Breakers set for NBLxNBA tour

The New Zealand Breakers are set to play three NBLxNBA games in six days, including fixtures against the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

You can watch all the action, live and free via NBL+.

The Breakers stars to watch

Parker Jackson-Cartwright – After finishing third in the MVP voting last season, PJC hit the floor running in the opening two rounds of the NBL25 season. The superstar guard was unstoppable in a win over the Bullets, before doing a bit of everything to secure a home win against the Phoenix. With more space on an NBA floor, look for Jackson-Cartwright to put on a show in these games.

Mojave King – 22-year-old King has been impressive in the opening two games in his return back to the NBL, shooting at 50 per cent from the field and 57 per cent from three. After being drafted in the second round with the 47th pick in 2023, King will be looking to make an impact in these games and show the NBA teams he’s capable of performing at this level.

Matt Mooney – Mooney will be no stranger to the NBA floor after being part of the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks in the last four years. The sharpshooter has averaged 12.5 points in the first two games for New Zealand, including knocking down five threes at over 45 per cent.

Tacko Fall – Fall joins the Breakers for this tour with an open possibility that he could stay with the club for the rest of the NBL season. At 7’6”, Fall last played in China since his departure from the NBA in 2022. He was the CBA blocks leader in 2023 and the G league leader in 2022. Fall vs Embiid, anyone?

Mojave King.

Game 1

Opponent: Utah Jazz
When: Saturday October 5, 11am AEDT
How to watch: Live and free via NBL+

What to expect: The Jazz finished last season with 37 wins and 45 losses to be 12th in the Western Conference. After their strong start to the season, key injuries impacted the Jazz, who struggled to put all the pieces together.

Players to watch: Lauri Markkanen – One of the premier big men in the NBA, the Finn is one of the most exciting talents around. The Most Improved Player in 2023, he was also voted to the All-Star game and will begin the season with Utah, amidst trade speculation.

Jordan Clarkson – The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year continues to be a spark for the Jazz off the bench, averaging 17 points per game last season. The 32-year-old is one of the veterans on this young squad and enters his 11th year in the league.

Patty Mills – Mills joins the Jazz as a free agent after limited opportunities in Atlanta and Miami. The 892-game veteran and Boomers champion will be hoping to find his role amongst this young guard rotation and help develop the next generation of stars.

Patty Mills.

Game 2

Opponent: Philadelphia 76ers
When: Tuesday October 8, 9am AEDT
How to watch: Live and free via NBL+

What to expect:The 76ers enter the new season as one of the powerhouses of the Eastern Conference and a team who many predict will challenge Boston and New York. After losing Joel Embiid last year with a knee injury, the 76ers fell to the seventh seed by season’s end. After winning their play-in game against Miami, they lost in the first round of the Playoffs to the Knicks. With a big off-season acquisition in Paul George, Philadelphia looks to have all the tools to compete for a championship.

Players to watch: Joel Embiid – Before his knee injury last season, Embiid was on track to put up some of the best scoring numbers ever seen, after averaging 40 points and 12 rebounds in the month of December. He had 20 straight games of 30+ points, joining only James Harden and Wilt Chamberlain, and in that period set a career-high of 70 points in a win over the Spurs.

Paul George – George joins the 76ers from the Clippers and creates the Philadelphia ‘Big 3’. The 34-year-old and nine time All-Star averaged 22.6 points per game last season. What makes George unique is his ability to defend every position as well as score at a high rate. A former Defensive Player of the Year is believed to be the missing piece to help Philadelphia get over their playoff hump.

Tyrese Maxey – Maxey is fresh off a career year last season where he became a first time All-Star and won the Most Improved Player awards. On November 12, Maxey recorded his first career 50-point game and joined Allen Iverson as the only 76ers players to achieve that at 23-years-old or younger. With Embiid getting hurt last season, it was Maxey who did enough to save the season for his team.

Joel Embiid.

Game 3

Opponent: Oklahoma City Thunder
When: Friday October 11, 11am AEDT
How to watch: Live and free via NBL+

What to expect: One of the youngest and most exciting teams in the NBA, OKC will be looking to go two steps further than last season's second-round exit in the Playoffs. Finishing with 57 wins, the Thunder clinched the first seed in a powerhouse Western Conference and put the rest of the league on notice that they mean business. Head coach, Mark Daigneault was deservedly given the Coach of the Year award after leading his team to a successful season that many thought was ahead of expectations.

Players to watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – A finalist for the MVP last season, SGA proved that he is one of the top players in the world after averaging over 30 points, five rebounds and six assists per game. On the back of an Olympic debut where he was an All Tournament Second team member, SGA is ready to lead his Thunder to the Western Conference Finals and beyond.

Chet Holmgren – The 2022 second pick bounced back after missing his first season due to injury and had a standout season for the Thunder, where he finished as a First Team All-Rookie member. One of Holmgren’s best games last season came against the Warriors where he put up 36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 2 threes made. That stat line put him alongside Michael Jordan as the only two rookies to have such numbers.

Jalen Williams – Entering his third season in the NBA, Jalen Williams looks set for another big leap in production for the Thunder. Williams was an All-Rookie team member in 2023, before becoming one of the most important players on the Thunder squad last season. Williams also joined Holmgren as part of the USA Select Team in 2023.

You can watch all the action, live and free via NBL+.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.