09/10/2008 10:27 AM
They may have just lost their second game of the season, but Melbourne Tigers forward Sam Mackinnon remains confident that his side will improve dramatically by the time the playoffs come round.
After an off-season recruiting blitz that landed import Ebi Ere and former league MVP winner Mackinnon, many experts believed the Tigers would waltz through the new season undefeated on the way to back-to-back Championships.
But after losing to the Wildcats on Wednesday night, the Tigers dropped to fourth place on the NBL ladder with just three wins from their opening five matches.
Since debuting in the NBL in 1994 Mackinnon has seen many different scenarios play out and the 32-year-old knows exactly what the problem is currently with the Tigers.
"We are a bit reactive at the moment," Mackinnon said.
"We are waiting to see how teams come out against us, whether it is physical or whatever it is, we just seem to wait for something to happen. Whether we are down five or its 20 minutes into the game I think we need to come out and worry about ourselves."
"We have played one really good game against Cairns for the year, all the rest we have played good periods or good patches and I think it is just a matter of coming out and playing 48 minutes."
"We have the depth to do it and we have to adjust our mindset to play like that."
The Tigers gave up 105 points at the defensive end on Wednesday night and, as a result of the Wildcats constant pressure on the ball handler, committed a whopping 22 turnovers to 16.
Not until the last quarter did the Tigers play anything that remotely looked like defence and Mackinnon feels this is the key indicator to how his side is travelling.
"It all revolves around defence. That will spark your offence and tonight we were on the backfoot," Mackinnon said.
As for his own form, Mackinnon feels he is still some weeks away from showing his best.
The former Boomer contributed nine points, eight rebounds, two steals and two assists in 34 minutes of court time against the Wildcats, but said he was well on the way to finding his groove.
"I am getting more active, the (injured) knee is coming along well," Mackinnon said.
"I have just got to get physically fitter, play a few extra minutes and do some extra things off the court, but I am happy with the way I am going."
"You always want to be doing a bit more, but you have to be realistic. I think I will come good over the next few weeks with the minutes increasing."
The Tigers have little time to recover, with a clash against the Adelaide 36ers looming at 'The Cage' on Saturday night.
Starting point-guard David Barlow was concussed against the Wildcats and remains in doubt for the 36ers clash, but coach Al Westover is hopeful that the Boomer will be declared fit.
Westover indicated that if Barlow does not come up he will give Daryl Corletto more minutes at the point-guard position.