Hoops

Breakers Vs Tigers Round 8

Agreed Paul re: outhustled, Vickerman called him out in a timeout for pretty much that.

Look, if Knight can be labelled just a good role player, Pledger can get labelled a bad defender, it happens!

Watched the game again and very few of Morrisons points came from scoring "on" pledger.
He generally took advantage of mismatches with smaller players on him and a few cheap put backs from poor team defense.

Didn't pledger block the shit out of DJ a few times last time they played?

Breakers played Pledger, Wilkinson & Vukona at Centre for stretches.

TeRangi is a hybrid of Vukona & Abercrombie, once his IQ is up he'll be great.
Love his energy on the boards, guess Mika set the tone for him.

I love the invisible foul from Johnson on Goulding for the and1 play.

Anyone saying Ubaka back in for Farrakhan is jumping the gun so badly they probably need to get on one of those AMI ads as well.

@ Muzz Buzz

Why would there be so much discontent?

What's Tommy Greer doing about it ? As captain you'd believe he wouldn't want his team being so divided and surely Greer is good for something (commentary isn't his go either) but I'm not sure exactly what it is yet!

I think Nate Tomlinson is progressing along great and surely Anstey has fast tracked him with all the minutes he gives him and he is getting better and I'd rather have Nate on the floor over the angry Mustaphar

So that's what happens when Vukona stays out of foul trouble.

When the Breakers sent out an SOS for a hero, enter M Vukona.

Vukona doing another Rodman

Well, the we have a pack now for the playoff positions and after dropping the hammer on Melbourne in the 4th, and Sydney's 43, you would have to give some thought to NZ being the 3rd strongest team at present.

Holy crap, Mika Vukona

On a lighter note, that's 3 poor games in a row for Worthington... If he doesn't destroy Garlepp and his mates then he won't be in my dream team next week

I've been thinking about this since the game ended and instead of going off at Melbourne I think Breakers need their props as they Tigers were no way comfortable.

Watching that last quarter, I couldn't help but feel that Tigers are a 3rd rate team, Goulding was being stopped, Wortho was ineffective and they couldn't get the ball inside to Morrison. Ballinger should have been out there and as for Mustaphar; he looked like Bennie Lewis with even less game (both wear #9)

That's a Breakers team I would pay to watch, much better performance.
There were still large periods where the offense completely dried up but the Tigers deserve a lot of credit for pressuring NZ into wasting possessions.

Goulding still got open more than I'd like but in the end it didn't matter.
Great to get the win at home with a half decent performance against a good opponent.

Vukona lead by example and I loved Webster, Wilkinson & TeRangi's hustle & energy off the bench.

After Goulding & Morrison the Tigers didn't have anyone else who looked like doing much offensively apart from chuck up a 3. Their new import hasn't really found his feet in the league and looks pretty frustrated.

always a great atmosphere at NSEC

Is Mika wanting player of the week (nomination) or just the win?

He has been ridiculous tonight...

Talking about ridiculous... Got some of our better refs in this league calling this game and that second quarter was ugly

When the refs were letting small contact go in the first quarter the game was free flowing and exciting..

When they started calling it much tighter, the quality of the game diminished greatly

As much as i dislike Wortho...Damn the refs have screwed him over

Correct me if I'm wrong but is Corey Webster the laziest player in the NBL or just the laziest guard?

Lol @ Anstey using a cattle prod on his players... Think Webster could use this!

2:21 left in the second and Melbourne 36-33. I think I'll stick with Melbourne for this game.

Goulding has started well

@Griffin

He's certainly tracking for it, and staying out of foul trouble so far for a miracle (just watch, he's going to be straight out ejected now I've said this)

From Hero to Zero, Wilkinson goes from hitting the triple to committing NZ's 2nd USF of the game, this time on Morrison.

Vukona having an absolute blinder so far, 4p 4a **9**r 1b

Vukona, Waxy, Goulding each on 3 assists

Te Rangi just missed two free throws.

