NBL23 Finals: Breakers owner Matt Walsh fined for tweeting about referees in NBL Grand Final series
The fallout from Game Four of the NBL GF series has cost New Zealand owner Matt Walsh and the team after they vented their frustration on Twitter.
Basketball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Basketball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A day after it slapped Sydney coach Chase Buford with a $3500 fine, the NBL has sanctioned New Zealand owner Matt Walsh for his role in the grand final’s heated referee by-play.
Walsh has been hit with a $1500 fine in the wake of a tweet he made about the officiating during game three. And the Breakers were issued a formal warning from the league over a subsequent tweet.
During game three, Walsh tweeted: “Maybe they’ll just foul our entire team out” as foul trouble hit a number of his players. He was then backed up by the club account with “make it six playoff games in a row with more fouls and less free throws.”
Maybe they’ll just foul our entire team out.
— Matt Walsh (@mattyvincent44) March 10, 2023
The league’s integrity unit investigated both men ahead of an explosive game five decider at Qudos Bank Arena.
The record-breaking series is locked at 2-2 and Qudos Bank Arena is close to a sellout for game five.
Through four games, a total of 49,687 have attended in New Zealand and Sydney.
Qudos housed an NBL record 18,000 for game three, while Spark Arena’s 9742 game four attendance set a new mark in New Zealand.
At midday on Wednesday, there were just 600 tickets left for game five – a monumental achievement, given the less than family-friendly weeknight time slot.
Add 18,000 and the series attendance will be close to 68,000 – the previous highest was 45,971 across four games in 2019 when Perth defeated Melbourne United 3-1.
Breakers under investigation as NBL brass slam Buford
NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger has slammed Sydney Kings’ coach Chase Buford, who was sanctioned after an investigation by the league’s integrity unit following his grand final referee tirade.
And News Corp can reveal the New Zealand Breakers and owner Matt Walsh are also under investigation by the integrity unit over tweets and comments during the series.
The NBL hit Buford with a $3500 fine for breaching its code of conduct after he let loose on the referees in a post-game press conference, following the Kings’ 80-70 defeat, saying he knew his side would be “hosed” and were playing “five-on-eight”.
News Corp has learned the Breakers also lodged a complaint with the league over Buford’s conduct in the minutes leading up to his referee spray.
Witnesses allege Buford swore at a Breakers’ official after he was denied entry to the Spark Arena media room while equipment was still being prepared.
Despite the complaint, the league chose not to act.
“Based on the information that we had available to us, no investigation was deemed necessary,” an NBL spokesman said.
The league’s probe into the Breakers centres on tweets issued by both Walsh and the club’s official account.
As star Jarrell Brantley was disqualified and Breakers Barry Brown Jr, Rob Loe and Tom Abercrombie all battled foul trouble in Friday’s 91-68 game three capitulation, Walsh tweeted: “Maybe they’ll just foul our entire team out” and was then backed up by the club account with “make it six playoff games in a row with more fouls and less free throws.”
Then, following Buford’s game four comments, Walsh hit back, claiming the championship-winning coach was “calculated in how he’s tried to manipulate the refs all season.”
Both NBL owner Larry Kestelman and Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger were present during Buford’s referee spray.
Loeliger said Buford’s comments were “out of line”.
“You can’t question the integrity of a referee in our code or any other professional code,” Loeliger said on Fox Sports.
“To suggest that our referees are influenced by external factors is, I think, a little bit, not just insensitive, but certainly inaccurate.
“I have absolute faith in our referees.”
Earlier this season, Buford was rubbed out for one game after a separate integrity unit investigation found he booted a door following the Kings’ loss to South East Melbourne in regional Victoria. That breach of the league’s code of conduct triggered the suspension, which had hung over him since he questioned referee Chris Reid in last year’s semi-final series.
The bad blood between the two clubs sets up a powder keg game five decider that could be played in front of a third-consecutive sellout crowd.
‘Out of line’: Buford learns fate for referee spray
– Michael Randall and Matt Logue
NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger has slammed Sydney Kings’ coach Chase Buford, who has been slapped with a fine after he questioned the integrity of the league’s referees.
The NBL hit Buford with a $3500 fine for breaching its code of conduct after he said the Kings were “hosed” by the referees and were playing “five-on-eight” in the game four grand final loss to New Zealand.
