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The New Zealand Breakers will be out to turn their stuttering NBL season around when they host the high-flying Brisbane Bullets in the opening match of Round 10 on Thursday evening at Vector Arena in Auckland.
The Breakers have been in arguably the worst form out of any team in the competition over the last couple of weeks, losing four games straight and falling away to the bottom of the NBL ladder.
The pressure on the club is growing by the week and if they don’t start winning on a consistent basis soon, especially when they are on their own home court the season is going to go sliding away from them in a hurry if it already isn’t.
Realistically, the only reason the Breakers are still in the playoff and championship picture is because of how close the league has been, because their on-court performance with the expection of a three point shooting inspired raid in the middle of the season has been awful.
With Corey Webster in trouble off the court, the Breakers are lacking on it and with the exception of spirited performance from Kirk Penney, Mika Vukona and Robert Loe coming off the bench every single player must lift.
No where is this more the case than their import fill-in point guard David Stockton. They simply haven’t looked the same team since Ben Woodside was injured, and their plight to get off the bottom isn’t looking positive with him sitting on the sidelines.
As for the Bullets, they have been in some hot form recently getting themselves into the top four on the ridiculously tight NBL ladder with their guard combination of Adam Gibson, Jermaine Beal and Torrey Craig beginning to properly fire.
While they are coming off a road loss at the hands of the Cairns Taipans, the Bullets did beat the Perth Wildcats on the road last week, inflicting the biggest ever loss for the club that hasn’t missed the playoffs in 30 years at the Perth Arena.
That win saw the Bullets offence rise to the fore, and their defence continue a lock down style they have made their own thanks to the brilliance of big men Tom Jervis, Daniel Kickert and Anthony Petrie.
If the Bullets can keep that defence going here, there is almost no way that they can expect to lose, particulary given the Breakers heavy reliance on the three-point shot no matter how cold it gets.
Prediction
The Bullets have been in far superior form and even though they are on the road, it’s hard to see them not winning this one.
Bullets by 12
Key Information
Tip-off: 5:30pm (AEDT) – 7:30pm (local)
Venue: Vector Arena, Auckland
TV: Live, Fox Sports 503
Online: NBL.TV
Betting: Breakers $1.68, Bullets $2.25
Last meeting: Round 3, Bullets 88 defeat Breakers 82 at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde