golden State in a match-up of teams with the worst records in the NBA.

The Warriors (4-18) finished with a season low in points.

Golden State dressed just nine players, even with centre Kevon Looney returning to action after missing 19 games with a nerve condition.

Rookie Eric Paschall led the Warriors with 24 points but his teammates combined to shoot 24 of 72 and the they were slowed by 25 turnovers, which the Hawks converted into 25 points.

Kelly Oubre Jr scored 23 points, including two clutch 3-pointers in the final minute that lifted Phoenix over Charlotte 109-104.

Devin Booker added 23 points and Dario Saric had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who snapped a three-game skid.

Seven Indiana players scored in double figures and Domantas Sabonis flirted with a triple-double as the visiting Pacers beat Memphis 117-104.

Sacramento managed to take three quarters off Chicago but lose 113-106 after letting the second period slide 33-21.

Source: https://wwos.nine.com.au/basketball/nba-wins-for-76ers-bucks-hawks-pacers/77b44f6b-0edd-4c5f-bd00-2e8c292dea37

Whatever the outcome in the NBA, here in Victoria and Tasmania players have the opportunity to play on FIBA approved ASF/Horner Timber Sports Flooring in a wide number of Stadium locations, installed by Nellakir Sports Flooring.

Nellakir are the experts in the Construction and Installation of Sprung Timber Sports Flooring, as well as providing superior Annual Maintenance and scheduled Court Cleaning. For the perfect playing surface every time.

Call Nellakir now on 03 9467 6126 or leave your details here for a prompt reply.

Schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our expert technicians, at your convenience. Annual Maintenance including re-coating, linemarking and floor repairs can still be booked in for January/February at your convenience.

Nellakir – Championship Timber Flooring for present and future Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

It’s Summer and it’s time for Annual Court Maintenance with Nellakir.

With the School holidays upon us soon and local competitions going into recess for the summer holiday break, Nellakir actually picks up the pace. It’s that time of year where many facilities with Sprung Timber Sports Flooring undertake annual maintenance – re-sanding, linemarking and re-coating.

But before we commence on maintenance – check out these new projects we are contracted for. A regional project has been confirmed for the Twin Rivers Primary School, Echuca’s newest school. As Stage 2 of the project gets underway, Nellakir are pleased to announce the construction of a new multipurpose Court and Gymnasium with premium Timber Sports Flooring by ASF/Horner to be installed.

Twin Rivers Primary School, Echuca

As well the Nellakir team have also been given the go ahead on replacing the flooring on the double court facility at the Warracknabeal Sports and Leisure Centre, in regional Victoria.

Warracknabeal Sports and Leisure Centre

Then the real fun starts with Re-coats, Linemarking and annual cyclical maintenance occurring throughout Victoria.

In Gippsland, Nellakir will be doing re-coats and associated works through December and January at Traralgon, Warragul, Foster, Korumburra, Wonthaggi and Sale.

Traralgon Sports Stadium

In Bairnsdale at the Sports and Leisure Stadium, a major maintenance project on 4 courts which includes re-sanding, re-coating and new linemarking will be undertaken.

Elsewhere in Victoria, court annual maintenance will be occurring at Ballarat, Terang, Kyobram, Hamilton and Mansfield.

It makes sense to call in Victoria’s leading experts in the Maintenance and Construction of Timber Flooring to ensure your facility has an absolutely premium playing surface for next year. For a free, no-obligation consultation and quotation, please call Nellakir on 03 9467 6126 or leave your details here for a prompt response to your enquiry [LINK]

Myrtleford Stadium

Always select Nellakir for construction, replacement, maintenance and scheduled professional cleaning of all Timber Sports Flooring – it’s simply the right decision.

Nellakir – Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Boomers VS Team USA Games 1 and 2 at Marvel Stadium

The first exhibition game between the Boomers and Team USA is scheduled for Thursday night, the 22nd of August at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Most likely by the time you’ve read this the game will have been played and won. For many the absence of the biggest names from the NBA has been a sore point, with angry fans requesting refunds and many seats still available. From the outside, it could be said that maybe Basketball as a sport is the loser in what appears to be a bit of a fan debacle.

But not so? Read this excellent appraisal from the Roar

Anger over the Australia-USA exhibition match debacle ramped up this week as the ACCC became involved in helping frustrated fans get ticket refunds for the historic two-game series.

