Hawks have the most balanced starting 5 in the league. Their depth is a bit questionable.

I like the Hawks to win and make the GF provided they have no injuries to their starting 5 - a big ask.

As a Sixers fan I'll be watching this game(s) very closely.

Last time these teams met was R11 in Auckland. Hawks winning 107/83. 24 3's went through the nets. The Hawks were up by 13 at quarter time. For the Hawks, Oscar fouled out, Penney & Lisch went crazy on the scoreboard and there were 12 steals from the Hawks. For the Breakers, on the scoreboard Cedric was quiet, but dished out 9 assists. Webster the master blaster on the scoreboard and Vukona with 4 OR's.

The Hawks are the team carrying form into this first game. With a double header round like this first blood is important. I'm thinking that the Breakers might be struggling tonight in what should be a high scoring game played beyond the arc.

I'll think the Hawks should squeeze home in a tight one.

Breakers need to find the intensity defensively that has taken them to 4 titles in 5 years or they may as well start planning what they are doing next season.
Wollongong have given them hidings the last 2x times they have played due to NZ's inability to defend the perimeter.

Hawks are favourites for this one and the result will say a lot about NZ's title aspirations.

Hawks $1.45
Breakers $2.75

Would be a while since NZ has been paying those odds I'd imagine.


Love the Hawks. Hope they get this one.

Wow. We are playing absolutely terrible!

Our offense is disgusting to watch..defensively we are giving the Hawks open everything

Wouldn't mind if we lost Weasley - he really frustrates me.

Te Rangi needs to step up otherwise we should review whether to bring him back. Perhaps give him a year off to focus on NZNBL and individual development.Sure he is young but NZHoops posted something the other day that said thay he is that bad offensively that the Breakers pretty much can't play him!

At a loss for words- the boys look like a shell of the former team. Charles Jackson and Pledger getting limited time, body language amongst them is also terrible.

What are the underlying issues for the Breakers' performances? Coaching/squad/attitude?? This is EMBARASSING!

That girl looked more uncomfortable talking to Dan Ewing than Mel McLaughlin did talking to Chris Gayle

Yea well done Weasley staring down Lisch after that block - someone remind him were down 20. Geez.

Don't like the look of the Breakers at all... Webster with a three on the semi-break, but had a real easy opportunity to get Charles Jackson an alley-oop or easy dunk. Just seems like Webster wants to pad the stats.

I hope the Fox Sports clock is wrong right now, because clock is ticking away over a minute while they checked if Penney shot a 2 or 3....

Hawks will win it this season and that's a great thing. Very likeable team. Breakers looked spent tonight no passion or decent offensive game plan at all. Perth haven't been much better. Hawks clicking and embarrassing teams at right time of year

Hawks need to finish 1st to avoid relying on road wins in the finals. They are awesome at home, but still iffy on the road.

Anon #573458

There is this little unknown team called the Golden State Warriors that someone mentioned to me the other day who apparently have a couple of good shooters.

I was embarrassed to be a breakers fan watching that game. They were all terrible, we took tough contested shots and gave them layups and open 3's.
If they continue to play like this they don't deserve to be in any title conversation let alone make the playoffs.

Lemanis noted that the Breakers actually had a better shooting percentage late in the game.

Rumour is an internal chemistry issue has wrecked the Breakers. Body language out there was poor.

Corey Webster, something is up with him... He looks dejected and completely unmotivated.

"Rumour is an internal chemistry issue has wrecked the Breakers. Body language out there was poor."

There is no way NZ give up 24 offensive rebounds to the Hawks if they're playing at 100%.

24 offensive rebounds? Didn't see the game, did that leave any rebounds for the defenders to grab? Was Vukona playing with one arm tied behind his back?

Just checked the box score. Hawks led 24-21 on rebounding at that end of the floor. That is kind of embarrassing.

To quote Susan's mother, "something's missing alright".

A combination of general busyness, the Big Bash Cricket season and a dip in the number of NBL games has meant that I haven't paid much attention to the NBL at all over the past month or so.

But I have to ask; What on EARTH is going on with the Breakers? They were my title tip a few weeks ago.

Since when do Ïnternal chemistry issues" plague teams with seasoned professionals who have won multiple championships together and not had any reported issues previously??

Charles Jackson is the main new guy on the block- and by all accounts, and all appearances he's a great young chap.

It makes no sense!

Ever heard of North Melbourne? They were pretty seasoned.

Well it happened at the LA Lakers but they were guys worth tens of millions of dollars with massive egos.

But none of these guys on the NZ Breakers look like the kind of guys who might be tempted to think- even for a second- that the sun shines out of their own ass. They all look like guys who are professional in attitude and approach and are there to get the job done. And their results have shown that to be the case.

I would be far less surprised if there were chemistry issues at say Perth or Melbourne- places where they are people of (arguably, speculatively) questionable character and/or who have been involved in team melt downs in the past. But NZ? No, surely not... so I thought.

Not sure of chemistry issues/infighting.

But there's definently some angry Breakers players (whether angry at themselves or teammates) and that can lead to some friction.

IMO, the issue is that some players seem to have forgot their roles/doing too much. Weasley for example seems to have forgotten that he is a role playing 4 man and needs to stop taking shots as if he is the go to offensive player.

Just need to go back to their roles - this is what the All Blacks preach..do your job. Alas last 5 years = 55-5 odd record, 2 World Cups and every other silvery you can imagine.

You're way off the mark re: Webster. That's just nonsense.

A very good teammate, great to play with. He is a scorer so naturally he is going to want the ball.

Atleast one player pretty angry with a specific teammate id say, from the rumours that were circling weeks back. They didnt turn up in Wollongong, cant seem them making the playoffs, which is just crazy stuff!

Oh my mind was in basketball mode!!

Paul did you mean North Melbourne eg Carey and Stevens?

Well that's juicy....