Round 8 Preview: Kings vs. Bullets

By Matt McQuade

 

Pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off, and start all over again.

That will be the mantra of the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings this week.

And that’s down to the fact it’s been a rough last fortnight for the purple and gold; particularly in Round 7 of NBL22.

In consecutive games, the team had great opportunities to win in the fourth quarter, only to fall short against Illawarra and New Zealand; two frustrating losses that dropped the Kings to a 3-5 record and sees them currently sitting outside the Top Four.

The frustration is down to the knowledge that this group can be highly competitive at any given time; lack of consistency and an inability to execute under pressure has let them down.

Added to that is a mounting injury toll, one that has seen the loss of import R.J. Hunter for the season, big man Jordan Hunter for at least the remainder of the regular season and both Biwali Bayles and Makur Maker sidelined for an indefinite period of time. Only five players on the roster have played all eight games this season.

These are indeed the times that test character and resolve.

However, the players and coaching staff aren’t interested in excuses and they are well aware that no one outside the club’s four walls will be offering any sympathy for their current plight. There’s no feeling sorry for themselves; instead, it’s time to pick themselves off the floor and get back into the fight.

So, expect a fired-up Kings to take to the floor in what shapes up as a critical Round 8 away/home double against the improving Brisbane Bullets.

Friday night, Sydney heads to Brisbane to take on the Bullets at Nissan Arena; the return engagement is on Sunday afternoon at Qudos Bank Arena as the first game of an NBL/WNBL double-header, with the Sydney Uni Flames doing battle with the Perth Lynx following the conclusion of the Sydney-Brisbane game.

Coached by former Kings’ assistant James Duncan, the Bullets are coming off an excellent performance against the South East Melbourne Phoenix, in a game where they blew one of the league’s heavyweights off the floor in a 31-6 first quarter onslaught then cruised to a comfortable victory.

Brisbane is one of the most talented teams in the competition and that was on full display last week; their victory on top of an earlier win against another powerhouse in Illawarra serving as a warning to the rest of the competition that the Bullets are on the rise.

“Brisbane’s a good team and they play a great style offensively,” said Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings Head Coach Chase Buford.

“They’ve got three really tough offensive players that we’ve got to contend with. They can all shoot and make plays.”

“It will be a tough matchup for us.”

As ever for the Bullets it starts with Australian Olympian and Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist Nathan Sobey (16.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 4.7apg, 1.0spg, 35.6% FG, 26.1% 3PT FG, 88.0% FT), a relentless competitor who is at his best in transition where he can finish the break with serious intent or set up his teammates for the easy deuce.

Sobey gets solid support in the backcourt with both Jason Cadee (8.3ppg, 4.0apg) and Anthony Drmic (6.3ppg) both capable of filling it up from long distance; the Kings must account for them at all times, else risk getting burned.

In the Brisbane frontcourt, one early positive story for the Bullets has been the production of imports Robert Franks (19.0ppg, 9.7rpg, 46.7% FG, 40.5% 3PT FG, 52.0% FT) and Lamar Patterson (15.7ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.2apg, 44.4% FG, 34.5% 3PT FG, 52.0% FT). Franks has been a perfect replacement for the departed Vic Law and boasts an inside-outside game that is difficult to defend; Patterson is the fittest he’s looked in years and is a triple-double threat the moment he takes to the floor.

Franks and Patterson are the heart of the Brisbane engine room, but the Bullets can also send out a number of bigs alongside them, from emerging pivot Tyrell Harrison to 7”5” giant Liu Chuanxing, athletic Deng Deng and Kiwi banger Jack Salt.

Make no mistake, this will be a significant test for the Sydney Kings this week.

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The purple and gold will play Round 8 with only two imports given that R.J. Hunter’s replacement is not expected to be in uniform in the short-term, so it’s going to require that next man up mentality the squad often talks about if they are to snap their current three-game losing skid.

Xavier Cooks (14.3ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.5apg, 1.5bpg, 46.9% FG, 28.6% 3PT FG, 62.0% FT) is coming off an excellent 19-point, 13-rebound performance against New Zealand and has been this team’s MVP so far this season. The long, athletic forward plays both ends of the floor as a low post threat offensively and the team’s designated frontline stopper. He’ll be a huge factor.