With multiple Team USA stars pulling out of games, fans have claimed they were misled by false advertising campaigns that included a number of NBA superstars. Even when the actual USA squad was announced it featured stars like James Harden, Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard. And the Aussie team was set to include NBA stars Ben Simmons, Jonah Bolden and Dante Exum. However, just one day out from the first game at Marvel Stadium, all of these players have made themselves unavailable for a variety of reasons.

Who would have thought 12 months ago, when the plan to bring the NBA’s biggest stars to Melbourne was front-page news, that we’d find ourselves in this position? The games still have many seats available and there are sure to be more empty seats if people get their desired refunds.

It’s a sad state of affairs for what was supposed to be a game changer for Australian basketball.

The big question is: is all this hoopla (pun intended) justified? Or is the anger of these so-called fans simply misguided?

Rather than focus on what’s missing, let’s take a look at what’s still in play. On Thursday night, arguably the best Australian basketball team ever assembled will play in front of the biggest crowd ever seen for a game on these shores. Yes, Simmons is missing. So is Exum, Bolden and Thon Maker. Don’t forget Ryan Broekhoff too. But it is a credit to Aussie hoops that even with those outs the Boomers will still field a team that includes six players with NBA experience, including two with championship rings.

You have Andrew Bogut, the No. 1 draft pick of 2005 and a championship player. You have Matthew Dellavedova, another champion who is notorious for his aggressive and physical style of play. You’ve got Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz, a player who has excelled in Australia and in Europe and who is now a phenomenon in America known for his sharpshooting.

You’ve got Patty Mills, a veteran point guard of the San Antonio Spurs who continues to contribute to both club and country in so many ways. Throw in Aron Baynes and Mitch Creek and you’ve got six NBA stars – and the word star is completely justified for all these guys. And that’s not to mention the NBL stars like Chris Goulding and European star Jock Landale. This is no amateur team.

On the other side you’ve got what many might call a second-string USA team. But that team includes Donovan Mitchell, Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum as well as Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton. Yes, the US won’t field its best team, but the team they will field is still filled with NBA talent. It’s a younger team, but many of these guys are the future of the NBA.

As for the game itself, the same crew that convert football stadiums for NCAA final four games will take the reigns at Marvel. Massive multimedia screens and an NBA-worthy court setup will make this an experience like nothing seen in Australia. And everything else aside, these are the final hit=outs for two teams considered medal hopes for the upcoming World Cup. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this?

The problem we have here is that Aussie fans are still too focused on the NBA. The National Basketball Association is arguably the biggest, most profitable and most popular sporting product in the world – in fact it is probably one of the biggest entertainment products full stop. There is no other basketball competition in the world that comes close to the NBA. The flow-on effect for Australia is that most Australian fans are more interested in the NBA than our local competition.

The truth of the matter is that many Aussie hoop ‘fans’ wouldn’t be able to tell you who plays for the Opals, who our best local players are or even who won the NBL championship last year (shock, horror!). The sad reality is that when these exhibition games were announced, many fans chose to view it as an NBA extravaganza rather than a historic, home-soil match for our Boomers ahead of an extremely important World Cup campaign. And now that Little Johnny won’t get to see LeBron James or Steph Curry play, what’s the point of going?

It’s even sadder given Australian basketball is thriving at the moment. You might even say it’s the best it’s ever been. NBA representation aside, the local game is going gangbusters. The NBL has reached new heights with international acclaim, fantastic media coverage, a new free-to-air deal with SBS, an extremely competitive competition players across the world are looking at and huge signings, including two of the biggest NBA prospects in America

We’ve just crowned champions in the inaugural NBL1, a new feeder series that gives the best men and women ballers in the country the opportunity to showcase their skills. On the international stage we’ve seen recent medals for the Opals, under-19 girls, under-17 girls, men’s and women’s 3×3 teams and the Rollers wheelchair team. Participation and interest in basketball is at an all-time high across the country.

It’s sad to think that even with all this positivity fans are still not interested enough in Aussie hoops to want to sit courtside and cheer on our lads on one of the biggest stages possible. It is an insult to Australian basketball that people are turning their back on these games. Yes, ticket prices are expensive and, yes, we were misguided by advertising, but we’re still getting a pretty bloody good deal. We should be throwing our full support behind it regardless of how many NBA players show up.

