The crushing weight of history weighs heavily on the wounded Sydney Kings, who must now achieve something only one other team has managed in the past 26 years to keep their dream of back-to-back NBL titles alive.
Outplayed in game one of the best-of-five finals series on their home floor by a faultless Will McDowell-White and the Breakers, the Kings head to New Zealand on a short turnaround with their two best players Xavier Cooks and Derrick Walton Jr facing injury concerns.
The past 14 NBL teams to emerge victorious in game one of the NBL grand final have gone on to win the series — and 25 of the past 26 titles. In fact only four teams in league history have managed to turn the tables after dropping game one.
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Ironically, the Kings were the only team in that period to claim game one, but surrender the championship when, in 2008, the Chris Anstey-led Melbourne Tigers flipped the script to win that series in five.
For gritty import Justin Simon, who kept his side alive against the Breakers in game one with 13 first-half points on a perfect 6-6 shooting, history means little.
“I really don’t pay too much attention to that, you don’t want to count yourself out and we’re looking forward to making something happen in game two,” Simon said.
“It’s obviously not the result we wanted, so we’re disappointed and upset, but we’ll go back to the drawing board, watch tape and look at what hurt us, what we can get better at, and see what adjustments we can make.
“Going into this next game, it’s a quick turnaround, so we can’t really dwell on it. We’ve got to have a short-term memory, learn from it, keep moving forward and get a W on their home court.”
The Kings hopped a flight to Auckland Saturday morning and will be back on court at a sold out Spark Arena less than 48 hours after the 87-95 loss, leaving little time for Cooks and Walton Jr to recover.
Word out of the Kings is they expect both to play, the club saying Cooks has an ankle injury and Walton Jr was suffering cramps when both exited in the last quarter.
“Our medical staff, they do a great job, so I’m sure they’ll have those guys ready to go and taken care of,” Simon said.
“Both have flown and everyone’s in the mix and will be ready to compete for game two.”
Simon, 26, has added incentive to help the Kings turn things around — he’s never won a title at the pro level.
“Only at the high school level was the last time I’ve won, so it’s important we change the momentum and turn things around — it would be special to win it at the pro level, for sure,” the LA native said.
Simon, a former NBL Defensive Player of the Year, is out of contract at season’s end and is expected to have no shortage of suitors in search of an athletic lockdown wing capable to quelling the opposition’s best scorer.
“My agent does a great job of putting me in great situations and great spots, I’m locked in on the task at hand, which is trying to win a championship, these are some of the biggest games in my carer at his moment so I let my agent deal with that,” he said.
Game two is on Sunday at 4pm in New Zealand.
Watch on Kayo and ESPN.
’PLAYING LIKE SH*T’ KINGS COACH SAVAGES PLAYERS
—Matt Logue
The Sydney Kings’ championship defence is on shaky ground after the New Zealand Breakers – the NBL’s road warriors – produced a defensive masterclass to edge out the Kings 95-87 in a Game 1 boilover.
The Breakers head home to Auckland on Sunday with a 1-0 series lead following a dominant display to defeat the defending champions on their home court.
Rising Boomers guard William McDowell-White and forward Jarrell Brantley excelled to help the New Zealanders claim early trans-Tasman bragging rights.
McDowell-White dropped a near triple-double to finish with a game-high 19 points while he added nine rebounds and nine assists.
Brantley was also immense for the Breakers – dropping 16 points and adding seven rebounds.
The eight-point triumph strengthened the Breakers’ road record for NBL23 to 12-3 – which places the men from NZ in a formidable position in the series.
Sydney had no answers for the Breakers’ potent offence, but the Kiwis’ No.1 league ranked defence stole the show.
The New Zealanders restricted Sydney star forward and NBL MVP Xavier Cooks to just eight points, including just four at halftime.
Of greater concern for the Kings, Cooks looked to be hampered after copping a knock to the leg early in the game.
In a further concern for Sydney, guard Derrick Walton Jr left the game late in proceedings with a leg injury.
