Wed 17th Feb - Riders v Eagles 6:00pm

Yet people are saying Riders have already won the league. 

Exactly my point!

Not sure I'm following this but aren't Riders on 1 defeat and Lions on 2 defeats with the Lions leading the head-to-head 1-0? Are the BBL still playing three matches against each opponent this season?

That head-to-head would only come into play if the Lions or Riders lost game(s) to other opponents. If not then the Riders have the slight edge as they would only need to go 1-1 in the remaining two, whereas the Lions need to go 2-0.

Riders lose one other game then 1-1 is sufficient for the Lions by taking the head-to-head 2-1. Lions win both and go 3-0 (with that additional Riders loss) and Lions would need to lose three other games for Riders to be able to overhaul them.

On the basis I can't see both teams going unbeaten against other opponents, I'd suggest the title remains wide open, with the slim edge to the Riders for the sample fact that a 1-1 split with the Lions favours them.

In fairness am I missing something as others are seeing this as less open? Happy to be corrected.

Not sure games in hand has the same relevance as in football with draws and a greater likelihood of failing to take full points off bottom teams. Points in the bag is another (very minor) edge to Riders, but surely the place to look is the losses; especially at the top of the table.

I think the league is pretty obviously a long way from being decided. Lions are still clearly very much in it and I don't think Eagles chance has completely gone yet, though if they don't get Gordon back sharpish it might not be too long before we can stick a fork in them.

This is a talented Riders team and certainly a very entertaining team to watch but we've not been good enough in 4th quarters and ultimately haven't done well enough against the other contenders (still a disappointing 3-5 against Eagles and Lions combined) to be deemed anything like shoe ins from this position. Both our remaining fixtures with Eagles are at their place. And I'm assuming we've still got two games to play against Lions (though only one further meeting shows up on either team's fixture lists). Pretty unlikely we win all of those and I doubt we clean up against the rest either. In fact I wouldn't even take it as a complete given that we win our next game. We needed overtime to beat Giants at Morningside a few weeks ago and 17 and 7 in the Mexican top tier a few years ago suggests this new guy should be capable of doing fairly well in the BBL.

We are marginal favourites right now from Lions, with Eagles still clinging on to some sort of chance for the time being at least.


Not sure about that. I think Lions' starting 5 is almost certainly the strongest in the BBL. Dirk Williams leads the league in scoring and 3PM and has been very efficient in the process. He'd be a strong MVP candidate if Lions did go on to win it. Liggins isn't quite as consistent as a scorer but is capable of going off any given night and brings plenty more to the table besides scoring. Probably the league's best defender. Robinson remains one of the league's better PGs despite taking something of a back seat this season. And whilst he's far from the most eye catching signing Lions have made over the last 6-12 months, Parker has proven to be a plenty decent stretch 4. They don't seem to have found a centre they genuinely like all season but on paper that's about all they're missing.

Don't think there's much to choose between Eagles' and Riders' starters but I'll take ours over theirs for entertainment value if nothing else. I do agree that our bench is better but technically I wouldn't say it's deeper. When they're full strength there are five senior players on that Eagles bench who are all getting minutes and all have significant experience at this sort of level. I don't think it's an especially good bench but they're not short on numbers. In fact they're using more guys than we are.

You assumed lions would win the majority of remaining games oh well

To be fair, it's not hard for Lions to win the MAJORITY of their remaining games.

According to Stevetino it is. My bet offer stands....

The results last night, with both Newcastle & London losing to teams below them in the table, makes it harder for both those teams to catch Riders.

As the league title, effectively, goes to the side with the least defeats, to take the title Newcastle would have to win 4 more games than Riders over the remaining games, London would need to win 2 more. While both senarios are possible, it's highly unlikely.

Also, we should not discount the possibility of Glasgow claiming the title :-)

And weirdly I want Eagles to do Riders another favour on Monday and give Lions another loss.

They already haven’t, lost to Cheshire 🤦‍♂️

Do you not understand the definition of ‘majority’?!?
How can you say they already haven’t won the majority of their remaining games when they’ve only played one of them?!