Coaches going all out to win battle of strategies

Player match-ups have been all the rage over the last week leading into the NBL semi-finals. But, the coaching situation will be just as influential to who books their spot in the decider.

NBL great Derek Rucker, who was the 1990 NBL Most Valuable Player, has broken down the coaching battle between finals newcomer as a head coach Mike Kelly and the experienced Trevor Gleeson ahead of tonight.

ON MIKE KELLY AND HOW THE TAIPANS CAN UPSET THE WILDCATS

I HAVE an immense amount of respect for Mike Kelly as a person.

He was a guy who I battled with for seasons on the court. I know what Mike is about, he is a hard-nosed but fair guy on the basketball court.

He was never dirty or trash talked, he is a great person. In his first season as head coach, I thought he was too nice to his players and I thought his team needed to better reflect how he was as a competitor.

This season he has got down to business and Mike has shown a tremendous amount of adaptability after they looked to be in some trouble early on.

He learnt quickly and figured out what works and that was keeping his main horses on the floor as much as possible.

Looking to Perth, I think the Taipans really need to isolate import centre Miles Plumlee. If Plumlee wants to match up on Cameron Oliver, Cairns need to play through that and attack Plumlee.

Whoever it is, they need to attack Plumlee, get him in foul trouble because I am not sure he has adjusted to the way the games are called.

Majok Deng can drag him away from the hoop as well if he wants to play on the perimeter.

If they can put Plumlee in pick and rolls, make him switch on to DJ Newbill or Scott Machado, let’s see if he can get down in his stance and defend.

If Cairns can negate Plumlee or Terrico White, they have a really good chance of winning this series.

ON TREVOR GLEESON AND WHAT HE WANTS TO SEE FROM PERTH

The first thing I do is try and unravel Machado. I would get all up in his face and you know in Perth that the home team is going to get some love from the referees.

Damian Martin and Mitch Norton get all up in Machado’s face the entire way, pick him up full court and even off the ball, I would trap him and make sure he gives the ball up.

I never want to let Machado get a rhythm, you cannot let him dance with the ball. Machado has not had a good game for a while, he was quiet in the last two and we have had this FIBA break, that is not his fault but he has not gone off for a little while. On offence, Perth need to get Terrico going. Bryce Cotton is a brilliant player, has a genius basketball mind and physical attributes that allow to be instrumental in the game, even when he does not play to use usual level.

If Nick Kay and Cotton are solid as always, and Terrico goes off – it is going to be a great series.