Break-down
Coach demands answers
Kevin Braswell has challenged his brittle Breakers to take the mirror test for what is shaping as an early defining week in their Australian NBL season.
The Breakers have dropped two straight home games to open the new season 1-2. That in itself is not the end of the world.
But what has set a few alarm bells ringing is the nature of Sunday’s 101-78 defeat by the Sydney Kings, on top of an equally lacklustre effort first up against Brisbane. It was lethargic, devoid of effort or intent. Again. The Breakers simply rolled over and let Andrew Bogut and the previously winless Kings have their way with them.
The numbers spoke to the passive nature of the Breakers’ performance. Sydney became only the fourth team in NBL history to shoot 60 percent from the floor, 50% from three and 90% from the line. They went at 60.3% overall, 55% from beyond the arc and 90.0% from the stripe.
In contrast the home side made 36.8% of their shots and went 22.6% from deep. They sucked at both ends and failed to find the requisite fight to claw their way back into the contest.
‘‘Everyone has to look in the mirror and figure out what they can do to bring it every day,’’ said coach Braswell, who is clearly feeling the frustrations. ‘‘The answers come from within. It’s looking in the mirror and making sure as an athlete you bring your effort every single day.
‘‘I feel like our team right now is still trying to figure things out. As a coach you just want to know what you’re going to get from every guy every game, and right now there are question marks about what we’re going to get consistently.
‘‘There are no days off in this league. We had a good week of training. It’s just hard when you come into the game and don’t see the same effort given.’’
It is Braswell’s job to cajole that effort and the rookie coach admits they face an early acid test with the typically fast-paced Adelaide 36ers (2-2) next. Joey Wright’s men have beaten Sydney back-to-back over the opening two rounds, and will fancy their chances of putting a big number up in Auckland on Sunday (2.30pm tip).
‘‘It’s huge – one of our biggest weeks,’’ said Braswell. ‘‘Hopefully we can show the desperation Sydney showed. They didn’t look rattled when we got up 11-2. Their desperation looked a lot better.
‘‘Our team has to have that growth. Shea [Ili] pointed out during the week that normally the Breakers have seven or eight New Zealanders, and the chemistry has been there. We’ve got four who were here last year, and we’re still trying to figure out certain things.’’
The Breakers have a lot to fix. Corey Webster is 5 for 23 over the last two games. Shea Ili and Finn Delany can’t get going offensively. Import Armani Moore is a non-factor. Tom Abercrombie and Patrick Richard have been erratic, at best.
Former Philadelphia 76er Shawn Long, one of only two Breakers to produce acceptable efforts against the Kings, spoke from the heart about the shortcomings. He had 17 points