Preview: New Zealand vs Brisbane (Round 2)

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Both New Zealand and Brisbane took home wins in Round 1 - so who will suffer their first loss of the season on Thursday night?

Thursday, October 5 at 5:30pm AEDT at Spark Arena.

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports - International viewership details
Box scores: Download the free NBL App

Both New Zealand and Brisbane opened the new season with a win, and while the Breakers are used to taking home victories from Spark Arena after a brilliant NBL23 a return to winning ways will allow the Bullets’ top brass to breathe a sigh of relief.

With the Breakers overcoming a severely undermanned Cairns and the Bullets defeating an in flux Adelaide the calibre of the opposition could be questioned, but a victory counts as a victory on the ladder no matter the context.

Aron Baynes starred for the Bullets after he put together an exceptional pre-season campaign, and the new-look side looks to be thriving both on and off the floor under rookie head coach Justin Schueller.

Will McDowell-White has been announced as a huge inclusion for the Breakers after he missed Round 1 with a hand injury.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Best local PG in the league ??<br><br>What's Will going to bring to the table in NBL24!? <a href="https://t.co/R1RyHuBSCn">https://t.co/R1RyHuBSCn</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNBREAKABLE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNBREAKABLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/YkG8Bz3dX7">pic.twitter.com/YkG8Bz3dX7</a></p>— BNZ Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1709085873503957022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

New Zealand
98-87 win over Cairns

Brisbane
86-71 win over Adelaide

Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Diminutive Breakers guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright is a player who has thrived wherever he has played – he’s just had to be afforded the opportunity, and that opportunity came knocking in New Zealand’s Round 1 game against Cairns.

‘PJC’ as he’s becoming affectionately known took the reigns of the Breakers’ offence in the absence of star point guard Will McDowell-White, and led the side to a strong victory over another one of last season’s surprise contenders.

It’s worth noting the Taipans were without the services of guards Taran Armstrong and Tahjere McCall for the clash, but the solid frame of Patrick Miller and the length of Bul Kuol offered more than high-level resistance on the offensive end for PJC, but he dominated with 25 points and a league-leading 57 NBL SuperCoach points on his NBL debut.

McDowell-White is set to come back into the side for this game against Brisbane, so PJC isn’t just worth watching in case he explodes again in a similar fashion to Round 1, but he’s worth watching to see if he can mesh with New Zealand’s star man.

“He’s a real problem. He can create with the ball, he has a good sense of when to inject his scoring. I think ‘PJC’ – it’s a crazy comment – but he is going to be one of the leaders to win MVP this season … his basketball persona is going to be a perfect match for Will McDowell-White.” – Derek Rucker on Moments that Mattered.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Parker Jackson-Cartwright sinks it from downtown! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL24?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL24</a> <br><br>?Watch the second half LIVE on ESPN! <a href="https://t.co/LkvOvO9UEv">pic.twitter.com/LkvOvO9UEv</a></p>— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1708038524442997196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sam McDaniel
Could it be the case of third time’s the charm for Sam McDaniel? The former Tasmania and Melbourne wing starred in his first ever game for the Brisbane Bullets, and looks ready to unleash the potential he has shown since his NBL career began in 2018.

The 13 points he scored against the 36ers was just the seventh time he’s hit double-digit scoring in his NBL career and his 11 rebounds was also a career high. Round 1 marked the first double-double of his NBL career and saw him earn a nomination for the round’s Chemist Warehouse Fan’s MVP.

Much of the discussion around the Brisbane Bullets is tending to involve any of Aron Baynes, Rocco Zikarsky, Nathan Sobey or Chris Smith – but if McDaniel can continue to play at the level he produced in Round 1 he could go down as one of the most underrated signings of the season.

“We know if we’re going to do anything in this league this yeat it’s going to be through our depth. Sammy was outstanding, he played some time at the four with Bannan out and we only threw that at him this week.” – Justin Schueller post-game.

Sam McDaniel against Adelaide in Round 1.

Justinian Jessup vs Chris Smith
Two of the competition’s best sharpshooting, trigger-happy imports ready to face-off in a battle on the three-point line? Yes please.

Both Justinian Jessup and Chris Smith contributed well to their respective side’s Round 1 victories – but the scary part is they both know they can play better.

The impending return of Will McDowell-White will shake up the starting line-up for the Breakers, and Jessup could be the man to make way, but regardless of if he plays with the first or second unit, he’ll be finding his spots and letting fly.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Justinian Jessup is money from deep ?<br><br>Watch every game live & free via Kayo Freebies ?<br><br>Outside Australia? Watch via ?? <a href="https://t.co/8LoWsbR7E4">https://t.co/8LoWsbR7E4</a> <a href="https://t.co/hQydwVQXKe">pic.twitter.com/hQydwVQXKe</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1704817587933081808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The former Illawarra Next Star dropped 15 points on 60 per cent shooting in his return to the NBL, and also added three assists.

Despite the cruising nature of their win over Adelaide the Bullets left a lot to be desired from their three-point shooting, and although he chipped in with 15 points some of that improvement will likely come from Smith.

He hit just two of his seven attempted threes in Round 1 and took three triples more than any of his teammates in the victory. He has the licence and the ability to put up bulk shots from range and change the game, now he just needs to execute.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chris Smith is on fire ? <br><br>Brisbane's new import has 1??5?? points so far in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLBlitz?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLBlitz</a> ?<br><br>Watch every game live & free via Kayo Freebies ? <br><br>Outside Australia? Watch at <a href="https://t.co/8LoWsbR7E4">https://t.co/8LoWsbR7E4</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/MUoxuEFgwH">pic.twitter.com/MUoxuEFgwH</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1703006255420211240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

New Zealand has lost nine of its last eleven first quarters at Spark Arena. From these games they’ve bounced back to register six wins, including five of their last six games at the venue.