Misfiring Bullets set for bounce-back?

Round 19 is looming as a ‘must-win’ weekend for a handful of teams across the NBL, but none more so than the Brisbane Bullets, and Justin Schueller’s side will have to flip its form from last week if it wants to consolidate its top six spot.

The Bullets suffered a lackadaisical 13-point loss to Illawarra last weekend, and only managed to score 10 points in the entire final quarter to allow the Hawks to storm home to another come from behind win.

They shot just 18 per cent from three and 64 per cent from the free throw line on a night that could have almost locked up a return to Finals basketball for the first time in half a decade had they won.

NBL analyst Peter Hooley says the Bullets played like a team that knew it had some breathing room in the standings, but that’s not the case this week.

“It’s been such a rollercoaster season from the Bullets because when they’ve been playing well and been up and about we’ve seen them in the top four and thinking this team is starting to put it all together, but that game against Illawarra was a little bit concerning,” Hooley said on NBL Now.

“Every game matters, we know that, this NBL24 season is crazy and you can’t predict any of it but they looked like ‘if we lose this one we’ve got another chance’. You kind of have to play like the season is on the line every game, but even more so that was disappointing to see.

“The 10 points in the fourth quarter – and take nothing away from Illawarra, they were the better team by far – you weren’t looking at Illawarra’s defence like ‘man, they were everywhere, they were up and in and they were forcing tough shots'. It was kind of like Brisbane took a back step in thinking ‘we’ll throw it up, it might go in’.

“They struggled to shoot from three, that was the obvious one, and I’m sure Justin Schueller is saying now that there is no choice, now the season is on the line and they have to show up.”

The Bullets will welcome the 36ers in the second game of Friday night’s double-header, after the Breakers host the Hawks. With three of the most likely four teams competing for positioning in the Play-In series all in action, the night looms as one of the most important of the season in the context of the ladder.

Despite sitting further back in the race for Finals basketball than the Hawks, Breakers and Bullets, Adelaide is still a mathematical chance of making the top six, however its destiny is out of its own hands.

Hooley believes that the 36ers will be seeing themselves as possible “party-poopers” for the remainder of their campaign.

“With Adelaide losing, Adelaide can play a bit of a party-pooper and say ‘if we can’t play finals, neither can Brisbane and we’ll get someone in the Play-In tournament who wants to be there’,” he said.

“This is a must-win, it’s a mindset thing for them and Justin Schueller has been really good in getting them to respond when they have to.

“I have a feeling with the season being on the line we’re going to see a different Brisbane roll out than the one against Illawarra.”

Friday’s clash between Brisbane and Adelaide will be shown live on ESPN via Kayo, with tip-off set for 7:30pm AEDT.