5/ None of these factors guarantees them anything in their potential match ups this weekend however they are more prepared than they were up to this point in their previous EASL campaign

How do you think the New Taipei Kings will fair in the EASL Final Four in Macau?
#EASL

4/ Experience, while a cliche, is very relevant for the New Taipei Kings this time around

They are the only team that was in Cebu and are now making the trip to Macau so they’ll enter the event with a level of experience that the other teams won’t be able to lean on

3/ The Kings were without Jeremy Lin in Cebu due to injury and still performed very well

This year while his status is still currently up in the air, there is a lot more optimism that he will participate in the matches in Macau

2/ Leading into last year’s Final Four, the Kings suffered two big EASL losses:

Ryukyu Golden Kings 67-99
Seoul SK Knights 57-89

This year they head in on a 3-game winning streak:

Ryukyu Golden Kings 99-63
Busan KCC Egis 104-87
Meralco Bolts 106-96 (2OT)

1/ Sani Sakakini is an upgrade from Hayden Blankley as an Asian Imports

While I like Blankley as a player, Sakakini’s impact on the Kings scoring and toughness has been irreplaceable

Kings will surely be watching that game closely for any intel they can use for the semi final or potential final match up against the two B League teams

What takeaways do you have for the New Taipei Kings leading up to the match in Macau? And how do you think they will do in the EASL Final Four?

Both the New Taipei Kings and the Hiroshima Dragonflies enter the semi finals on 3-game EASL winning streaks

And currently in their respective domestic leagues are both 2-3 in their last 5 however the Dragonflies play a match against another EASL Final Four team, Ryukyu Golden Kings, on Wednesday

Two key locals have yet to play again since the Meralco Bolts game, Jeremy Lin and Lee Kai Yan

Last year New Taipei Kings went into the Final Four in Cebu without Jeremy Lin due to injury, so the two sitting out could be a precaution to assure their participation in Macau

Kenny Sani AD has been the winning formula for the Kings so far in the EASL

It feels certain head coach Ryan Marchand and staff will dial up the trio against the Hiroshima Dragonflies

However with a lot of EASL tape on them, could there be a surprise line up change in the semi final?

Kenny Manigault played heavy minutes both games

Sani the EASL Asian import for the Kings played against the Taoyuan Leopards

AD, who played in each of the Kings 4 EASL wins, sat out of both fixtures after getting banged up in the double OT win over the Meralco Bolts back on Feb 12

Yeah if ProRel comes to the US that would be huge!