Hrmm, ermm, argh...

Yeah, Breakers at home, by 5

Breakers by 5 sounds reasonable (they'll prob lose by 15)

Breakers by 12.

It's one of those low-confidence tips, both team's form has been ... a little up and down. And with three home losses, hard to know how NZ's home court advantage is going this year.

Lose this one and I think we're done for the year, so a big home win is needed!

I've been wrong twice already for these teams but breakers at home should win by 10.

I'd agree with that Tyrell, to paraphrase from Tennis, the Breakers are defending match-point here.

Crocs by 2

5 mins in and Townsville have 1 bucket, great D from NZ.

showing some hustle on their switches

Right well after 5 minutes of play to work with, I can confidently extrapolate that this will end in an 80-16 victory for New Zealand, who will be the new competition favourites.

Jumping the gun, I don't even know what that phrase means.

6 fouls in half a quarter to the Breakers (4 to Tsv), FFS guys, fly Mal Cooper first-class with a stripper on his arm over for a heart to heart with the team if you have to but sort it out.

Even as a Breakers fan I will admit the refs are making it tough on the Crocs.

Some pretty outrageous calls.

Good bounce-back after a terrible start to the quarter from Townsville; I was about to trot out the word "pummelationing" to describe what was happening.

Pace is in a bit of foul trouble, but I don't think Dennis can dare reduce his minutes in the least, vital to their chances.

Finally a Croc hits a 3pt. You don't need to rely on them, but you do have to show you're able of hitting at least a couple...

Dare I ask about the validity of that offensive foul by Pace?

Pretty bad reffing.

Really bad actually.

Over this game. Bring on ADL-PER!

NZ just can't quite seem to put distance on Crocs at the moment. If Pace fouls out though, it'll be very hard. Of course, Kerron Johnson and Te Rangi on 3 fouls apiece will also have to tread lightly.

From here I'd say New Zealand by ... 10.

Some tremendous perimeter shooting stats for Breakers, running at 50%

Yep my nbl tv not working well too. Tried at work, now home keeps freezing forcing me to refresh constantly.

So to start he 4th quarter, Vukona fouls, then NZ allows two O-boards on missed two point shots culminating in a triple by Blanchfield.

I'm sure Vickerman must be giddy with joy about that start.

Deficit down to one. I have no doubt there are currently some very edgy looking gents on that Breakers bench.

Comfortable looking margin in the end, but would have been decidedly uncomfortable moments late in the process.

Let's not discount the significance of Gary Wilkinson wearing his beloved #55 (opposed to #48, seriously And 1!!)a crucial factor in the victory! Heck, i'm just relieved that we won!!

What do we do about the officiating though? It's getting a bit silly.

LThe crocs stink so bad on the road so you kinda overlook it because they would lose a game against a high school team if they set the pace in their own gym...

But when is Mal Cooper's honeymoon over and we get to call him on however many blatantly bad calls he has presided over?

that game was awful, so messy and I always felt Breakers would win and yet they were terrible (Abercrombie excluded)

How do you think Townsville will look back upon this game... will they be happy that they were in it all game or be disappointed they all played well below their best?

Gee Mitch Norton is a tough little fella, he was beaten from pillar to post to floor!

Mitch Norton just gets no calls ever. Its getting pretty ridiculous with the beatings he takes..

The NBL has got a serious problem with "rookie" calls.