Loeliger said Buford’s comments were “out of line”.
“You can’t question the integrity of a referee in our code or any other professional code,” Loeliger said on Fox Sports.
“To suggest that our referees are influenced by external factors is, I think, a little bit, not just insensitive, but certainly inaccurate.
“I have absolute faith in our referees.”
Buford, following Sunday night’s game stormed out of his post-game press conference after his ref spray.
“They were allowed to get away with stuff they weren’t allowed to in the first few games,” Buford said.
“There was no freedom of movement. At one point, it was 11-2, the foul count, in the second half.
“We were playing five-on-eight out there. It was clear.
“We knew we were going to get hosed and we just said ‘we’ve got to weather the storm and stick together’ and I think we did a great job of that, to be fair … It was a big storm in the second half.”
Breakers owner Matt Walsh hit back.
“It’s pretty clear that Chase is very calculated in how he’s tried to manipulate the refs all season,” Walsh said.
“When they’re on the right side of the foul count and won, it’s because they’re the Sydney Kings and they’re a good team.
“It probably felt a lot worse because they’re used to getting all the calls.
“When they’re on the wrong side of it, one time, that’s the only reason they lost, because they played ‘five on eight’.
“I think everyone can read the quotes and watch the interview and make their own judgement.”
Tensions boil over as breakers owner hits back at Kings
New Zealand Breakers owner Matt Walsh fired back at the Sydney Kings after coach Chase Buford’s post-game blow up at the referees.
Walsh said Buford’s pointed comments were “calculated” after the Kings lost the foul count for the first time in the series and were held to their lowest ever grand final total in Sunday night’s game four loss.
“It’s pretty clear that Chase is very calculated in how he’s tried to manipulate the refs all season,” Walsh told News Corp.
“He made the All Blacks comment (about the Breakers’ physicality) earlier this season and I think he knows what he’s doing, he’s trying to get an edge for game five.
“People choose to do things in certain ways and I think it’s very calculated.”
Before Sunday night, the Breakers had lost the foul count in all six postseason games – a point Walsh highlighted before Sunday night’s clash, played in front of a record-setting crowd of 9742 at Auckland’s Spark Arena.
Sydney committed three more fouls than the Breakers in game four after NZ had an average discrepancy of -6.33 through the first three games.
The combative owner said the Kings didn’t handle the shoe being on the other foot.
“When they’re on the right side of the foul count and won, it’s because they’re the Sydney Kings and they’re a good team,” Walsh said.
“It probably felt a lot worse because they’re used to getting all the calls.
“When they’re on the wrong side of it, one time, that’s the only reason they lost, because they played ‘five on eight’.
“I think everyone can read the quotes and watch the interview and make their own judgment.
“I like Chase, I think he’s a very good coach, but I think he’s just trying to get an edge for his team.”
Buford, following Sunday night’s game, lashed the referees, before storming out of his press conference.
“They were allowed to get away with stuff they weren’t allowed to in the first few games,” a simmering Buford said, post game.
“There was no freedom of movement. At one point, it was 11-2, the foul count, in the second half.
“We were playing five-on-eight out there. It was clear.”
Buford said he’d discussed the attention on the foul discrepancy with his players.
“We knew we were going to get hosed and we just said, ‘we’ve got to weather the storm and stick together’ and I think we did a great job of that, to be fair … It was a big storm in the second half,” he said.
Pressed on the physicality in the contest, Buford stood up and said “I’m good”, cutting his press conference short.
A former NBL official believes the Kings and Breakers need to take on more accountability because they’re both playing physical basketball.
“They want to play bully ball, but they’re not prepared to wear the consequences when the calls don’t go their way,” an ex-official, who wanted to remain anonymous said.
“They need to adjust to the other team’s changes instead of complaining and blaming the referees.”
The official also called out Buford for showcasing a lack of class when he stormed out of the post-game press conference on Sunday.
“Chase doesn’t help himself,” he said.
“He should have just answered the question by saying, yes physicality is a part of basketball, but you’d hope both teams were getting the same calls.”
The war of words sets up a hostile clash where the Kings will host the Breakers on Wednesday night, the winner to be crowned NBL23 champion.
Breakers’ four-time champion Tom Abercrombie defended his side’s approach without the ball, which he says frustrated the Kings.
“We’re a very, very good defensive team and when you play against a good defensive team sometimes it can be frustrating,” Abercrombie said.
“I think they’re a very good defensive team as well, they have a different way to us, but it’s not easy defending the way that we do.
“It’s not easy playing against it but it’s nothing different to what we’ve been doing all season long, it’s who we are.”
He said the back and forth about refereeing was a “chess match” and said tensions were running high between the two camps heading into game five.
“It’s just trying to say things to invoke certain reactions,” he said.
“It’s a part of the series … there’s opportunities for tensions to build and discussions to be had and storylines to unfold.
“There’s a lot on the line, both teams want it very badly and it brings out all sorts of emotions. (In) a five-game series, things are going to bubble to the surface.”
FIERY KINGS COACH QUITS PRESSER AS NBL GF SERIES ERUPTS
Frustrated Sydney coach Chase Buford has taken aim at the refereeing in the Kings’ game-four grand final loss to New Zealand, before storming out of his post-game press conference.
The Kings were held to their lowest-ever score in a championship game and blew a golden opportunity to seal back-to-back titles in an 80-70 loss in front of a crowd of 9742 at Spark Arena — a record in New Zealand.
The Breakers made it known, following game three, they had lost the foul count and shot fewer free throws than their opponent in each of their previous six playoff contests.
Buford believes that influenced the whistle on Sunday — the Breakers won the foul count 20-17 and shot 26 free throws to the Kings’ 14.
“They were allowed to get away with stuff they weren’t allowed to in the first few games,” a simmering Buford said, post game.
“There was no freedom of movement. At one point, it was 11-2, the foul count, in the second half.
“We were playing five-on-eight out there. It was clear.”
Buford said he’d discussed the attention on the foul discrepancy with his players.
“We knew we were going to get hosed and we just said ‘we’ve got to weather the storm and stick together’ and I think we did a great job of that, to be fair … It was a big storm in the second half,” he said.
Pressed on the physicality in the contest, Buford stood up and said “I’m good”, cutting his press conference short.
The Kings will host the Breakers in game five on Wednesday night, the winner to be crowned NBL23 champion.
.@SydneyKings' coach Chase Buford has frustratedly walked out of the post match media conference after being questioned about the physicality of the game. pic.twitter.com/eH0cPFkK4a
— NBL (@NBL) March 12, 2023
PRE-GAME INSPIRATION
The Dr John Raschke trophy sat in the middle of the court as New Zealand warmed up before the game, a tangible reminder of the enormity of the stakes.
Facing the prospect of the Kings claiming the NBL championship on their home floor, the Breakers rode the raucous record crowd to force a decisive fifth game.
Even league owner Larry Kestelman was barracking for the Breakers as he watched the “war” unfold.
Re-energised Will McDowell-White was the orchestrator, rediscovering the form of game one with another near-flawless 19-point, 5 rebound, 6 assist effort that was complimented by a 23-point explosion from former NBA man Jarrell Brantley, who found his feet in the series for the first time.
SAME-SAME, BUT DIFFERENT
In a contest that looked, for a moment, it might go the way of game three, the Breakers ground the Kings down in the first half, holding Sydney to just 27 points, before another third-quarter surrender that has plagued their series.
The Kings had won the third quarter in each game by 5, 12 and 12 and, again, they found another gear in a dominant 25-15 period that trimmed a 12-point deficit to just two at the final break.
Derrick Walton Jr was brilliant with 18 points and kept the Kings in it, while Angus Glover continued a fine series with 12 — all from deep.
Both teams had players who looked to turn hero in the last. A re-energised Will McDowell-White buried a pair of three-pointers for the Breakers and then big Jordy Hunter, one of the delights of the series, had a one-man six-point run for the Kings.
But Sixth Man of the Year Barry Brown Jr refused to lose, sticking a three, throwing down a massive fast break dunk as gun defender Justin Simon attempted to chase him down and then potting a ridiculous rainbow trey that re-established a double-digit lead and blew the roof off Spark Arena.
It was the dose the Breakers needed to stretch out the Kings, Brantley delivering the knockout blow with a minute to go.