We should be showing the world how much we care about the sport. Instead, I fear that there will be a lot of empty seats at Marvel Stadium on Thursday and Saturday, and while it will still be a spectacle and a fitting send-off for both teams as they head to China, it could have been so much more. A sad state of affairs indeed.

Source: theroar.com.au

Nellakir are Victoria and Tasmania’s leading experts in the construction, maintenance and cleaning of premium Sprung Timber Sports Flooring. All courts are built and maintained to current FIBA standards and use ASF/Horner Flooring Systems exclusively.

For a premium playing surface, call Nellakir now on 03 9467 6126 or leave your details here for a prompt reply. Enquire about a complete refurbishment of your playing surface or simply schedule the ultimate in professional Court Cleaning.

Nellakir – The Sports Flooring of Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Nellakir Powers On – Ben Simmons doesn’t miss a beat.

In India there’s a saying; “When the dogs are barking, the elephant keeps walking”. So it is with Ben Simmons – conservative commentators have been lashing out at him during his current visit based on some very irrational thinking. When he was denied entry to Crown, the press runs the story ‘he’s making it up’. When thousands turn up to greet him after his camp in Sydney – ‘he ignored them’.

Sorry but not good enough. People of fame have walked into Crown intoxicated, barely dressed and abusive – quite simply this was a stuff-up. Simmons was sober, casually dressed and controlled.

Ben just takes it in his stride.

Read about it here:

Once again, we rejoice in cutting down a tall poppy

Australia should be building up Ben Simmons, not tearing him down. After all, not only is he our richest athlete, he may also be our most important.

Some sections of the Australian media seem hell-bent on hurling condemnation at him for supposedly making a meal of his trip back to Australia, with shock-jock Alan Jones making the baffling claim that Simmons should “go back to America and stay there”.

It seems Jones and other commentators have not enjoyed Simmons’ trip at all. They’re unimpressed that, when refused entry to Crown casino, he claimed it was a result of racial profiling.

Others thought him precious for “storming” out of an interview with Channel Seven’s Campbell Brown after a joke about the Crown racism incident fell flat. Football commentator Kane Cornes even said he was “sick of Ben Simmons”.

But it’s the rage about him charging $200 a head for a basketball camp and then apparently “sneaking out” early that really smacks of Australia’s obsession with tearing down our international success stories.

The haters lined up to shoot him down for charging $200 after he recently signed a $243 million five-year contract with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.

Because of all of this, Jones has claimed Simmons “has lost a lot of people very quickly”.

What a load of rubbish. Just because Simmons is wealthy, it doesn’t mean he owes us something and it certainly doesn’t mean he now has to work for free. There are plenty of wealthy sportspeople and media types charging a small fortune to appear at sportsmen’s nights and other community functions, and nobody seems to bat an eyelid at that. Should they also work for free?

Simmons is an international superstar and doesn’t have to come back to Australia. In fact, he could be anywhere in the world doing anything he wants.

The fact he’s chosen to come home should be celebrated, and harnessed to encourage kids to get out and play.

In an age when kids are regularly glued to their screens and too often isolated and shut away from the world, international superstars such as Simmons have the ability to do far more good than harm.

What many of these haters don’t realise is that times are changing. No longer are younger fans obsessed only with Australia’s traditional sports. Increasingly, they’re gravitating to overseas sports with a truly global appeal. They’re fascinated by megastars who earn truckloads of money and who have millions of social media followers around the world.

In fact, many follow stars and brands more than teams.

Simmons is a bona fide basketball star. Furthermore, he’s a star of a sport that’s played by more kids in Australia than cricket, Australian football and rugby league. And he’s playing in a competition, the NBA, that has more subscribers to its streaming service per capita in Australia than any other nation in the world.

And yet, instead of encouraging him to help get kids off the couch and onto the basketball court, where they can be active, socialise and form meaningful friendships and communities, we’ve tried to chase him out of the country.

Sadly, the behaviour and sentiment showed towards Simmons is not unique. Australian golfing legend Greg Norman once remarked that if someone in America bought a sports car, other Americans would say “nice car”; if someone in Australia bought a sports car, other Australians would scratch it.

