The Kiwis, the All Blacks and the Warriors have all had good-to-great years and you can throw the under-the-radar Breakers into that mix too. Dylan Cleaver finds five reasons why their 2009 might be even better.
KEY POINTS:
Can the Breakers do what the Warriors, the Phoenix and, stifle laughter, the Kingz never managed and win an Australian' championship? You bet.
Overnight's daunting road trip to Perth notwithstanding - it is the longest road trip of any domestic' basketball league in the world - the Breakers have shown a resilience hitherto unseen when it comes to taking their show on the road; their away record standing at 6-1 as of yesterday.
The importance of that cannot be underestimated. Even in their good years, the Warriors have had periods of fragility on the road. Winning on the road generally means you have a cohesive side that enjoys each other's company and can overcome the hostile crowds and inevitable 50-50 calls that almost always go the home team's way.
But here's five other reasons the Breakers can become the ANBL champs come March...
1. Kirk Penney
The guy is a scoring machine, averaging 24 points per game. "Frankly I think he should be playing in the NBA. His points production is consistently outstanding and some of the shots he takes are amazing," Breakers point guard and floor general CJ Bruton said recently. His was not a lone voice. "I think right now that he's the best player playing in this [NBL], import or not, and he's a class act; you can tell he's a professional, he's a good team man and he can be on an NBA roster, there's no doubt," said South Dragons and Boomers coach Brian Goorjian.
Perhaps the best Penney quote came from last night's adversary, Perth coach Conner Henry: "What is he doing in this league? He needs to get out of this league and go back to the NBA. With that body and that intellect and the ability to flat-out shoot the ball - I really wish he'd go back to the States," he said.
Penney has been a bit banged up recently but the two-week break should have rejuvenated aching body parts, so don't expect his production to drop off in the slightest. He's a gamer' too - he'll be the first in line to take the big shots that need hitting when the match is on the line.
2. Veteran Aussies
Everybody knew Bruton was going to be a great acquisition when he arrived following the collapse of the Brisbane Bullets. He wins championships and there isn't a classier ball-handler in the league.
Before him came Tony Ronaldson, a bona fide ANBL legend with more games, 616 and counting, than any other player. He's also a double Olympian and, as it stands, an honorary New Zealander.
During the playoff run, these two will be even more important than whatever numbers they post. It's their calming presence, their been-there-done-that and, don't underestimate this, their ability to sway officials who, in the early days of the Breakers, seemed to treat the New Zealand club with disdain. Invaluable.
3. Faltering competition
At this stage, it is hard to see a winner coming from outside the Breakers or the two Melbourne teams, the Tigers and Dragons, though Perth would argue their case long and loud.
Losing Sam MacKinnon was a massive blow for the Tigers but indications are he will return early from his blood-clotting illness. That immediately marks them as a dangerous team come playoff time.
The Breakers will take heart from the fact they appear to match up well against their Victorian foes. The far north teams, Cairns Taipans and Townsville Crocs, have inexplicably caused troubles but it would be a huge surprise if they were a big factor in the post-season, particularly Cairns, who had to be saved from going out the back door.
The league appears to be in bit of a funk in Australia, with disparaging press emanating from Brisbane and Sydney, whom lost their marquee franchises this year, but that won't bother the Breakers one bit.
4. Defence
The Breakers did not come with a reputation as ferocious defenders but signing Dillon Boucher helped rectify that. Mr Perpetual Motion might have one of the ugliest shots on the circuit but he is a prize pest when the other side has the ball and is worth far more than his numbers will ever show.
The team has bought into a defensive ethic and it's showing. Put it this way - they've convinced streak shooter Oscar Forman to put in a shift on the defensive end and it has lifted his worth considerably.
"It's not all about the three-point shot for me this year," he said. "My rebounds are up, so I'm helping the team out on the boards and my defence is a little bit better." Some would say a lot better.
5. Because they're good
Look at the table. This is no rogue placing. They're winning consistently because they're well run, well coached, highly motivated and they have talent across the court. When CJ Bruton comes off for a rest, Paul Henare, one of the Tall Blacks' best-ever point guards, replaces him.
When they were banged up and could have folded, they went on the road and won three huge games.
Man for man, their roster is as good or better than anybody bar the Melbourne Tigers and they have beaten them, so they fear no one.
They have championship winners, international veterans and talented youngsters. It is a heady mix that should play a massive part in reviving basketball in New Zealand as the Tall Blacks have faded in recent years.
And... two piffling reasons why they could come undone (hardly worth mentioning really).
1. Defence
While it is vastly improved upon previous Breakers' incarnations, they still have the ability to nod off, especially when Boucher is not on the court. The tone for the Breakers defence tends to be set early and when they come out flat - usually at home at the North Shore Events Centre for some strange reason - they find it hard to spark again, even with Boucher acting as a 1.96m jumper lead.
2. Rick Rickert's body
Breakers management will be praying, and given the Christian influence at the club that's probably not a figurative statement, the Minnesotan's body hangs together for the stretch run. He might not always put up the gaudy numbers but his is an imposing presence in the middle and down low, whether operating as a centre or a power forward. Back-up centre Tim Behrendorff is noted for his sound fundamentals and comes in the same physical dimensions as Rickert but does not have the same thou-shalt-not-pass' stature. Anyone, like Rickert, who has refused to yield an inch to NBA heavyweight Kevin Garnett should not be underestimated.
