Recap: NZ Breakers v Adelaide 36ers

The NZ Breakers have beaten the Adelaide 36ers 96-83 at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch. See how the NBL action unfolded here.

After all but clinching a finals spot with a heated 103-87 win over the Brisbane Bullets at Spark Arena on Friday night, the New Zealand Breakers will be ready for the step up in intensity that comes with elimination basketball.

The equation was simple for the two teams: win and move on to the post-season, lose and find yourself cheering on the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix against the Sydney Kings on Saturday night. It would take an absolute hammering at the hands of the ninth-placed Adelaide 36ers on Sunday for the Breakers to miss the playoffs now, with points percentage the tiebreaking factor should teams finish even on wins.

With campaigns at stake, the fact the Breakers and Bullets had split their two previous meetings this season, and that this would be longtime Breaker Tom Abercrombie’s last regular season game at home, it was as high-tension a clash as a fan could hope for at this point of the season.

The shots were falling, but it was the Breakers’ effort that was making the difference. Playing every possession like it could be the one that gets them over the line, they outhustled the Bullets and frustrated them.

But they also got contributions across the rotation, with eight of the nine players to take the floor getting on the score sheet – five scoring in double figures. Though – as is a constant of the team’s season – foul trouble was an issue as they also had four players finish one foul away from being ejected.