Very very impressed with Charles Jackson on Nate. I think he'll handle Khazzhou in the post, but hard to stop him hitting 3's. Khazzhou might be MVP this year.

Any update on Childress playing? With a game against Adelaide on Friday I imagine they will rest him until that game which is just Adelaide's luck.

Charles Jackson is quite athletic. Might be able to cover Khazzouh OK.

Breakers by 10. Webster will help Jackson etc. Could be close if Childress plays. Any word on whether Garlepp is playing or not as Heal said in the commentary his wife is due soon?

Just quietly, would like to see Brandt get more minutes...

I haven't really been impressed with Khazzouh's start. His performance really cos there Kings against the Crocs, I figured with Childress out he would really take control and make everything run though him. If he can stay on the court Kings will match up ok, but think Breakers get this one at home, starting to settle, knowing help is on the way!

Got money on the Kings @ $3.60 I'm betting they will bounce back against an ordinary Breakers team. Webster may make them good, we will soon find out.

"I'm betting they will bounce back against an ordinary Breakers team."

Their performances have been ordinary to date due to injuries, NBA trials and a general lack of effort but to call them ordinary is a bit harsh Andy.

Apparently no Childress tonight. Hoping it's close, but if Webster isn't jet-lagged it's going to be a tough ask for the Kings.

If no Childress then Breakers should win comfortably.

What about Garlepp?

OMG mystro are you trying to start something over nothing! Of course my comment is based on their performances. What else would it be based on? Maybe their ability to scramble eggs while blindfolded and running backwards...geez.

no, I most definitely don't want any serious internet beef, I'm good thanks Andy.......

Well, technically Andy's comment was incorrect because it wasn’t *this* Breakers team who has been ordinary to date. They were fairly impressive against Perth last week, while they were missing Vukona, and of course Webster against the Hawks.

A Breakers team with Vukona and Webster is a totally different beast to one without them. So technically, saying that this Breakers team has been ordinary is completely untrue.

@ anon 732,

Yeah, and look at the odds in the previous rounds. They don't mean a thing. We have the majority of our best non-NBA players playing in the league, a couple of the highest profile imports of all time, and just 8 teams. I stand by the 'toughest NBL season ever' comments.

I guess the didn't have time to update the starting line-up overlay with Webster's name...

Not sure about Cadee matching up on Cedric Jackson....

Better D from the Kings, but woeful on the other end. Offense is much too predictable, just a lot of passing around the perimeter with very little going on inside until a wild drive and bad pass or shot.

LV is not GWB. GWB is back under a different name, though easy enough to pick.

Early fouls for Charles Jackson. Wishing I'd got a line bet on the Breakers.

God, our inbounding...............................

Lol I know who GWB is hahahahaha, very easy to pick....

Thornton actually looks good when he takes it to the basket (apart from that break into traffic). I'd rather him attack then shoot those awkward hitched-motion jumpers.

Way too many turnovers from NZ, careless passes keeping Sydney in it. Credit to Cadee and Khazzouh and the odd burst from Thornton

Anon, well, it was an open dunk and Vukona fouled him, so not sure of the criticism there. Don't remember which simple layup you are talking about, either. Unless you are confusing Prewster and Thornton, in which case, yes.

Lucky to be in it. Garlepp's 4 rebounds seems OK, but I'd love to see a 'offensive rebounds against' stat on him today. If he's not putting the ball in the basket, he isn't doing us much good.

I always forget this rule, but Khazzouh won the opening tip and put it out of bounds, I thought that means that Kings start the 2nd half because NZ got 1st possession.

A couple of questions for my bro's over the ditch, if I can please?

1. How old is that stadium, the one with the parquetry floor and average lighting and what looks like tape partially removed on the edges of the wings?

2. Any chance the government over there will build you guys a newby?

PS. Thornton would be a much better player if he remembered he has team mates out there!

#Openyourbloodyeyesmanandpasstheball

@AngusH: It means the Kings get the ball to start the second quarter, not the second half. Assuming no jump ball situations during the first quarter.