BANGED UP COOKS
In the second quarter, Pardon rumbled into Cooks, who had heavy strapping on his right knee, and, as the league MVP fell to the ground, he grabbed the New Zealand big by the jersey and arm, in a bid to brace his fall. It was adjudged an unsportsmanlike foul on review and Cooks was later forced to the pine with three first-half fouls.
The NBA-bound gun showed glimpses of his wild talent, but it was not his night.
The struggle was real for the Kings — even Buford caught a pass from Derrick Walton Jr.
TERRIFIC TOMMY
Simon changed the game for Sydney in Game two with six steals. This time, it was Breakers legend Tom Abercrombie who turned devastator at the defensive end, the 35-year-old swiping and equal-grand final record six steals that ensured his chance at a fifth NBL title remained alive. If he had any thoughts of retirement at season’s end, plenty would be urging him to reconsider.
CROSSCOURT LIKES AND DISLIKES
LIKE
The Sydney Kings’ record crowd against the Breakers – the biggest in NBL history – should inspire a big stadium vision for Aussie basketball.
Call us dreamers, but the amazing atmosphere at a sold out Qudos Bank Arena on Friday night needs to be replicated across the country.
Of course, we’ll need to build more purpose-built basketball stadiums like Qudos, which will be expensive, but we reckon it will be worth it.
It was incredible to see 18,049 fans packed into Qudos to watch the Kings beat the Breakers in a historic night for the NBL and Aussie hoops.
The atmosphere at a full Qudos is the closest experience you’ll get to the NBA in Australia.
It’s why we’d like to see more big basketball stadiums throughout the country.
Brisbane is in the process of building its own Qudos Bank Arena for the 2032 Olympics – which will also become home for the Bullets.
There are also plans to build purpose-built basketball stadiums in other cities across the country to coincide with any new expansion teams.
This includes the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Canberra and other locations.
LIKE
William McDowell-White deserves every dollar he is about to be paid.
The off-contract Breaker showcased enormous class with a Game 4 masterclass after struggling in Game 3.
The rising Boomers guard backed his instincts to produce a memorable performance.
McDowell-White’s floater is a thing of basketball beauty.
The son of three-time premiership-winning AFL great – Darryl White – will now get his own chance to win a championship in Game 5 at Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday night.
McDowell-White, who finished with a stat-sheet stuffing 19 points, 6 rebound and five assist performance – is in high demand on the open market.
But could he knock back bigger dollars and stay at the Breakers? The whole nation of New Zealand is hoping so.
DISLIKE
Sydney’s turnovers must stop or they’re in trouble. The Kings had everything to play for in Game 4 – a win and another banner was headed to the Harbour City. Instead, the Kings were sloppy in the first half as they gave up a whopping 10 turnovers.
Sydney did a commendable job to clean up their act in the second half and surge back into the contest, but the damage was done.
The Kings also need to be better when it comes to rebounding.
Sydney gave up too many second-chance points to the Breakers and the New Zealanders made the defending champions pay.
DISLIKE
The New Zealand Breakers needed to focus on improving instead of complaining about the referees and the lopsided foul count.
Frustrations boiled over after a sixth straight playoff game where they lost the foul count and shot fewer free throws than their opponents in a 91-68 loss to Sydney on Friday night.
We get it’s frustrating, but former Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell nailed it via Twitter when he pointed out that there is a straightforward way for the New Zealanders to improve the lopsided foul count.
“Breakers 1st quarter shot chart ...... 2/3 from Paint Shots (includes 4 trips to the line 4/8). 2/2 from mid-range,” Mitchell tweeted.
“4/12 from downtown = 24 points. You can see the difference when they attack the rim compared to finessing at the rim.
“I want to see the Breakers hit the paint hard & get to the line Breakers. Let’s get this thing to 5.”
More Coverage
Originally published as NBL23 Finals: Breakers owner Matt Walsh fined for tweeting about referees in NBL Grand Final series
DJ, Ice, star as 36ers romp to first win of the NBL season
Isaac Humphries and Dejan Vasiljevic have starred to send the 36ers on their way to their first win of the new NBL season.
NBL Late Mail: Delly out after baby news
SuperCoaches are reaching for the “reverse trade” button with Melbourne United star Matthew Dellavedova ruled out against the Perth Wildcats.