Patterson responds as Breakers fly over Taipans

Lamar Patterson has his doubters, so do his New Zealand Breakers, but both player and club responded the best possible way with a comeback win over Cairns Taipans in Cairns on Saturday night.

Patterson started on the bench but finished in a flurry with 13 of his 22 points in the last quarter, including seven in the final 3:15 to lead his club to a memorable 85-79 victory.

A steal and assist from the brilliant Tai Webster which he dished off to his captain Thomas Abercrombie for the two-handed breakaway slam put the Breakers ahead for good with 27 seconds to play.

Webster (25 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) and Cairns import Scott Machado (25 points, 12 assists) put on world-class displays as point guards, especially in the first half with both players posting the bulk of their points early before bringing others into the play after half-time.

The Taipans will rue yet another home loss, especially in a game where they held the lead for much of the night to now have lost six straight with five of those at the Pop-Up Arena.

Taipans coach Mike Kelly said he still believed in his side’s talent but they needed many more defensive stops than they made in the last quarter.

"We didn’t get stops, they got to the foul line and our offence slowed down and we ended up with difficult shots," Kelly said.

"I think the Breakers got more physical in the middle of the third, we handled it well in that patch in the third. 

"In the fourth quarter they just got downhill, got to the line, made some shots and I didn’t adjust well enough defensively. They made some tough plays."

Kelly said he hoped to have guard Mirko Djeric back in the side for Monday’s clash with the Breakers after he missed this game with a hamstring injury.

The Snakes led by as much as 12 points late in the third quarter on the back of Cam Oliver joining Machado in catching fire including the point guard throwing a stunning side ball alley-oop pass for his big man to flush.

The Snakes still led by six with three and-a-half minutes to go when Machado found Majok Deng with a delightful pass. But from that point on the Breakers took control going on a 15-3 run to close the game and turn that six-point deficit into a six-point win to open their account in #NBL21.

Breakers coach Dan Shamir said his side was finding its feet after facing so many difficulties this season and Patterson wanted to step up for the club.

"I’m definitely happy he [Patterson] had a good game and made big plays down the stretch,” Shamir said.

"As we all know, it’s a work in progress. When you are out of the game so long, it’s not easy to jump back to this intensity and I’m sure he felt that and felt he needed to give this kind of production and give the win. I’m happy he did."

The Breakers came out smoking with 14 points in the opening few minutes as Tai Webster looked to attack from the tip-off.

The Breakers led 25-20 at quarter-time but Machado caught fire nailing two threes midway through the term to drag his club back into the lead before continuing to mix his own buckets with assists for the likes of Cam Oliver (17 points, 10 rebounds) as the home side led 44-41 at half-time.

Machado and Webster saw their scoring slow in the third term and it was the Taipans who took a 12-point lead as their defence froze the Breakers and Oliver and Jordan Ngatai found some openings. 

But a late run from Patterson saw the former NBA forward score five quick points to see the margin cut to 66-59 heading into the final term.

Machado’s ninth assist saw Kouat Noi nail a three and give the Taipans a 71-63 lead but then Patterson lit up and took the game from the home side.

The two teams now do it all again at the same venue on Monday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 4

CAIRNS TAIPANS 79 (Machado 25, Oliver 19, Noi 10)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 85 (T Webster 25, Patterson 22, Delany 13) 

BOX SCORE