Kings take advantage of decimated Bullets

The Sydney Kings rebounded from their tough loss in Perth but they were made to work for it in their 90-71 win against a decimated Brisbane Bullets at Qudos Bank Arena.

The scoreline flatters the Kings who were pushed for three quarters by the gutsy Bullets who ultimately just ran out of legs to remain competitive.

Brisbane was lucky to cobble a team together for this contest. Already missing new signing Lamar Patterson with his on-going knee injury, the Bullets were rocked with the news that fellow import Vic Law's calf injury is worse than first thought.

If that wasn't bad enough Tanner Krebs and Anthony Drmic were also ruled out which left the Bullets down four players that have started at different times this season.

Bullets rookie Blake Jones had tasted just 77 seconds of NBL action before but Brisbane's brutal injury toll saw him thrust into the starting line-up. 

It also meant Sunshine Coast Phoenix guard Jamaal Robateau and development player Callum Dalton made the trip to make up the numbers on the bench.

The Kings were coming off a loss in Perth on Friday but Jarell Martin received the all clear to play, and start, but it was the Bullets led by Nathan Sobey who put them to the sword early.

Tyrell Harrison (eight points, 19 rebounds) was tough in the paint but the worrying form of Matt Hodgson (four points on 2/10 shooting and four rebounds) made the job that bit tougher. 

Jason Cadee (11 points, four assists, three steals) was the only other player to reach double figures aside from the standout effort from Sobey who delivered 31 points and nine rebounds.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around the Bullets were out of luck and out of gas. 

Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis said the Drmic had failed a fitness test on a back injury and confirmed Law's calf is worse than first feared. Because of the snap lockdown in Brisbane, the move to Sydney and Easter closures of specialists, he said they don't have a timeframe on their return.

"We have been playing teams that are fully loaded, the last two games they have had two imports, and we haven't had either of ours available," he said.

"It is an issue at the moment, but at the end of the day you have to find a way to be competitive, the season doesn't stop ... there is no asterisk on the table that says by the way the games we lost, we didn't have our full roster.

"We've got to find a way to deal with the circumstances in front of us."

There were positives and Lemanis paid credit to Jones (eight points) and Tamuri Wigness who hit his first NBL triple and was tenacious in defence.

Craig Moller rubbed salt into the wounds with a career-high 20 points - including 4/5 from long range - and five rebounds while Martin was strong with 16 points and 10 rebounds. 

DJ Vasiljevic (13 points, five rebounds) and Casper Ware (11 points, nine assists) also contributed enough to get the job done.

Sydney coach Adam Forde said he was expected the team to be flat after the physicality of the match against Perth and the short turnaround.

"I fully anticipated a lethargic first half," he said.

"I am not saying it was just the Perth game, if we played in Cairns and had to take non-direct flights there and back - it is taxing. 

"We took a while to get going, but then we got some spark for some particular individuals and rode the momentum and came out with a pretty good result."

Forde praised Moller for his perseverance at training which led to his career-high night.

"Craig is a dude who works (expletive) hard at practice," Forde said.

"He doesn't necessarily get enough respect for that. Maybe I haven't given him enough respect."

The Bullets needed their remaining big guns to fire and for a period in the first quarter, they did. 

Big plays from Cadee and Hodgson at both ends of the court allowed Brisbane to sneak in front - but it wouldn't last for long. The Kings quickly blasted their way clear to an 18-11 advantage and the signs looked ominous for the injury-battered Bullets.

The Bullets surged back and teenage rising star Tamuri Wigness splashed his first NBL triple before Sobey splashed a three-pointer of his own as the visitors took an unlikely 23-22 lead into quarter-time.

Ware went scoreless in the first quarter but quickly put his stamp on the game in the second with the first five points of the term to push his side back in front. Sobey's radar was on, though. 

His rampage continued as the Bullets went on a 13-0 run to open up a seven-point advantage. Sydney managed to get back to with two points at half-time, but they knew they were in a fight.

After a flat first half the Kings came out firing in the third quarter and led by seven in the blink of an eye. 

Sobey had 21 points by half-time but Sydney was giving him nothing in this quarter as they successfully double-teamed him to dry up the points. That drought was turning into a desert as the Bullets struggled to find any way to get points. 

It was becoming a dour match as Sydney struggled to find the basket as well, but a Brad Newley floater gave the Kings a 61-53 lead at the final change and a mountain to climb for the undermanned Bullets. It was a mountain too tall for the visitors who fell to their third consecutive loss.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 12

SYDNEY KINGS 90 (Moller 20, Martin 16, Vasiljevic 13)

BRISBANE BULLETS 71 (Sobey 31, Cadee 11, Jones 8, Harrison 8) 

BOX SCORE