NZ coming off a solid win at home and with 2x decent new imports finding their feet at their new team I have NZ by 8.

Would be a massive effort for Brisbane to get up without Gibson, Bairstow and Petrie.

Just looking ahead at the draw, if NZ get this one it is quite conceivable we could end up with the Breakers, Melbourne and Perth close to a three-way tie.

That would mean results and points differential on the last weekend when Melbourne play both NZ and Perth (in the last game) deciding which two (probably) make the playoffs.

Who knows what will actually happen, but that would be a very tasty scenario!

The most impressive aspect of the win over Sydney was not the fact that Dillard and Carter are decent, to be sure they are, but the effect their presence had on "jumping jack" Mitchell. His mobility really came into it's own.
Sydney were dreadful but the defensive intensity we played with the other night is what has been missing all season.
Brisbane are in a real hole. Beal and Craig have to show up to make game of it. Kickert came with the right mindset against Illawarra, and looks like Izzy Tueta will get some time.
Thought Bruce and Te Rangi also had their best games for a bit. The Brisbane beach will be tested tis afternoon.

Quite right Tom, Dillard's behind the back to Carter for Mitchell alley-oop underscored your point. Still shaking my head at the run DMC comment though.

Breakers' playoff intensity defense was the main reason for that win. The Kings failed to match it and was intimidated so badly as evidenced by the turnovers and forced shots. NZ need to sustain that from here on out though.

Breakers are always good when they play D they can run off, be that forcing turnovers (which they're not doing much of this year) or forcing tough shots and sweeping the glass.

Dillard and Carter give them two guys who can rebound and bust out, adding to Vukona and Penney who also do that. Once they get into offence early they're tough to defend.

If they can get Abercrombie back soon they have a nice team with a lot of flexibility, but I think they have to win today and need to close out the series against Melbourne and Perth (they're 2-1 in both) if they're going to make playoffs.

Any update on Gibson? I know he wouldn't be playing today but just wondering the final prognosis? I am not a fan of him but the last two games he has looked great.

Will the Bullets import play today?

Even though Brisbane are hit with injuries I think they are better balanced without Petrie and Bairstow and looked great against Hawks (and earlier in the season without Bairstow). Unfortunately now with Gibson gone they might not have the firepower (happy for them to prove me wrong today). I still think they will be competitive against NZ today and if they can put 4 great quarters together could possibly steal a victory.
A great opportunity for Bruce and Tueta.

I think with one less big and one more good guard they would have been a better team this year, but not without both Bairstow and Petrie.

Gibbo and Bear are there best two +- guys this season, so to be without them makes it a real challenge.

Gibbo will out for the season as he couldn't put any weight on his leg when getting carried off.I'm thinking Breakers in this game as Gibbo was playing really well and will be a big loss and i doubt Kendle is playing the way he was warming up before the Hawks game but will be suited up so he qualifies for the finals if Bullets make it.

Gibbo has been confirmed as out for the rest of the season with a calf injury.

TO's killing us.

So this is the game where anything that looks like a travel is called.

Some of these travels are so minuscule that it really seems like someone got a bee in their bonnet about them.

It's not just you. He has mastered bringing his arms down hard and then back up really quickly. Gotten away with it for years in the SBL, now seems to get the benefit of the doubt in the NBL too.

Seems strange since so many bigs get pinged for it when they don't really move at all.

Turnovers and unforced errors killing it for NZ.
Pretty frustrating watch.
Credit to the Bullets playing well despite the injuries to key players.

NZ really haven't handled the Bullets physicality well.

Dillard is quality.

Kickert 24 on 9/9 and 4/4 3pt shooting, 2/2 ft. On fire.

Perhaps keep making Kickert dribble? He's pretty good at this catch and shoot thing.

Bullets are murdering NZ on the effort plays.

Brisbane playing like their playoff lives depend on it coming off a loss, some of the Breakers playing like it's a scrimmage, perhaps getting ahead of themselves after beating a poor team.

Teams with their backs to the wall have been very dangerous this season.

Wow!!!! Dillard with the huge play to win it.

Fuck... What a finish! Dillard came up huge!

WOW KEVIN DILLARD!!!

EEEEHHHHAAA.
We stole it !!!!!!!despite a zillion TO'S.
Beal you bozo!
Dillard you beauty.

Kevin Dillard, damn!!!

You beauty.....I think NZ plays a tight game at the end....good on them.

11 points, 2 steals, 2 assists and a rebound in the last 7 minutes for Dillard.

Feel so sorry for Brisbane, two games in a row they've played their hearts out and been hurt by dumb decisions, mostly by Beal. Surely he's not back next year.

Dillard. Wow, came up big. Great to watch. He'll be even better with Abercrombie spacing the floor.

Awesome finish and game winner by Dillard.

Bullets should find an upgrade on Beal

Too late for that Zodiac. Their ship has sailed.

Bullets choke artists, Beal cooked

It's the same old tale with Beal, a good player to have if you don't rely on him as a consistent performer and can just cash in when he gets hot.

He really is the best of Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant

"The Breakers renaissance is also showing that this is fast becoming a league where you need a superstar PG or primary ball handler to thrive."

That's been the case for a long time. Look at the championship winning PGs going back to 2000. Not too many shabby players there:

Damian Martin x 3
Cedric Jackson x 3
Paul Henare/Kevin Braswell
Adam Gibson
CJ Bruton x 3
Nathan Croswell/D-Mac x 2
Shane Heal
Brett Maher
Charles Thomas
Ricky Grace

Nathan Croswell!

Did New Zealand just win a game after trailing for the entire 40 minutes?

Officially, yes, although I think they actually trailed for 39:59.9!

NZ had no business winning that game with the amount of turnovers they committed.
To actually come away with a win is insane.

I Believed they trailed for 39 min.and 40 sec. It was a terrible play by Beal but what was Mitch Young shooting that three in the last minute ..

Kickert should have been more aggressive; it seemed to get to a point where he was more concerned about having a 'perfect' game rather than taking some risks.

^ The guy goes 9-9 and you're having pots at him??? C'mon man. Kicks ha always been pretty selective with his shots (read: he doesn't chuck up junk) which is why he shoots with a high clip. He is never going to be a high volume guy.

Second game in a row the Bullets lost because Beal is shit.

^^^^

Ultimate frustration as a Bullets fan. Hoped he would learn from the loss his gave Brisbane on Saturday but we saw an almost identical play, he even turned the ball over at the exact same spot. Beal is killing me. Bullets cooked. Bring on next season.

"^ The guy goes 9-9 and you're having pots at him??? C'mon man. Kicks ha always been pretty selective with his shots (read: he doesn't chuck up junk) which is why he shoots with a high clip. He is never going to be a high volume guy."

Happy to have a go at him, apart from Craig there was no one else even looking like scoring, so he needed to step up and take some more shots. He could have gone for 40 yesterday and won the game for them easily.

"Refs call a couple minor travels through the game but the last winning basket by NZ he might as well been waltzing an no call."

Looked like two steps to me.

Definitely two steps from when he picks up the ball. Fair score.