The infamous dead coach bounce brought the best out of the bumbling Bullets on Monday night when they snapped an unacceptable seven-game losing streak against the Breakers.
The Bullets won convincingly, 99-85, after coming out of the gates strong and maintaining the rage with inspired bursts of play for the first time playing at the BEC under interim coach Darryl McDonald.
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It was just the response McDonald was looking for because just 48 hours prior Brisbane were blown out by 29 against the Phoenix.
The Bullets that outenthused the Breakers and always led looked a completely different team. With Terry Taylor swatting away three shots and Tyrell Harrison nullifying both Rob Baker II and Sam Mennenga by scoring more points than both bigs combined, loyal Brisbane fans were treated to sharp 54 per cent shooting.
The Bullets have been easy beats at home this season, 1-7 at the BEC and bad starters. Monday was different.
Brisbane threw just four turnovers in the first half after throwing 28 across the full game on Saturday and turned a 10-point quarter time lead into a 15-point advantage entering the third.
Importantly, Brisbane protected its lead when the Breakers threatened to make runs in the second half. Alex Ducas (four threes) and the plucky Javon Freeman-Liberty (3 stls) ensured this.
HARRISON, TERRY TAYLOR WITH HOT HANDS
Brisbane import Taylor had a massive first half to inspire Brisbane to a surprise 56-41 buffer.
Taylor was a man possessed in the paint and had 14 points and a block at the main break. A sensational highlight was when Freeman-Liberty made a flashy pass to a slamming-and-jamming Taylor in transition.
Big improver Harrison, whose leap this season has been considerable, was influential down low where he scored 14 points on 7-8 shooting.
The Kiwi colossus also reeled in five rebounds and made a blocked shot to steer Brisbane to ascendancy and a largest lead of 19. He finished with a dominant double double.
The hosts were playing with nothing to lose and treasured the ball. It sounds easy but even doing the little things right is a huge building block for an injury-ridden team currently exercising its seventh coach since Andrej Lemanis’ 2021 exit.
D-MAC DELIVERS
Coach McDonald, thrown to the wolves midway through the season, had Brisbane playing like champions and finished the match with a touch of class when drawing up a press break that worked wonderfully.
The Bullets had built beautifully on a gangbusting first half, which finished with Jacob Holt draining a timely buzzer-beating three from the corner, to lead 66-46 midway through the third.
Brisbane were at their best when Terry snared his third block, swatting away a Jackson-Cartwright drive before Harrison scored easily in transition in a gorgeous sequence.
In the fourth, the big buckets rained down.
Development player Tristan Devers drained an important three to stem a dangerous Breakers run and keep Brisbane comfortably ahead.
It was followed by a glorious in-bounds play, drawn up by McDonald, that released Freeman-Liberty down court where he bound away for a finger roll lay up that undid all the Breakers hard work.
Big Harrison then made a block and Freeman-Liberty a three to put the visitors to bed and nail the coffin shut at 94-80.
But the match was won on defence where Brisbane held the Breakers to just six threes (27 attempts).
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