BULLET WINS COMPARISONS TO NBA MEGASTAR
BULLETS coach Andrej Lemanis says guard Shaun Bruce is taking the confidence from being the “Russell Westbrook’’ of the Queensland state league into being a serious impact player off the bench.
Bruce was an integral part of Brisbane’s 87-85 upset win over star-studded Melbourne on the Gold Coast on Saturday when he returned a perfect shooting performance.
He finished with 13 points in 13 minutes with four field goals from four attempts including
two three-pointers at vital times against United.
He also had three from three from the free throw line to go with two assists and no turnovers.
While OKC star Westbrook collected the NBA’s MVP gong after averaging a triple-double in 2016-17, fellow point guard Bruce tore up the QBL in 2017 and finished with 20.43 points, 8.62 assists and 5.33 rebounds a game for Mackay.
He won the QBL’s MVP award and guided the Meteors to the grand final where he sustained an ankle injury that disrupted his pre-season with the Bullets.
Back to full fitness, the former Taipan is giving the Bullets a spark off the bench.
“That’s a pretty impressive game from Brucey,’’ Lemanis said.
‘‘He was the MVP of the QBL and he played that season with a tremendous confidence. We kept saying to him, ‘Mate, you’re the Russell Westbrook of that league’ with the triple doubles that continue to roll out.
“What we wanted was that confidence and intent when he came back to NBL.”