Source: smh.com.au

Meanwhile Nellakir has been awarded two new VBSA contracts at Casey Field School and another at Clyde North Primary School. These will be purpose built Sprung Timber Sports Flooring School Basketball Courts. It has also been awarded the Victorian Netball contract at Royal Park to build 6 new premium competition courts. Add to this two replacement courts – one at Richmond High School, the other at Wesley College Elsternwick. And lastly, the new Cleaning Service from Nellakir has kicked off with contracts in Cragieburn and Whittlesea.

It’s simple, when you require expert service, experience and simply the best in materials and equipment, call Nellakir on 03 9467 6126 or leave your details here for a prompt reply.

Nellakir – Victoria and Tasmania’s leading experts in the Construction, Maintenance and Cleaning of Premium Timber Sports Flooring.

Nellakir – Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Timber Sports Flooring Maintenance starts with Professional Cleaning – by Nellakir

Genuine Sprung Timber Sports Flooring is like a fine instrument. It must be cared for properly, cleaned professionally to a prescribed program – with the right equipment.

Nellakir are recognised as the leading experts in the construction and maintenance of Timber Sports Flooring. Now the Nellakir team are adding another very important service for Sports Stadium and Sports Facility Managers. Nellakir now provide a completely professional Cleaning Service for all Sprung Timber Sports Flooring surfaces.

Cleaned effectively and professionally a Timber Sports Floor provides a premium surface for both professional and amateur competitions. Expert cleaning will ensure the longevity of the court and definitely reduce wear and tear on court surfaces.

This is especially important in preparation for major events at your sports facilities and equally after the events have occurred. Expert cleaning – with the right equipment – reduces slippery floors, protects floor coatings which reduces wear and tear and ultimately provides both a superior playing surface and a court suitable for a minimum annual maintenance schedule.

When you consider it, Nellakir construct many of the better known stadium and school sports flooring, they also provide an efficient and effective annual maintenance program – re-coating, re-lining and on cyclical requirement re-sanding and re-surfacing. Why not trust your valuable court’s cleaning regime to the experts in Timber Sports Flooring. Complete the circuit and call Nellakir for:

• General Floor Cleaning
• Event Floor Cleaning (pre + post)
• Pre-maintenance Floor Cleaning

Call the experts, be confident your sports facility’s timber flooring competition courts are cleaned and maintained at the highest level ensuring always the provision of a premium playing surface. Whether it’s the Harlem Globetrotters, the Boomers or your local Netball juniors, be confident you are providing the very best in Timber Sports Flooring for your patrons.

Call now on 03 9467 6126 or 0417 384 100 to discuss your needs, maintenance and cleaning requirements. Arrange a free on-site consultation to discuss scheduling and pricing.

Always choose Nellakir with Leading Edge Technology.

The Sports Flooring of Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

Netball – the 2019 Suncorp Netball Fixture

Netball is one of the World’s fastest growing Sports. In Australia it is the most popular sort for women and young girls.

The sport achieved Olympic status back in 1996 and there is still a slim chance it may be played at the 2020 0r 2024 Games.

Meanwhile, the premier Australian National Competition – the Suncorp Super Netball Comp – will kick off this year on April 24th. The competition will enjoy National Free-to-Air coverage on Television via 9Now, as well as being streamed by Telstra across Australia.

Nellakir recognise the importance of this competition to the sport of Netball and wish all participants and competitor teams an exciting and rewarding season. All major competition games are played on premium Sprung Timber Sports Flooring (Nellakir constructed the major indoor Timber floored Courts at the Victorian Netball Centre in Royal Park, Melbourne).

For your interest we present this article from the Firebirds Netball team website.

2019 Suncorp Super Netball Fixture

The 2019 Suncorp Super Netball season will again treat netball fans from Australia and across the globe to 17 weeks of the world’s premier netball competition.

The season will kick off on April 27 and, with more international athletes than ever before, the league will truly showcase the world’s best netball talent throughout 2019. Starting with a bang, the first few weeks of the season will see a Round 1 derby between the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball, a Round 2 Grand Final rematch between West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning and a Round 3 showdown between the two Queensland teams.

