Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings round 2 game review NBL23
I picked Sydney to get the win at home this week and in an exciting game with two of the two top teams in my opinion if was a fun watch.
1st Quarter
Tim Soares opens the scoring with a 3 pointer to get the game started.
For Brisbane they go early to an Aron Baynes post up with a missed shot inside, but its great to see them go for a Baynes post play early in the game. Sobey made a midrange fade away J to open Brisbanes scoring but Sydney make another 3 from Derrick walton Jnr and they are off to a good shooting start.
Baynes imposes his size inside as he blocks a pass from Cooks to then drop the nice up and under layup on the other side to tie the score.
The big Banger then shows what he can do from outside as he drops the 3 ball and he is everywhere for Brisbane as they take the lead 8-11 at the 6:45 mark.
Walton Jnr dropped a nice bank shot, to take the lead back but Nathan Sobey brings it back for Brisbane with a 3 and Sydney call a time out 12-14.
Tyler Johnson decides to impose his will on the game and finally makes an impact with a floater inside to take the lead back 14-16, as had been a bit of a non factor for Brisbane so far.
Johnson then keeps driving to the bucket and makes 3 buckets in a row as he looks to get going offensively, but Kuot Noi drops a 3 and stops the run 16-20 with 3min left in the quarter.
Xavier Cooks made a couple of strong drives and looks to get aggressive before a 3 ball from DJ Vasiljevic closes the quarter with Sydney taking the lead 24-23.
2nd Quarter
Sydney made a steal and Derrick Walton jnr drops a nice high layup off the glass in transition to open the scoring for Sydney in the quarter, 26-23
An Aron Baynes Mid range bank shot J ,opens scoring for the Bullets to keep it close.
Baynes was playing some good d inside and pulling down rebounds imposing his size in the paint!
Nathan Sobey made an inside bucket to get the lead back 30-31 with 5:45 in 2nd, 30-31 but hunter quickly takes it back off a dime from Walton Jnr.
Brisbane have a few defensive breakdowns and missed shots as Sydney start to pull away and with 3:15 left in the quarter. Xavier Cooks then shows his foot work with this great little fake, and up and under layup 40-31. Cooks really does have all the tools to be a great player in the league or the NBA.
Harry Froling dribbles the whole court and lays it in off a great screen inside by Baynes to stop the run with two min left in the half. Tyler Johnson then goes down hard hitting this head off some shoulder contact and has a split and bleeding mouth, but no foul call as the refs are letting them play. Then Baynes drops a 3 to bring the lead back down to 42-36, here comes Brisbane!
A Cooks drive closes the half to hold a good lead for Sydney 46-39.
3rd Quarter
Xavier Cooks foul shots open the scoring for Sydney going 1/2 with a banked free throw! off a hard foul from Baynes
Tanner Krebs made a 3 to open scoring for Brisbane off an Aron Baynes post up, with the ball finding the open shooter 47-42.
Suarez blows back to back plays for Sydney and they miss the opportunity to really push the lead, with an air ball and then off an insane Simons pass he missed the catch and Brisbane catch a break.
But Simon then got a steal and big dunk and Brisbane call a Timout, as the wheels were starting to fall off down 56-45.
Jason Cadee makes his first bucket of the season off a great cut in the out of bounds play out of the timeout, and Can he get going!? Brisbane need a hot shooting Caddee and Sobey to really unlock their potential.
Sydney’s guards are so impressive! They get people great shots as Kuot Noi drops a 3 off a great drive from Walton Jnr and its 12 point lead 59-47
But a fouled three point attempt on Jason Caddee and tech on the Sydney Coach for being too animated on the call gets 4 free throws for Cadee. Just what Brisbane need to get Caddee going!.
Sydney’s coach Chase Buford continues to ague on the sideline after getting the tech.
Chase Buford released a statement recently regarding his animated coaching style and passion for the game and his team, which was great to see and very important discussion point for mental health in sports, but has it put a target on his back? The tech was for being too animated and walking away, not for saying anything! And also his reactions became a talking point for the commentators. The media release was great for society but might be hard for himself.
Sydney's intensity on D is upped and Brisbane can't even get the ball up the court with multiple turnovers.
Brisbane have Froling and Baynes on the court and they still aren't looking to push the ball inside the paint!? But a Caddee 3 saves them and then he drops a shot inside to get them back to only a 5 point deficit with 1:30 left in the quarter.
Sydney keep missing foul shots and Jason Cadee is doing everything! Making plays and dropping shots. Those four free throws really got him going! Caddee makes a great play to find an open Baynes who drops the bomb and the Bullets are only down 3, until Nathan Sobey closes the quarter with another 3 ball off a Devondrick Walker assist coming off a Baynes screen tie-ing it up going into the final break.
Great game so far, with physical play, techs and come backs!
4th Quarter
Xavier Cooks drives to the basket and lays it in with a soft finger roll to open the quarter and taking back the lead 69-67.
Cooks follows it up with a big block on Baynes and then drops a tasty dish to a wide open Hunter as Cooks is taking over! He trash talks Baynes after who throws out an air ball 3!
Cooks then shows his touch with a soft floater over Baynes, as he has his own 7-0 run and pushes the lead for Sydney 74-67.
Sobey finally gets Brisbane going, with a layup off a nice Baynes screen inside the paint.
Brisbane decide to bench Baynes and go small to stop cooks! 8min left in 4th qaurter. But cooks needs a breather and asks to be checked out just before he drives to the cup and drops the lay in!
Cooks is even better then I realised as he often has a shooting drought but his ability to get to the basket and soft touch is amazing. But he will need to be able to hit shots to take his game to the nba level.
DJ Mitchell drops a 3 and Brisbane are still in it down only 3 point game 76-73. 6:30 left in the game.
Cooks comes off for a rest and its Walton Jnr's turn to take over for Sydney as he made it a 5 point lead with a nice drive to the cup.
But Dj Mitchell finds form dropping another outside shot to keep it close.
Walton Jnr can do everything as drops a bomb 3 with a hand in the face! 85-81 with only 4:00 left and Brisbane go back to Baynes on the court. But Walton Jnr picks him up off a screen and absolutely cooks him! Driving to the basket and pushing the lead further. Walton puts it all on display hitting shots and finding open team mates to push the Sydney lead out to 10.
Justin Simon grabs the offensive board and attacks Baynes under the hoop with a tough wrap around, up an under the hoop shot, making the basket and getting the and one, as Sydney were rolling and have so many weapons
With 2:00 left in the game and Sydney up 96-81 its over, as Brisbane empties the bench. Huge Close out quarter from Sydney to shut the door on the Bullets.
Sydney close it out for the win 100-90
One good take away for Brisbane is they got Caddee going. He had a donut in game one and this was important to have a run of shots dropping. If they can get Sobey 100% healthy and his shot dropping the bullets should be good! Could be slow start for the Bullets though.
Tyler Johnson is not a star player who will carry a team. He’s an all around solid guard at the NBA level, but not a star as that’s never been he’s role. Its a lot to ask to become one this late in your career, similar to Dellavedova with Melbourne.
Great exciting game all around though.
Key Players
Sydney Kings
Xavier Cooks: 23 points, 11 rebounds
Derrick Walton Jnr: 21 points, 8 assists
Justin Simon: 14 points,
Brisbane Bullets
Tyler Johnson: 13 points, 2 assists
Aron Baynes: 16 points, 9 rebounds
Jason Cadee: 16 points, 4 assists
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