Brave Kings overcome mid-game injuries, huge road trip to level NBL grand final series

Don’t rule out the defending champion Sydney Kings just yet.

The Kings kept their NBL title defence alive on Sunday with a remarkably brave 81-74 Game 2 victory over the New Zealand Breakers.

Sydney defied the odds to level the series at 1-all despite losing stars Xavier Cooks (ankle) and Derrick Walton Jr (quad) to injuries at halftime.

Walton Jr lasted less than five minutes while Cooks only played nine minutes as he continued to battle after copping knocks in Game 1.

Sydney could’ve struggled missing its stars, but Kouat Noi and Justin Simon put on a show for the Kings.

Noi came off the bench to drop 20 points while he added four rebounds.

Simon was simply sensational for Sydney at both ends of the floor.

The defensive beast amassed six steals with his Inspector Gadget-like arms – one steal short of equalling a NBL grand final series record.

Simon also added 12 points and nine rebounds in one of the finest championship performances.

Kings’ sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic also responded in style following his mixed Game 1 performance.

Vasiljevic finished with 16 points, including four of six from three.

He also had four rebounds and two assists.

Vasiljevic’s shooting display also helped him bury his hoodoo against New Zealand.

The man nicknamed ‘DJ’ averages double-digit scoring against every team in the NBL this season – except the Breakers. His 8.7ppg comes on just 32 per cent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent from deep.

Thankfully for the Kings, Vasiljevic found his offensive groove to bury the Breakers on Sunday.

Guard Angus Glover also starred, dropping 12 points off the bench to set up a blockbuster Game 3 at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday night from 7.30pm (AEDT).

Sydney’s Game 2 triumph is extra-important given no team has ever come back from a 2-0 series deficit to win the championship.

The Kings still have to defy history to claim back-to-back championships.

The past 14 NBL teams to emerge victorious in game one of the NBL grand final have gone on to win the series — and 25 of the past 26 titles.

In fact, only four teams in league history have managed to turn the tables after dropping game one.

It was a sloppy start to the game from both teams.

The first bucket – via Kings’ sharpshooter Vasiljevic – didn’t drop until almost four minutes into the contest.

Sydney soon settled – and ramped up its defensive pressure compared to Friday’s opening game loss.

The Kings also knocked down triples via Vasiljevic and Noi, to take a commanding 21-9 lead into quarter-time.

Sydney’s fortunes shifted in the second as New Zealand went on an 11-0 run to open the quarter.

The Kings steadied, though, to go to the halftime break with a 34-30 advantage.

Simon took over for Sydney in the third quarter with a defensive masterclass. He made multiple steals for buckets to help the Kings extend their lead to 10 points midway through the third.

Sydney’s surge prompted a frustrated New Zealand coach Mody Maor to blow up at his Breakers players during a timeout.

“What is this softness,” Maor fired.

“You think it is going to be easy. C’mon – work.”

Fortunately, the New Zealanders listened to their coach to surge home in the fourth quarter with a barrage of buckets.

The Breakers got within seven points in the fourth, but the Kings held on to claim one of the most courageous grand final wins in NBL history.

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Simon Says and the Unsung Heroes

With stars Xavier Cooks and Derrick Walton Jr hampered by injury, Sydney import Justin Simon stole the show in game two. After leading the Kings with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocks in game one, Simon refused to lose game two with a remarkable six steals - five of those coming after halftime - to go with 12 points and nine boards. Simon is well known as a defensive game changer, but offensive output has been vital for the Kings through the first two games. Ditto Jordy Hunter, who had 15 after halftime in game one and then Kouat Noi, who poured in a team-high 20 points in game two. If Cooks and Walton miss time, it’s efforts like these that will still give the Kings a chance.

William McMoney-White

If you were wondering why New Zealand orchestrator William McDowell-White is the hottest name in NBL free agency, watch game one from start to finish. You’ll see a masterpiece of point guard play that dissected the reigning champs. McDowell-White produced a near-triple-double — 19 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists — but it was his decision-making and assurance with the ball that set him apart. In game two in Auckland, he struggled as Sydney took hold of the contest.

McDowell-White was restricted to seven points, three rebounds and four assists in the loss to the Kings.

The 24-year-old was worth north of $500k a year before this series, and he’ll still be able to write his own cheque. A JackJumpers’ fan tweeted Crosscourt he’d look good in Ant green and Brisbane, Perth and South East Melbourne are among his suitors — and even Phoenix import Alan Williams is on the recruiting trail. “*S.E. Melbourne, we gotta make sure we specify,” Williams replied to a fan’s call for McDowell-White to land in Melbourne next season. Let the chase begin.

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Injury curse

Twelve days between the last game of the semi final and the first game of the grand final for the FIBA break meant both teams had players sucking in the big ones in game one. The pickle juice was out for a number of players as cramps set in. Dererk Pardon was hampered for the Breakers and Derrick Walton for the Kings. Walton, particularly, looked seriously sore and didn’t come back on after he went down in the fourth quarter. Of game one. League MVP Xavier Cooks joined him on the injured list when he tweaked an ankle. Both Kings travelled to NZ and tried to go in game two, but neither made it past halftime as they were shutdown. You hope neither are seriously injured, because it would rob the series of two of its biggest stars. Incredible fight from the Kings to go to Auckland and win in front of a packed Spark Arena crowd, with neither having a huge impact.

Kings fans get chance to make amends

Bravo to the more than 13,000 fans who packed Qudos Bank Arena for game one on Thursday night. Thumbs down if you were among the troop of Kings fans who marched out on their team early. It wasn’t as if they were getting hammered by 30. NBL commentator Jack Heverin and the GOAT Andrew Gaze noticed the “exodus” of Sydney fans with over a minute to go in the clash and the Kings down nine. It’s probably game over, but stranger things have happened in basketball. We get there was a bit of rain around and some pop singer was playing over the road but, if this happens again in game three, be a sport and stick around until the final buzzer. Win or lose, grand final games are a rare privilege.

The Kings are expecting an even bigger crowd for Game 3 on Friday – in fact they’ve already outsold the Game 1 crowd – so we’re tipping the fans won’t be leaving early again next week.