Ah, duh. Thanks. :)

Kings have one of the best post players in the league and they continue jacking up poor shots, way to go guys...

Can't believe this game is still close!

While it's true, these 3s are missing so damn cruelly... in and out.

The floor is the best....

Really boring game. Tough to watch.

Bear, not anytime soon. The Trusts Stadium is actually a nice reasonably new stadium (ANZ championship games look great there). But it's out west away from the North Shore and not practical location wise.

Government is using money to sort out the horrific traffic problem which is probably the worst in the developed world. Can't blame them for that

Well Mystro, I would hope after so many wins there would be some emotional attraction, I can see how you guys wouldn't mind playing on bitumen if it meant beating the Aussies, I get that!

But, knowing how these types of surfaces behave I am surprised that the new NBL chiefs wouldn't be pushing for an improvement to what looks like playing in the lounge room on the TV...

Could you do me a favour and just get them to turn the dimmer switch off next time, please?

No boxing out, piss poor shooting, and too many missed opportunities off steals. We have like 16 steals, and probably about 6 points off turnovers.

@MACDUB, yes I get how hard it must be and where the money needs to go is more important than sport, and while I am not 100% serious I also hope down the track you guys can at least get a new surface in that shed, it would make a big difference I reckon...

Fully agree. It looks horrible. But it's also dangerous especially later in summer with the crazy humidity. Crazy slippery.

I find games at NSEC really hard to watch for some reason.

Anon is right on Markovic - he was even worse today and is looking like a real goose egg of a signing. 0 points, 0 assists in 20 minutes and stats don't even tell the story of how little penetration or direction the bloke offered.

Cadee is good sometimes but very streaky and today was another off day.

Thornton doesn't look like an NBA second rounder at the moment. 0 3 pointers today and on D he just stands around.

All in all having 3 guards play together a lot ain't working for the Kings.

Even with Childress back, they will need to do better or another season will go to pot before they even make it out to Homebush.

To be honest NZ were just as terrible as Sydney tonight. If the 10 Sydney shots had dropped that were half way down and somehow jumped out they probably would have won against a very ordinary yes ordinary Breakers team.

NZ's turn overs kept Sydney it it. Sydney are currently below ordinary and without Childress look like they will be keeping Townsville company for some time.

Thornton seems to be getting better every game.

Khazzough has got to stay out of foul trouble.

Sydney need to start hitting outside shots. They will struggle to win games if they keep shooting the percentages they have in their last two games.

I wouldn't write them off just yet though- they're only 4 games into a 28 game season and have the league's best player to return.

NZ had like 25 turnovers and played pretty horrible and never looked like letting it slip.
How many layups did Sydney miss and then the amount of offensive rebounds they gave up would give Cotter an early heart attack?
Agreed that they will look much better with the addition of arguably the best player in the league in Josh Childress but until then they have some effort issues to address.

All I can say is that was two hours I won't get back. If not for Abercrombie's play, and some brilliance by Jackson and Webster mixed in with some really poor moments by them, it would have been a complete waste.

Still, if you're the Breakers you're just happy with the win, there will always be ugly games and you much prefer to win them than lose!

If you're Sydney, you double check Josh Childress' return date and perhaps remind your players two-point baskets are handy too! Three games in a row they've fired and fired and fired and missed from deep.

Haha! Yes indeed. Surely they could put a case to the local council for funding for a new floor given how many people use the venue for social basketball as well as higher level?

Come back Shane, all is forgiven.

Thornton has been disgraceful have him on your team and your team will do worse.

I would almost Say Kendrick was just as good as Marcus has been this year.

It is a joke we just keep hoisting 3's. Carter, Cadee, Thornton everyone so many 3 Point Shots.

I would be inclined to play the twin towers in Brandt and JK together and play Tommy Garlepp at the 3 and give him more touches around the elbow and baseline.

Let Thornton come of the bench and give us sow good minutes against backups.

Move Childress to the 4 when he is back and bring Angus of the bench.