Jarell Martin (14.9ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.0spg, 42.5% FG, 29.3% 3PT FG, 74.0% FT) leads the Kings in scoring but will be asked to do even more given the team is down on numbers right now. When Jarell is aggressive going to the basket and looking for his opportunities, he’s a real force and Sydney needs him to be at his best this week.

The backcourt will also be asked to shoulder a large burden against the Bullets, particularly import point guard Jaylen Adams (13.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.0spg, 32.6% FG, 23.8% 3PT FG, 86.0% FT), whose matchup with Sobey will be a key. Jaylen is still getting into game shape and hasn’t yet shown what he’s truly capable of – the Kings are hoping to see a bust-out performance from him.

Outside the team’s three leading scorers, there have been some positive signs from Dejan Vasiljevic (6.5ppg) who knocked down three triples against the Breakers and looks like he’s rounding into form, while Shaun Bruce, Angus Glover, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Tom Vodanovich and Matur Maker will all need to be productive with their minutes.

It’s a huge weekend for the Kings against a dangerous opponent.

Time to show that the Pride of Sydney is still well and truly alive.

 

WHO

Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings vs. Brisbane Bullets (two-game series)

Sydney Uni Flames vs. Perth Lynx (NBL/WNBL double-header)

WHEN

Friday 21 January, 7:30pm tipoff AEST (Kings vs. Bullets)

Sunday 23 January, 1:00pm tipoff AEST (Kings vs. Bullets); 3:30 pm tipoff AEST (Flames vs. Lynx)

LOCATION

Nissan Arena, Brisbane (Friday)

Qudos Bank Arena (Sunday)

TICKETS

Sunday – available via Ticketek or the Qudos Bank Arena Box Office

TV

Friday – ESPN

Sunday – ESPN, 10 Peach

RADIO

Sunday – Cluch Radio

THE PLAYERS

Kings

Jaylen Adams (import); Dejan Vasiljevic; Wani Swaka Lo Buluk; Xavier Cooks; Jarell Martin (import)

Angus Glover; Shaun Bruce; Matur Maker; Tom Vodanovich; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Jayden Hodgson (development Player); Ignatius Mitchell (development player)

Bullets

Nathan Sobey; Anthony Drmic; Lamar Patterson (import); Robert Franks (import); Tyrell Harrison

Jason Cadee; Tanner Krebs; Liu Chuanxing; Deng Deng; Jack Salt; Tom Digbeu (Next Star); Tamuri Wigness; Max Mackinnon (development player)

THE COACHES

Kings

Chase Buford, NBL rookie head coach, record 3-5

Bullets

James Duncan, NBL rookie head coach, record 3-3

2021/2022 REGULAR SEASON SERIES

First meeting

NBL LADDER

Kings 3-5, eighth

Bullets 3-3, sixth

LAST GAME

Kings lost to New Zealand Breakers 75-82 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 7

Bullets def. South East Melbourne Phoenix 100-84 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane, Round 7

KEY STATS

Kings

Points: Jarell Martin, 14.9ppg

Rebounds: Xavier Cooks, 9.5rpg

Assists: Jaylen Adams, 5.0apg

Bullets

Points: Robert Franks, 19.0ppg

Rebounds: Robert Franks, 9.7rpg

Assists: Nathan Sobey, 4.7apg

KEY MATCHUP

Jaylen Adams vs. Nathan Sobey

In both games this weekend, this is the matchup that could determine the result – that’s how much both players mean to their respective units. Sobey is your prototypical high-energy, constant motion ballplayer; he plays with his heart on his sleeve and as he goes, so go the Bullets. Adams had a tough outing against New Zealand but he’s a quality, unselfish floor leader who can score and defend; the Kings probably would like him to look for his shot a little more given they have struggled offensively in the early stages of the season.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings get back on track?

Will Jarell Martin take advantage of his matchup with Tyrell Harrison?

HISTORY

All-time Head-to-Head

83 games played; Kings lead 47-36

In Sydney

40 games played; Kings lead 29-11

At Qudos Bank Arena

14 games played; Kings lead 11-3

DID YOU KNOW?

Sydney has won 12 of their last 15 games against Brisbane and have won six straight over the Bullets at Qudos Bank Arena; conversely the purple and gold have lost their last three games at Nissan Arena. Sydney’s largest-ever win at the Q versus Brisbane came in Round 3 of the 2001/2002 season when Sydney Kings Legend Matthew Nielsen had 34 points to lead the Kings to a 122-95 blowout victory.

 

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