5 days ago I would've picked this to be tight. Now I'm thinking an easy breakers win. Look forward to watching modys sideline antics as much as the game!

Must win game for nz, hawks new coach who wants the job. Teams normally respond to coach sackings with a better performance. Breakers got injuries, don't defend as well as last season but still talented, hawks overrated from start imo but should compete hard to impress new coach.
I’m thinking very close game and which ever coach gets his subs right, play players performing and not by reputation wins this. Breakers by three.

How was that a foul on Parker, he was just standing there, don't call rubbish.

You can see this is last v 2nd last. Both sides really struggling. Parker on two fouls looks nz only hope. Peatling defence certainly strengthened the hawks so far. Same for Pineau for nz. Lamb been very average so far.

Mathiang minus 12, Pineau plus 7, get Pineau back on.

Much better quarter, hawks actually looking a lot more fluent. Breakers lead by one, Lamb 1 from 8 from deep. Parker doing very good. Like the look of Peatling for hawks, same with Pineau, they play hard within the capability and defend well.

Hawks lead by two, Froling 16 and 11, looking much better, hawks overall look much better. NZ just can't put it the bucket.

Turned into a very good game, early days but Tatum has hawks looking a lot better and subbing much better

Don't understand how Leafa gets so much time, Gliddon is a far better alrounder than him.

Great job Hawks. Amazing how often that happens when a coaching change is made.

Good win to the hawks, shooting or clearly hawks defence kept nz to 28%, hawks 43%.

You don't win games shooting like that. Pineau was great but the loss of Cheatham out has been massive. Mathiang has never been the same since his injury, is a massive liability on D. Lamb to many missed shots. Parker was excellent, lamb good but missed to many threes. Abercrombie and Delaney worked hard, Gliddon underused. Leafa very average.

Hawks look a different team, actually organised, he played players that have talent and slowed the rotations, good first up win to Tatum. Clarke and Froling were great, Harvey, Lobul, Peatling,Lee good.

Moady has slipped in his coaching, five minutes left and hawks in foul trouble, it should have get to the rack and draw fouls, didn’t happen.

Putrid display by the Breakers.

Gliddon should get Abercrombie's minutes until Abercrombie learns to shoot again.

Le’afa taking too many shots.

Mathiang should be cut. Pineau improving.

And the DJ needs to go. It’s not a bloody disco.

No Paul Mallet on the bench for Hawkes as the Assistant Coach.

Wonder if he walked when Jackomas got the see you later and has gone back home to Melbourne.

Rogers as the 1st Assistant Coach is not a confiedence boost either.

Losing WMW is obviously massive, but the other locals playing so poorly has magnified it. I expected Delaney to come in looking sharp with him now being in his prime but if anything has taken a step backwards. Izzy should be a bench sparkplug, Mathiang is a backup 4/5, Abercrombie is past it.

Abercrombie still plays very good D, the rest I totally agree with you.

Surprised by your comment on PJC being great dunkman. While he had been nearly every game I thought yesterday was way below par. His drives were slow and passing very sloppy... not to mention his shooting. I've got no doubt he'll bounce back but the team feed off him so when he's poor they stand no chance, especially with WMW not fit to take full the role

What's concerning for the Breakers is modys subs and schemes look fundamentally flawed and when questioned at press conferences he's lacking explanation, become very contradictory and gets quite prickly!

He doesn't seem to recognize that, while there's been injuries, the shooting guard and centre deficiencies that are hurting them were already present in the roster makeup

PJC gets called for the softest of fouls and yet every time he goes to the rack he gets fouled for only a third being called if lucky. I thought he was great and got nz back into the game.
I totally agree with your second comment though.

The centre position is a big problem for the Breakers. Pardon was world class at setting screens and defending screens.

I can't believe NZ put out a press release saying Mathiang would be better than Pardon. Even if it were true (which it's obviously not at this point) it was completely disrespectful to a guy who'd been outstanding for the club.

Pardon is playing in division two in Japan, the money must be good.

It must be, what a waste.

It is, much better than here for bigs. The NBL is basically the Cairns Taipans of Japanese basketball - we find the quality import bigs, and then Japan steals them.

It's a very good paying league though the standard is ok but well below the nbl.

Mighty mouse, wasn't that an instagram post?

The breakers social media team have taken a few cheap shots over the past couple of seasons.
So i suspect the Pardon-Mathiang comparison was more likely coming from them rather than the club itself.

https://www.nzbreakers.basketball/news/mangok-mathiang-signs-with-the-breakers-on-a-1-year-deal

"It's a very good paying league though the standard is ok but well below the nbl."

Yeah, I watched a handful of games in the first division last season and the standard of the locals is sub-NBL1, however the quality of the imports is pretty strong overall. It will benefit Japanese basketball in the longrun, but it will take some time.

Was hard to watch delany playing at 5 for parts of Sundays game. He's struggling for form at the moment anyway and I think needs consistent minutes at 4 if not 3 to bring out his best

Yes that means covering 5 with mathiang and pineau who are clearly both battling but I think the upside from delany would offset

It also allows others to play more in their more accustomed roles in 1-3

Pineau was very good, if Mathiang was anywhere near as good nz would have won the game. Him Delaney and Abercrombie were the only pluses for nz.

Breakers social media bros are like school in January - no class.

The NBL is basically the Cairns Taipans of Japanese basketball - we find the quality import bigs, and then Japan steals them.

I'll be VERY pissed if they lure Hogg away from the NBL!!

Hogg isn't really the type they go for (although Newbill broke the mould). Alan Williams will probably be the next target.

Even though Williams did finish last season playing in Japan he still has another year to go on his contract with SEM. Sam Froling who did the same at the end of last season might be the one to watch.

But it happens every off-season we lose 3-4 guys usually bigs to Japan. Last off-season it was Franks, Sotto, Brantley & Pardon.