R6 Preview: Brisbane Bullets vs NZ Breakers

When: 3pm (AEDT), Sunday 9 January 2022

Where: Nissan Arena, Brisbane

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; 10 Peach; 10 Play; Sky Sports NZ


Who won last time?
Brisbane 95 (Patterson 21, Hodgson 16, Sobey 15) d New Zealand 83 (Randolph 30, Delany 17, T Webster 15) - Round 20, 2021, Spark Arena, Auckland

After an intriguing season series, it was Brisbane who got the last laugh and, fittingly, Breakers discard Lamar Patterson who played the role of Joker, heading back to Auckland and racking up 21 points, eight rebounds and five dimes as he got to the foul line at will.


What happened last start?

Robert Franks was the Bullets’ star import in their last start, a four-point win over Illawarra way back on 19 December, finishing with 16 points on 4/8 from downtown, along with seven boards and three assists. Brisbane shot a deadly 14/32 from outside, Jason Cadee and Tanner Krebs leading a quality bench performance with 24 points on 5/8 from range. While a win is a win, the Bullets’ interior defence that day would cause James Duncan some concern.

That’s been an issue for Dan Shamir and the Breakers all season long, but in their last start in Tasmania their inability to hit from deep, nor stop the JackJumpers from range was more of a concern. Their struggles containing penetration again reared their ugly head though, as their hosts racked up dimes and free-throw attempts freely. In a season where significant physicality is being allowed, New Zealand have yet to find a way to add starch to their D.


Who’s in form?

Given Brisbane haven’t played for three weeks, there is no hot hand to ride into this one, their offence trending with Patterson, Franks and Nathan Sobey thus far. They’ll be hoping the break has healed Sobey’s niggles, the Boomer shooting 36 per cent from the field and 28 per cent from deep, and a return to his usual efficiency will make the Bullets offence deadly.

The Breakers are coming off a two-week break, and if any team needed time to themselves, it’s New Zealand. Their woeful D found a little bit of form against Tassie – although that could just be the JJs ranking eighth in the league offensively – as did import Jeremiah Martin, whose 24 points at 56 per cent off the bench was a rare highlight for the 0-6 Kiwis.


Who needs to be?

Finn Delany – Will Delany get the job on Patterson or Franks? Either way it’s a massive task, the pair averaging a combined 37.2ppg at 39 per cent from distance and 13.3rpg. Given Franks’ outstanding 3.5 o-boards per night, that might be the Flying Finn’s assignment, but New Zealand may be tempted to go for crossmatches against Patterson to get Delany’s O going.

Jason Cadee – In the Bullets’ two wins, JC has nailed 5/10 from the arc, in their pair of losses he’s 0/5. Similarly, in triumphs he’s dished 10 assists to three turnovers, compared to four assists and three miscues in defeat. Have no doubt New Zealand will key on Franks, Sobey and Patterson, leaving the crafty Cadee to slide into shooting spots or create for teammates.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Frank’s beats the buzzer! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BRISBANEBULLETS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BRISBANEBULLETS</a> <a href="https://t.co/gSk8BDT7Rs">pic.twitter.com/gSk8BDT7Rs</a></p>&mdash; Brisbane Bullets (@BrisbaneBullets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrisbaneBullets/status/1472442241725591552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Who’s statting up?

 - Franks, Sobey and Patterson score 54 of Brisbane’s 84.2ppg (64%), dish nine of their 14.8apg (61%), and knock down 6.9 of their 9.5 triples per game (73%)

 - The Bullets have given up 52 points in the paint at 60 per cent in their past two games, after conceding just 33 PiPs per game at 44 per cent in their opening two contests

 - New Zealand won points in the paint first the first time this season against Tasmania, 40-34. In their previous five games they’d conceded 49.6 inside the key

 - Last season, New Zealand conceded a league-low 7.2 threes at 34 per cent, but in NBL22 they’re giving up 9.8 at a league-high 42 per cent


Who’s matching up?

Nathan Sobey v Peyton Siva – It’s 36 days since Siva’s one and only NBL appearance, and while his 11-point, 3/11 performance doesn’t jump off the boxscore, New Zealand were -1 in his 26 minutes on court and -23 in the other 14. His composure picking apart ball-screen defence is outstanding, but he needs to impose himself and shift the defence more than in his debut.

