Kelly laments Phoenix charity stripe blues

South East Melbourne head coach Mike Kelly has been made to rue missed opportunities in last night’s loss to the Brisbane Bullets, who have now won three straight games after defeating the formerly second-placed side.

Foul trouble to Alan Williams and injury to Gorjok Gak left the Phoenix light at the centre position against Tyrell Harrison, Aron Baynes, Josh Bannan and Rocco Zikarsky, but it was the 15 missed free throws that had the biggest impact on the 16-point loss.

The Phoenix shot just 64 per cent from the line in the loss, with Mitch Creek in particular continuing his struggles from the line.

He made just 7-14 of his free throw attempts in the game, and is shooting just 57.7 per cent from the line this season, despite shooting above 75 per cent in each of his last five NBL seasons.

“I think it’s important to take advantage of the things you do well. The guys got in the paint well, got to the foul line, and didn’t make their free throws,” Kelly said post-game.

“I’m frustrated but I think the guys would be even more frustrated because they’re leaving free points on the board and we would have been a lot closer and given ourselves a chance.

“It was an encouraging note that we were getting to the foul line, but we just missed foul shots. If you keep up a little scoreboard pressure even if you’re giving up 59 points in a half, if you’re close and you can sniff that a little more you feel like you have a chance.

“I think there was no problem with the energy, the fight or the togetherness with the guys. I think we can – we must – connect it better and be on the same page more often for us to be a legitimate winning team in this competition.”

Star center Williams found himself in foul trouble for most of the game, and exited the clash with his fifth foul during the fourth quarter.

NBL analyst Liam Santamaria said Williams couldn’t afford to commit needless fouls because of his important to the team on NBL Now on Friday morning, and cited the unsportsmanlike foul on Nathan Sobey from a bone-rattling screen as a turning point.

Both teams were forced to contend with foul trouble over the course of the physical game, and Kelly says Brisbane dealt with the adversity better than South East Melbourne.

“I definitely thought we let that affect us more than the Bullets at that point,” he said.

“I don’t really think other than Al and Will (Cummings) being in foul trouble and having to navigate that there was a lot of other things that went into us playing worse than the Bullets.

“I think Al and the whole group, we can be more connected, we’ll connect that energy as we go hopefully and if we don’t do that and get stops then I think we’re going to have to try and outscore teams, and that’s a tough bargain.”

South East Melbourne will continue its Round 6 run on Sunday when they take on the Cairns Taipans.