Netball Australia Executive General Manager of Events Chris Symington says going by the results of the 2018 season, netball fans can’t get enough of the Suncorp Super Netball league with the average home-and-away match viewership on Channel Nine channels up 25.9% and views on Telstra’s streaming services up 23% on 2017.

“We couldn’t be more impressed with how Suncorp Super Netball is being embraced in arenas across Australia and on broadcast, both on free-to-air and digital channels,” he said.

“We saw more than 35 million minutes of the 2018 season viewed live and on demand across Telstra and 9Now platforms including the Netball live app, and more than one million viewers tuned into the Grand Final on Nine, so we’re incredibly excited to see what the fierce 2019 season will bring with the support of our broadcast and league partners.”

Like the 2018 season, two Suncorp Super Netball matches per round will be broadcast live on Nine’s main channel during family-friendly timeslots and two matches will be exclusive to Telstra TV, with all four matches available on the Netball Live app, both live and on demand.

For the first time, a match will be played on the Victorian Queen’s Birthday holiday between the Melbourne Vixens and the Collingwood Magpies and across the season there will 12 matches played during Saturday night timeslots. Suncorp Super Netball will be taken to regional Australia on two occasions with the Collingwood Magpies taking on the West Coast Fever in Bendigo during Round 5 and the Magpies playing the NSW Swifts at the Silverdome in Launceston in Round 13.

The season will feature two theme rounds with Give for a Goal Round in Round 4, raising funds for Netball Australia’s Confident Girls Foundation, and Indigenous Round in Round 8, which will celebrate Australia’s rich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

All eight Suncorp Super Netball clubs will continue to play each other once at home, and once away. For the first time, the season will break for a four-week period from 23 June during the 2019 Netball World Cup, and then resume on 27 July for the final five home-and-away rounds before a three-week finals series, to be contested by the top four-ranked teams.

The 2019 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final will be held on the 15 September.

source: firebirds.net.au

Nellakir are the leading suppliers and installers of Competition level Timber Sports Flooring in Victoria and Tasmania. For expert Construction and Programmed Maintenance of all Sports Flooring call Nellakir now on 03 9467 6126. Or leave your details here and one of our trained staff will respond to your enquiry ASAP.

Nellakir – The Sports Flooring of Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.

The Bendigo Stadium Redevelopment – new pictures.

Recently we featured the opening of the Bendigo Stadium’s new show court – the premium sports arena in Central Victoria.

Nellakir are proud to have built the new premium sports flooring surface (Sprung Timber Sports Flooring by ASF Horner Sports Floors) in collaboration with the appointed builder Fairbrother Pty Ltd. The new court and surface are of a standard to permit NBL games to be played on the FIBA (Federation of International Basketball Associations) approved surface.

The first game was played there on the new court in June. It was a women’s Basketball match between the Bendigo Braves and the Sandringham Sabres. The Braves won by 32 points.

The Bendigo Stadium is a major asset of the greater City of Bendigo and the ideal venue to host major sporting and entertainment events.

Facilities include 7 indoor sports courts, major exhibition and function areas, a licensed clubroom and associated administration facilities.

The Stadium has the flexibility to be used for major sporting, cultural or entertainment events.

The Bendigo Stadium attracts 10,000 patrons each week for major sports events, concerts, dinners, conventions, trade shows and special events.

It operates as a sports venue for regular competitions and as a licensed club catering for 6000 members.

Source: eventfinda.com.au

Nellakir are Victoria and Tasmania’s leading supplier and installer of Sprung Timber Sports Flooring. Through leading edge technology – Nellakir are exclusive agents for Australasian Sports Floors Horner Pty Ltd in the region – Nellakir has constructed many of the state’s major stadium’s flooring..

Nellakir continue to construct Sports Flooring in major stadiums, regional facilities, schools and community centres.

Nellakir offer real experience and real expertise. The Nellakir package includes a follow up maintenance package that will ensure a competitive surface for the lifetime of the court.

So whether it’s annual cyclical maintenance of sports flooring – recoating, linemarking or eventually re-sanding and recoating, call Nellakir now on 9467 6126 for premium expert service. Or leave your details here and one of our consultants will respond to your enquiry promptly.

Nellakir – The Sports Flooring for Champions.

Nellakir helps young athletes reach their goals by providing the highest quality Sprung Timber Sports Floor playing surfaces.