It was as if, having breezed through last season's playoffs, the Breakers wanted to set themselves a more significant challenge to open the current campaign.
So the Kiwis club spotted their hosts a 25-point halftime lead in a start that was like something out of Dean Vickerman's worst nightmare. While both sides showed a little rust in the opening exchanges, one soon woke up while the other slipped into deep slumber.
The Breakers seemed like they were pressing at some points but short of passion on other occasions. Basic errors arrived as the deficit continued to swell, committing turnovers coming out of timeouts or found guilty of shot clock violations.
Pick a category in the first half and the numbers were ugly. The visitors made only a quarter of their shots from the floor and it was even worse from beyond the arc, as guard trio Cedric Jackson, Everard Bartlett and Shane McDonald combined to make only one of 10 attempts.
Adelaide, too, were initially struggling with their shooting touch, as the Breakers managed to hang with the hosts and head to the opening break trailing by a possession. But the 36ers were being handed chance after chance on the offensive glass and it was only a matter of time before they found form.
That happened in a painful second period, as the Breakers managed just nine points at one end and offered up far too many open looks at the other. Having hit rock bottom, the Breakers at least warmed up in the third, with a few more shots falling as they won the quarter.
But the damage was done and, continuing to struggle on the boards as they eventually lost the battle 45-36, the champs were never able to pull themselves within 15. It all completed a rocky start to the reign and left Mika Vukona's men in need of major amendments before Sunday's home opener against Townsville.
36ers 90 (Hodgson 18, Johnson 15, Ere 13)
Breakers 71 (Jackson 14, Bartlett 13, Jackson 12)
HT: 51-26
