Dragons 101
Breakers 84
KEY POINTS:
When does a blip become a slump? And when does a slump become a terminal decline?
Those are the questions the Breakers will be pondering after dropping their sixth game in seven matches, losing at home to the title-chasing South Dragons last night.
The answer to the first question, as far as the Breakers are concerned, is "some time ago". One win in seven matches is no blip. It is a disastrous return from a run of fixtures that represent nigh on a quarter of the club's 30-game regular season schedule.
Last night the mid-season league leaders were outgunned at both ends of the court as their star performer and most potent scorer, Kirk Penney, slumbered until late in the third quarter.
Penney eventually awoke from what had been a paralysing malaise to inspire a rally that took the Breakers to within sight of a comeback victory that would have been close to outright theft.
Having whittled a 20-point deficit to just four with nine minutes remaining, the Breakers could have and should have gone on to win the game in front of a fired-up packed house.
But, with their game in their grasp they again wilted, falling to a defeat that all-but scuppers their chances of a crucial top-two finish.
Instead of looking up at the two Melbourne clubs above them on the table, they are now left looking nervously over their shoulders at the chasing Perth and Townsville, both just a win behind.
If there is a silver lining to what is a fairly portentous cloud, it is a kind run in to the playoffs.
Of the four opponents left for the Breakers, only the 13-13 Adelaide 36ers are in the post-season picture.
A couple of wins against the also-rans should be enough for the club to at least snare third place and with it home advantage for a one-off quarter-final.
The Breakers made a horror start, slumping to a 10-0 deficit as their offence totally misfired.
With his starting five turning in yet another lethargic opening display, Lemanis introduced Dillon Boucher, Paul Henare and Phill Jones to counter the Dragons' superior hustle.
The move bore early fruit, with Boucher nabbing two quick turnovers.
Jones nailed a three to briefly cut the lead to single figures but the Breakers' offence again stuttered and the Dragons cleared out to a 30-17 lead at the first break.
The early numbers were ugly for the Breakers, who shot just 30 per cent from the field and were out-rebounded 14-7 in the first quarter.
A quick start to the second spell hinted at a Breakers revival but they were still struggling to get the ball into the hands of Penney, who managed just two errant field goal attempts in the first half.
Penney's burst of 17 late points and Jones' game-high 28 at least helped the Breakers make a game of it but the comeback did little to disguise the deficiencies that have seen their season enter what appears to be an increasingly rapid free-fall.
Their remaining games include a home match against the Cairns Taipans and three away matches against the Wollongong Hawks, the Adelaide 36ers and the Sydney Spirit, all teams in the bottom half of the table.