NZB cleaning up on the boards behind Vukona

Abercrombie and Corletto both on 2 fouls at quarter time, Goulding having drawn 4 so far. Not shooting well so far but if he keeps getting his defenders in trouble he will capitalise.

Top scorers are Morrison 6, Wortho 5, Vukona 4.

Very high quality game thus far!

Corey Webster with a USF on Farrakhan, made both, then Tomlinson sank a three on the retained possession, assisted by Ballinger.

Ouuuuch, Vickerman would not have loved that.

Webster redeemed himself with his own three, then Te Rangi made a steal and 3pt of his own.

Goulding has drawn his 3rd foul, this time from Abercrombie, Morrison has dunked and we are rattling along 26-21 with a minute to go.

Only person in multiple fouls atm is Corletto on 2, was not subbed out at the time, but now as been subbed for Webster about halfway through the quarter. Johnson fouled Goulding, no one is shooting well and the foul count is 4-3, score 9-7.

Scores are 7-5, with fouls keeping pace at 3-3 after only three and a bit minutes.

ARGH this foul situation, bloody sort it out already! FFS!

And a second foul by Corletto on Goulding in the first three minutes of the game. Bad start.

Looks like Corletto has the job (inasmuch as he can) on Goulding.

First points of game = Goulding absolutely blows by Corletto for the and1

Thanks Mystro - NZ away to Perth and Melbourne next round, does call for some judicious injury management.

I believe Johnson is suiting up, how many minutes he plays is anyones guess

So, is Johnson suiting/not suiting?

Because he is in the league for his shooting ability?

Steve Novak has being in the NBA for a while..doesn't make him a good defender.

Corletto did a great job on Lisch in the finals, all be it very physically

Goulding is going to go off tonight.

The Breakers are the most ill-equipped team to defending elite Shooting Guards.

Corletto can't defend to save himself.

Webster could match Gouldings' speed, but is giving up 3 inches or so. (Shame Corey didn't get his dad's height, Tai clearly has).

Abercrombie is your only real option.

But I don't think he could keep up with Goulding. If Abercrombie did guard him, I could see him picking up a few early fouls, which will mean he has to sit on the pine (which ultimately negates his offensive game)

The thing they could do is just rotate the defensive assignments and throw a combination of those guys at him, along with Te Rangi.

Either way, im tipping Chris to have 30 + tonight.

Breakers could play Webster @ PG and shift Abercrombie down to SG, TeRangi at SF and Vukona/Wilkinson at PF and the Pledge at C.
Would be a long and athletic team capable of switching on defense and tough cover offensively.

I would have thought that Abercrombie would get the job on Goulding using his length and athleticism to contest, but his scoring of late has been super valuable so Corletto may have to use his fouls wisely on Goulding.
I'd be comfortable with TeRangi/Vukona covering and negating anything Walker may bring to the table.

Tomlinson/Goulding v Johnson/Corletto is much more even proposition than a Buton/Corletto backcourt. If Johnson plays, I'm in the air over the result, but if he doesn't, that gives Anstey a lot of material to work with and Tigers should get it done.

Does anyone remember the time when all teams were afraid to play Aukland? Even the cheerleaders were scary!

Goulding is the obvious key to the game and for the Breakers to have any chance, they need to keep him down. Who will step up and drink from the poisoned chalice?

With Goulding in white hot form, its hard not to see the Tigers tear out the heart of the Breakers.

You might need to get Johnson onto Wortho's fantasy NBL team first.

Johnson is in doubt, by how much only the Breakers know. Vukona, Pledger, Abercrombie etc all have played with injuries so hopefully Johnson has had a tweet from Worthington telling him to harden up.
I expect him to suit up but could be wrong.

Still can't believe that every time I see your username my first thought is "Harry Potter reference?"

Anyway - "take advantage" of Walker?

PG duties will be split between Webster & the aged CJ Bruton and Corletto is just a secondary ball handler in the event of a press.
Wouldn't be so bad if we were playing the Kings, both teams could run 3x SG's all game.