The Breakers Return, Bullets Aim for Back-to-Back Wins
ROUND 5 of the National Basketball League (NBL) season for 2024/25 has arrived, and it all kicks off with a clash between the New Zealand Breakers and the Brisbane Bullets at Nissan Arena on Thursday night. The clash marks the return of the Breakers to the NBL, having missed the last two rounds due to competing in matches overseas. They will take on a Bullets side fresh off its maiden win of the campaign, and will be eager to keep that form going.
With a win vital for both sides moving forward, a matchup between two of the most intriguing teams in the NBL is the perfect way to kick off Round 5.
Although it was not exactly pretty, the Bullets did what they needed to do to get a win over the SEM Phoenix on Saturday night. Coming into the clash, neither side was on the board for season 2024/25, and although it was a scrappy affair, Brisbane emerged victorious by two points on the road at John Cain Arena. Brisbane will be hopeful it is the result that breathes some life into its season and it can charge up the standings from here.
The Breakers have spent the last few weeks in the United States, taking on several NBA sides as a part of the competition’s preseason. It was not a successful trip for New Zealand, sustaining a trio of heavy losses to the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Breakers will be thankful to be back in the NBL, where they currently hold a league-best record of two wins and zero losses as they look to keep their unbeaten run going.
Key Players to Watch
After delivering plenty of promise in the preseason, Bullets big man Tyrell Harrison finally translated that form to the regular season in the win over the Phoenix. He posted a whopping double-double of 21 points and 17 rebounds, with 12 of those coming on the offensive end in a masterful display of second-chance scoring. If he can produce a similar output against the Breakers, it bodes extremely well for the Bullets claiming a second consecutive win.
There is no one more important to the success of the Breakers than Parker Jackson-Cartwright. He was a consistent shining light for the team during their losses to NBA teams in the past fortnight, and holds the key to breaking a game open. There are few more creative players with ball in hand than Jackson-Cartwright, and New Zealand will be eager to get him going early against Brisbane on the road at Nissan Arena.
Round 5 Preview: A Look at the Remaining Games
Tasmania vs Sydney
The Sydney Kings had an up and down Round 4, after they lost to Adelaide on the road, before bouncing back to dominate Cairns. Right now, all eyes are on how the Kings find a consistency to be the championship favourite that many believe they are. With question marks around their rotations and play style, the pressure never comes off for Brian Goorjian’s men.
For Tasmania, they are simply desperate to find some offensive production. Through the first four rounds, they’re the lowest offensively rated team in the league, which is pushing their exceptional defensive to the brink. This match-up sees a grind it out playing style from the JackJumpers, go up against a fast paced, high-flying Kings.
New Zealand vs Perth Wildcats
Perth will be arriving in New Zealand at 1am on game day, ready to build on their big win in Cairns last Thursday. It was the Bryce Cotton show during that game, as the four time MVP took over and score 35 points, including seven threes. The matchup with the Breakers will be a big one, considering New Zealand played just two days prior and could have shaken off the cobwebs from their international trip.
It's been a busy start to the season for the Wildcats, who travelled to Tasmania in Round 3, then straight up to Cairns for the week and will now head over to New Zealand.
Cairns vs Illawarra
Illawarra is currently top of the ladder and look to be the team to beat in NBL25. They bounced back from their loss in Round 3 to Adelaide by giving Tasmania its biggest loss in the club’s history. Illawarra are perhaps the most balanced team in the league with their offensive weapons and defensive stopper, Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk an early favourite to win the Best Defensive Player.
Cairns dropped both games last weekend and Adam Forde didn’t want to hear any excuses about his team not being at full strength. With Taran Armstrong and Tanner Groves both expected to miss this game again, it puts even more pressure on the young Taipans to find another level and take it up to the ladder leaders.
Melbourne vs South East Melbourne
The winless Phoenix made the decision to part ways with Mike Kelly and go in a different direction to complete the season. With Sam Mackinnon stepping in as interim coach, how does his team respond against their inner city rival?
If history tells us anything, teams that make a coaching change mid-season usually respond in an emotional and emphatic fashion. Last season it was the Hawks who were 2-7, before they made a coaching change and charged all the way to a Playoff appearance.
Standing in the Phoenix way is Melbourne United who currently hold the best defensive rating of any team, and it’s not close. One can expect that they’d enjoy nothing more than to drive more pain into their rival.
Adelaide vs Tasmania
Adelaide came out on its home floor last Friday night and put on a show by dominating the Sydney Kings from the first quarter. Disappointingly, the 36ers couldn’t continue that form when they travelled to Melbourne two days later and were compressively beat by United. Right now they’re building something special, especially at the Entertainment Centre, and will be looking to make their home court a fortress.
While Tasmania has struggled to score the ball thus far, Adelaide has no such issue, currently second in points per game at 92.3. For the JackJumpers to go into enemy territory and pull out a win, they simply must find a way to match the offensive firepower of this 36ers team.
Round 5: A Pivotal Week for NBL Teams
ROUND 5 of the National Basketball League (NBL) season for 2024/25 has arrived, and it all kicks off with a clash between the New Zealand Breakers and the Brisbane Bullets at Nissan Arena on Thursday night. The clash marks the return of the Breakers to the NBL, having missed the last two rounds due to competing in matches overseas. They will take on a Bullets side fresh off its maiden win of the campaign, and will be eager to keep that form going.
With a win vital for both sides moving forward, a matchup between two of the most intriguing teams in the NBL is the perfect way to kick off Round 5.
This week will be a crucial one in shaping the remainder of the season. Teams will be eager to prove their worth and establish themselves as contenders. With the NBL season still in its early stages, there’s a lot to play for, and Round 5 promises to deliver plenty of excitement.
