Friday, November 27, 9.30pm AEDT, Perth Arena, WA, watch on Fox Sports
Ladder position
Perth Wildcats: Second
New Zealand Breakers: Third
Season record
Perth Wildcats: 8-4
New Zealand Breakers: 7-4
Last five games
Perth Wildcats: WWLWW
New Zealand Breakers: WLWWW
THE New Zealand Breakers knocked off top of the table Melbourne United last weekend.
But it doesn’t get any easier for the Breakers ($2.45 with sportsbet.com.au), with the second placed Perth Wildcats ($1.55 with sportsbet.com.au) looming.
This game between the two teams who have shared the past six NBL titles is vital.
It could potentially give Perth top spot, if the Wildcats win by enough, but it could also see the two sides switch spots in second and third if the Breakers can get up.
Superstar Corey Webster was absolutely unstoppable against United, pouring in a career high 39 points as the defence keyed in to restrict their high scoring opponent, 80-69.
Webster was unconscious, going 13/25 from the field and seven of nine from the three point line on his way to scoring nearly half of New Zealand’s points.
Star guard Cedric Jackson was the only other Breaker in double figures, complementing his 10 points with nine rebounds and five assists.
It was Melbourne’s third loss in a row after going 9-0 to start the season and gave the Breakers some revenge from their one point loss to United earlier in the season.
Following the game, United coach Dean Demopoulos likened the Breaker franchise to that of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.
“I thought it was two pretty good teams knocking heads, more than anything else, and one team that’s done a whole lot more together,” Demopoulos said.
“That’s the reason why you look up here (at the rafters) and it looks like San Antonio.
“The banners tell you why you’re in the kind of fight you’re in.
“They’re champions of the league for four of the last five years, and they come out pretty fired up it looks like to me by nature.
“That’s one of the elements of why they’re who they are.
“The championship is going to go through here until somebody does it.
“They’ve got the cup, and everybody else is thirsty, I guess.”
The win over United gave the Breakers a pair of wins for the round after they disposed of the Sydney Kings in Sydney for their first road win of the season, 86-74. In that game, Webster had 17, while Thomas Abercrombie hit the glass with 11 points and 15 boards.
It all looks very ominous for the Wildcats, who will be out for some revenge after the Breakers rolled them in New Zealand by eight points, 88-80, in their clash earlier this season.
In that game, it was Webster, again, who went off, pouring in 28 points with four three pointers, while Abercrombie filled it up too, with 20 and 11 and big man Charles Jackson had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Wildcats struggled to get it going, but did have contributions across the board, led by import Casey Prather with 15 points.
It will take plenty to turn it around, but they do have the benefit of the most rabid home fan base in the NBL to help them out.
The Wildcats have fought through injuries, including the absence of talisman Damien Martin, to win four of their last five. But Martin is the man who would normally go head to head with Webster and try to contain him.
Like the Breakers, though, the form is good, with a pair of wins last week to set up the clash.
First they rolled Adelaide, 94-88 and then squeezed past Cairns, 91-90.
Against the 36ers, Prather led the way with 20, while old man Sean Redhage dropped four treys off the bench to help him to 16 points.
And it was that man again Prather who led the way with a brilliant all round game of 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists, including a late free throw that gave the Cats the win.
Big guy Nate Jawai had 20 points and seven boards to help Prather get his side over the line.
While Webster looms as the Wildcats biggest danger, Prather says he is getting better and whichever Breaker is assigned him as a defensive assignment will probably get very little sleep.
“I’m still getting better,” Prather said.
“My coach and teammates are doing a good job helping me understand the game a bit more.
“I’m a pretty confident player.
“I shoot free throws every day of my life, so it was routine,” he said of the clutch buckets he made against the Taipans.
“I love it. That’s what we play for.
“Growing up, you’re in the backyard going, ‘three, two, one’, and you shoot the ball.
“It’s the kind of thing you live for.”
Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson said his side was sloppy in the win over the Taipans and would have to be better if they were going to beat New Zealand.
Predictions
Match result: New Zealand Breakers win ($2.45 with sportsbet.com.au)
Line: New Zealand Breakers +3.5 ($1.90 with sportsbet.com.au)
This match feels like it’s all about Webster. If he gets going, no side can contain him. And, my, has he been cooking. He’s going at a league high 25.1 points per game and obviously coming off that big 39 point game. There’s no Damien Martin to try and contain him and that spells bad news for Perth. This game is a very difficult one to pick, but we’re giving it to the Breakers on account of their recent form, taking out their first road game of the season. The Wiildcats’ home court is a fortress, but if any side can penetrate that fortress it’s the Breakers. The offensive battle between Prather and Webster is going to be fun to watch, We’re also excited to see the big hairy Wildcat Matty Knight take on big Charles Jackson. That battle should be epic. If Webster goes off, the Breakers probably win by plenty.