Sobey is one of only two main rotation Bullets with a positive plus/minus, and a big part of that is his willingness to take on tough defensive assignments as well as guide the offence. Star opposition guards have shot just 26/76 (34%) against Brisbane this season, and with Isaiah Moss still sidelined, Sobes will carry a big load at both ends again on Sunday.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">PEYTON SIVA FOR THE WIN. <br><br>WHAT A COMEBACK FOR ALBA BERLIN. <a href="https://t.co/b9Q4HmfW9Y">pic.twitter.com/b9Q4HmfW9Y</a></p>&mdash; Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eurohoopsnet/status/1329165117557252096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Who’s talking the talk?

When you talk about Ws and Ls, successful athletes say you win or you learn.

Early in the Breakers’ clash with Tasmania in Round 4, new import Jeremiah Martin made an aggressive jumpstop on his drive to the basket, where he was met by JJs defender Matt Kenyon.

Where Jeremiah has played previously, a defender would be expected to hold his feet through that sort of contact, but Kenyon, having grown up in the Australian style, allowed himself to fly backwards and picked up the charge call.

Martin shook his head in frustration as he looked towards the New Zealand bench, the call anathema to how he knows the game, but that only lasted a moment as he refocused.

On the very next play, after switching onto MiKyle McIntosh, the wiry Breakers import showed he is a quick learner, throwing himself to the floor as the muscly McIntosh made his move to win his own charge call and recover possession for his team.

It was a small moment that charted Martin’s progression, the bigger tale being told in his impressive statistical output.

The 25 year-old former Cavalier racked up 24 points on 7/12 from two-point range, scoring at the cup, on floaters and pull-ups, as well as dishing 8 assists as he invaded the paint time and again without picking up another offensive foul.

“Jeremiah is coming to the international game for the first time,” coach Dan Shamir said.

“I think in the beginning, we played a few good defensive teams and he struggled a little bit with how the paint is crowded and how teams scheme you.

“He knows how to play and he gave us a lot of good things today.”



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jeremiah Martin CAN NOT BE STOPPED ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> live + free on <a href="https://twitter.com/10PeachAu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10PeachAu</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/lyseOM9NrJ">pic.twitter.com/lyseOM9NrJ</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1474941893830066177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


The Breakers backcourt has seen much change this year already, with original signings Tai and Corey Webster now departed, Peyton Siva having missed five games with injury, and replacement Chasson Randle only managing one outing due to COVID postponements.

Now, finally, Siva and Martin are back together alongside impressive youngsters Will McDowell-White and Hugo Besson to give New Zealand the perimeter punch they expected to be their calling card in NBL22.

With Tom Abercrombie sidelined, Martin may spend time on Lamar Patterson in Brisbane on Sunday, but the Breakers had some success going bigger with Delany at small forward in Hobart, so Jeremiah may also get the job on Nathan Sobey.

The Boomers bronze medallist added another chapter to his Bullets’ legend last game against Illawarra, shaking off a significant midriff injury to score 9 points in the final 200 seconds and seal victory.

“Just a warrior. Just tough as nails,” coach James Duncan said.

“Obviously made huge plays getting to the basket, getting to the free-throw line, kicking out, he did a great job of trusting his teammates throughout the game and when it was his time and he felt the moment he got us over the line.”



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SOBEY-WAN using the force in the 4th!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/10PeachAu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10PeachAu</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> <a href="https://t.co/pm0R0Jqdnx">pic.twitter.com/pm0R0Jqdnx</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1472443706703704065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


It’s that sort of toughness Duncan is trying to instil into a Bullets line-up that was has previously been high on offensive execution, but low on consistency.

“We’re still building our identity and what’s our standard, we never quit and we’re starting to understand slowly but surely that we've got to come out and perform at a high level, compete and get in passing lanes and have a physical and aggressive mindset,” he said.

“Today we had it, last game we didn’t have it and we saw the result.”

They’ll need it against a desperate Breakers team, who may need to win as many as 16 of their final 22 to make the playoffs.

The Breakers will be hoping the in-form Yanni Wetzell can exploit Brisbane’s slower centres, that their depth of guards can wear on Sobey, Jason Cadee and Anthony Drmic, and that switching Delany and Martin through the three-spot can test Patterson’s defence.

Most of all Dan Shamir’s men need consistent contributions across the board, because despite their best efforts, not enough Breakers have fired together for long enough.

“These guys are giving us everything they’ve got, and sometimes for whatever reason it’s not working,” Shamir said.

“It’s getting tougher and tougher with every loss but it’s the only way, we cannot run away, we cannot hide, there is nobody else who can do the work but us.”