NZ Breakers 90-67 Cairns Taipans

The thing about this Breakers side is that they’ve got a lot of different ways they can get ya. So long as things are going well, that is. At their best it means they barely need to be coached, just encouraged, so good can they be. Yet at their worst they can look lost like babes in the woods. This was not such a night.

Damn, but it certainly was a NIGHT. Up against the Cairns Taipans, also 2-3, both teams needed the win to keep from playing early season catch up. Initially it looked like it may be Cairns who wanted it more though. An early couple of Abercrombie free throws the only scoring the Breakers managed in the first four minutes of play. Cairns shot out to a quick lead and the Breaks were slammed in a timeout team talk by Coach Vickerman. Not usually his way of doing things, you knew that meant things were going wrong.

For the most part, it was slack defence. They were overcommitting to the movement of their markers as Cairns ran through their offensive sets early, punishing guys as they caught them on the draw. Vickerman’s beef was that they weren’t getting stops.

Hey and guess what, the hairdryer treatment worked. A few stops, a few Corey Webster long twos and Tai Wesley in the post a couple times and the lead closed within range. So much of the Breakers success comes in fast-paced transitional offence and without making stops that doesn’t come to be. We don’t even need to get started on some of the troubles they’ve had inbounding the ball from their own baseline.

Then Corey drained a triple to get things really moving. Then he drained two more of them. Breakers in front, it was 21-16 at the end of the first quarter, Webster with 11. If it weren’t for Torrey Craig off the bench for the Taipans then this may have gotten ugly early. But he kept them in it with some timely buckets in the second as the Breaks otherwise rolled. Fouls were the only real worry, all four of their big fellas succumbing at one time or another (Mike, Pledge, Catfish and Tai). Still, despite the inconsistencies (and the tough, physicality of the game – Pledger was not a fan of a few calls) NZB never let that lead get too close. They were up five at the half and looking good for it. Cedric was shut out of things at the beginning but soon got his game on doing his usual bit of everything.

The second half began with two consecutive offensive boards and then a smart layup form Mika Vukona. As well as that, it was becoming crystal clear that Cairns just couldn’t hold Tai Wesley back in the paint. He was bossing them all over with his strength and his little spins, when he couldn’t finish he often found himself at the foul line anyway. It’s a little boring as a play-call but when you’ve got a weakness to exploit, may as well keep going to the well.

At 50-45 in the third, Cairns were on the verge of finally getting going and that was exactly when it all fell apart. A couple Tai buckets stretched that lead and then, coinciding with the start of the NBA season which he didn’t quite get to stick around for (the Pelicans were on the helpless end of a Steph Curry masterclass a few hours earlier), Corey Webster went wild.

But in the most civilised way, there was nothing erratic about it. Whereas in the first half he went looking for shots that maybe weren’t there, in the second half he was zoned in. Every little drop of the shoulder sent defenders scattering. Every long jumper was wide open and sunk. He had his way with anyone who came with the temerity to try guard him. Swish, swish after glorious swish. He makes it look so freakin’ easy.

A 12-0 run pushed the lead out to where it’d take a Breakers meltdown to let them back into the game. Instead they put the foot on the gas. If you had to put a marker on the exact moment that the Taipans seemed to give up, it’d be when Tai Wesley hit a three pointer from the top of the key. That was followed by a stupid foul on Wes attempting a long two and before you knew it this game was in garbage time.

Yet still the Breakers pushed. Long, flashy passes and the odd shake and bake. Both Webster and Wesley marched on to personal career highs in points scored. Wesley had 26 (shooting 9 of 14) along with 8 boards, while Webster banked 35 of them (14/25, 10/15 in the second half). Cedric also helped himself to 10p/8r/5a, Abercrombie had 8 points and Mika 2 points and 7 rebounds. Cairns shot 2 of 14 from 3pt, the Breakers 8 of 18.

This was a good game.

Stocks:

Movin’ On Up Like Curtis Mayfield – There’s a new found ruthlessness to Corey Webster’s game that is surely gonna take him to new levels. You can only imagine how much better that extended time he got with the Pelicans has made him. In the past he’s always been a slick scorer but he’d at times settle for poor looks or seem like he wasn’t going at 100%. Now it’s like there’s a red light behind his pupils. He hit 10 of his 15 shots in the second half and they were not all dunks and layups, let’s get that straight. Brilliant stuff.

Goin’ Down Slow Like Howlin’ Wolf – Not so brilliant from Catfish Jackson who didn’t register a point until 102 seconds from the final buzzer. Mounting foul counts again, kept him on the outer for the whole game. It’s a shame that he’s having this trouble adjusting (you can tell, given how he seems so incensed at some of the calls against him) because here’s a mighty dominant dude in the paint himself, on offence at least. He should already be a fan favourite, though the last couple games he’s been marginalised. Let’s go with the narrative that it was just Tai Wesley’s turn. Wes deserved it too, his wife went into labour right before the game and he was right off to the hospital afterwards. Best wishes to the Wesley family!

Key Stat

Here’s one for ya:

Play of the Game

Turning defence into attack, this is how the Breakers love to play.

By the way, there’d have been a Corey jump shot in here had there been one that made the little NBL highlights package, but for some reason that 90 second wrap had Taipans plays outnumbering Breakers ones two to one. We weren’t the only ones who noticed either.

Season Standings

Cedric Jackson – 8

Charles Jackson – 7

Two on 6

Match MVP Points

Corey Webster – 3

Tai Wesley – 2

Cedric Jackson – 1

Up Next

Thursday, 7.30pm: NZ Breakers vs Adelaide 36ers, North Shore Events Centre (NZT)