Anthony Lamb of the Breakers. Photo: photosport
The New Zealander Breakers have notched back to back wins for the first time this season, eclipsing the Sydney Kings 109-101 to breathe life into their faltering NBL campaign.
The result improves the Breakers' record 6-9 and lifts them to eighth, creating hope they can yet reach the playoffs, having battled a debilitating series of injuries to key players over the last month.
A Breakers side which reached last year's grand final - where they lost 3-2 to the Kings - have struggled without American forward Zylan Cheatham, who the club side could be in line for a return from a lengthy spell on the sideline nursing a leg fracture.
However, he remained out, along with forward Finn Delaney, who is expected to be sidelined for a month by a calf complaint.
The pair weren't missed as the Breakers unleashed one of their best displays of the season, highlighted by a dominant third quarter, won 33-18 after the scores were tied at halftime.
American Anthony Lamb again led the scoring with 24 points, supported by 17 each to fellow-imports Mantas Rubštavičius and Parker Jackson-Cartwright.
Breakers coach Mody Maor was delighted with his team's performance, highlighting a sound starting debut for forward Dan Fotu.
"First we played fantastic basketball and Kings are a good basketball team who responded," Maor said.
"They're so versatile and every time we got punched or they made a run, we responded through things that are entrenched in our identity.
"That's stops, physicality, ball movement and something we haven't always had which is the ability to respond when things don't go well."
The Kings, who were led by 19 points to Kouat Noi, drop from second to fourth in the standings.
Coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was unhappy at his team for conceding 20 turnovers.
"It was the first few minutes of the first quarter and when you put yourself in a hole like that, it's tough to manage," he said.
"We just didn't have enough juice and we can't fall back by 17 points two different times in two different halves and expect for a good outcome."