Guard Justin Simon was Sydney’s best and a beast at both ends of the floor.
In defence, Simon harassed the Breakers like a seagull chasing a chip while his energy on the offensive end was infectious.
The former Illawarra Hawk had 13 points and five rebounds at halftime, but he needed more help from his teammates.
WE’RE PLAYING LIKE SHIT
Kings coach Chase Buford hit out at his side’s poor performance against the Breakers in the post-game press conference.
“We’re playing like shit,” Buford fired.
“We haven’t played good basketball for the past two months. Our offence was terrible (tonight).”
Buford confirmed Cooks had carried injury concerns into the opening grand final game, but he expects him to play in game 2 on Sunday despite the gun forward appearing to tweak his ankle during the first quarter.
He also addressed Walton Jr, who suffered a leg injury.
“Hopefully he’ll get healthy,” Buford said.
“It’s the finals. 80 per cent of our team is carrying injuries.”
HOW THE KEY MATCH-UPS FARED:
Xavier Cooks v Jarrell Brantley
In somewhat of a boilover given Cooks in the NBL’s MVP, Brantley won this one-on-one battle in a knockout.
The Breakers big man was aggressive from the onset – but his ability to knock down the three ball on three occasions – proved to be his secret weapon.
Brantley had 10 points in the first half while Cooks wasn’t his usual self, dropping just four.
The Kings star preserved in the second half, but it just wasn’t his night.
Cooks finished with eight points – while Brantley excelled in a memorable display.
Winner: Brantley
Derrick Walton Jr v William McDowell-White
McDowell-White was simply sensational. The rising Australian Boomers guard produced one of the finest grand final performances.
McDowell-White had 12 points and six rebounds at the break.
He dominated proceedings with his pinpoint teardrop to have the bumper crowd at Qudos Bank Arena on its feet in appreciation.
In a major blow for the Kings, Walton Jr limped off with a leg injury with four minutes remaining in the match to place him in doubt for Game 2 in Auckland on Sunday.
Winner: McDowell-White
Dejan Vasiljevic v Barry Brown Jr
The New Zealand Breakers are Dejan Vasiljevic’s bogey team – but DJ did his best to defy the trend on Friday night.
DJ averages double-digit scoring against every team in the NBL this season – except the Breakers. His 8.7ppg comes on just 32 per cent shooting from the field and 28.6 per cent from deep.
Vasiljevic attempted to aggressively attack the game in the opening quarter, with four quick points from determined drives to the basket.
But the Boomers World Cup aspirant soon turned cold.
Vasiljevic failed to score in the second quarter while he gave up a sloppy three-point play to Breakers French Next Star Rayan Rupert.
DJ found his offensive groove in the third quarter with seven points, including a timely three in the final seconds to ensure the Kings trialled by just six points heading into the fourth quarter.
Vasiljevic finished with 11 points, although he also added an unsportsmanlike foul in a mixed night for the sharpshooter.
For New Zealand, Brown started the game off the bench in a surprise pre-game move for the Breakers.
He had six points in the first half before finishing the game with a game-high equalling 19 points, including a host of clutch buckets down the stretch.
Winner: Brown
Tim Soares v Dererk Pardon
Dererk Pardon slightly edged out Tim Soares in the battle of the big men.
Pardon had six points in the first half, but zero rebounds.
Soares only had two points in the opening half, and despite improving his play in the second half, he was outpointed in the physicality stakes.
The Kings will need more from Soares moving forward to have any chance of winning the championship series.
Winner: Pardon
Biggest adjustment for Game 2:
Breakers: More of the same. If the Breakers can maintain the rain on the offensive end, then they possess the league‘s best defence to dominate again.
The New Zealanders will find another gear playing at Spark Arena in front of their faithful fans, but will they handle the grand final pressure?
Kings: Sydney must sharpen up on both ends of the floor. The NBL’s best offensive team failed to fire while they couldn’t contain the Breakers’ offensive fire. The Kings also need a fast start in New Zealand, otherwise they could be facing a 2-0 series deficit.
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