Last year the burden of being runaway minor premiers hung around the Breakers' necks like a festering albatross as they trudged through their final few meaningless regular-season games.
Last night they played like a team without a care in the world.
That can swing both ways, but in a blistering demolition of the Gold Coast Blaze this Breakers team showed it is just as dangerous in party mode as it is with backs to the wall.
Sitting third but with a finals spot far from guaranteed, the Blaze could hardly have been more motivated. But its desperation was no match for the Breakers' freedom and utter lack of fear. What a difference a year makes.
Mika Vukona made an interesting start to the game, missing a close-range jump shot and committing two fouls to earn a seat on the bench in just 26 seconds. Vukona is no stranger to foul trouble, but that was going some even for him.
Whether it was a signal the Breakers' were not quite on the ball or a ploy to gain a key player some rest was hard to tell.
Certainly their rebounding, particularly at the defensive end, was uncharacteristically poor, with the offensive rebound count at one stage 10-1 in the visiting team's favour.
The early foul count also heavily favoured the Blaze to the tune of 8-1. However, none of that much mattered. If they were a little down in the effort areas, the Breakers certainly shot the ball like millionaires. With Daryl Corletto and CJ Bruton leading the way they edged to a 23-18 lead at the first break. By halftime that had stretched to 58-46, with Bruton and Corletto combing for a perfect 5/5 shooting display from beyond the arc.
Overall the Breakers shot an impressive 22/34 for the half at impressive 65% clip. That was far too hot for the Blaze, despite the visiting side having three more shots and connecting at a far-from-terrible 47%. The big difference was at the three-point line, with the Blaze hitting just one of nine attempts.
By three-quarter time the lead was 22, with Corletto drilling a freakish banked three to rub the Blaze's noses in it right on the buzzer.
A 25-19 final quarter by the Blaze restored a little respectability, it require a significant improvement when the teams meet again in the final regular-season game on Sunday week - and potentially in the opening round of the playoffs.
Thomas Abercrombie led all scorers with 24, Gary Wilkinson had 20 and Corletto 17.
The win improved the Breakers to 20-6, and a club-best 13-1 at home. The Blaze drops to 15-11, tied with Townsville and just a game ahead of the fifth-placed Taipans with two matches remaining.
ANBL
The scores
New Zealand Breakers ... 109
T Abercrombie 24, G Wilkinson 20, D Corletto 17
Gold Coast Blaze ... 93
A Petrie 18, A Gibson 14, C Goulding 14
First quarter: 23-18. Halftime: 58-46. Third quarter: 90-68.
