Given all the NZ Breakers' recent travel miles, it was inevitable something would get lost in transit. And it was their offence.
Producing season-lows across the stat-sheet, the Breakers fell 88-62 in the Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) to the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Christchurch on Thursday night.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Petteri Koponen's team shot just 36 percent (24-of-65) from the field and 29 percent (7-of-24) on three-point attempts, as they never scored more than 20 points in any quarter.
Point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright once again did what he could for the Breakers, with a team-high 19 points (8/15 FG, 2/3 3pt) and six assist, with Grant Anticevich adding 12 points (5/11 FG, 2/5 3pt) and four rebounds, and Matt Mooney 11 points (4/12 FG, , five assists and three steals.
"It's unfortunate, but we have to have that 'next man up' mentality and today wasn't our day," said Breakers head coach Koponen.
"We were not really sharp from the beginning ... we didn't shoot the ball well and couldn't get stops so we could make some runs. Offensively we couldn't find solutions, no advantages."
The Phoenix are now perfect under interim head coach Sam Mackinnon, who was in charge of the Taranaki Airs in the National Basketball League (NBL) this season.
Both teams were coming off last-up wins, and were missing key players for the Round 6 clash at Wolfbrook Arena.
The Phoenix were missing star point guard Derrick Walton Jr, but the Breakers were decimated in the absence of Mitch McCarron (knee), Max Darling (groin), Mojave King (thigh) and Dane Pineau (calf).
Mackinnon was in charge for a second game since replacing Mike Kelly as coach, but now will hand over the job to American Josh King following Saturday night.
It was again a vastly improved performance in the effort areas with South East Melbourne ending up with 44 rebounds to just 29 from the Breakers, along with 11 at the offensive end for 18 second-chance points.
Matt Hurt came into Round 6 leading the league in scoring and the power forward produced another 19 points and seven rebounds, with Angus Glover finding his shooting touch going 3-of-4 from deep for 13 points.
There were plenty more contributors to the win for the Phoenix, with Nathan Sobey providing 12 points and seven assists, Joe Wieskamp 11 points and eight rebounds, and Ben Ayre 13 points and two assists on 3-of-4 three-point shooting.
Coming off their first win of the season in The Throwdown on Sunday, the Phoenix made the perfect start with a three ball from the league's leading scorer Matt Hurt.
Then when Angus Glover also landed one from downtown, South East Melbourne was out to a 15-5 advantage which became 18-7 when Glover knocked down a second from deep.
Joe Wieskamp came off the bench and then hit a three when he came on to put the visitors on top 22-7, and they were still on top 27-17 by the end of one.
The Breakers were never able to get closer than seven points in the second quarter with South East Melbourne remaining in control leading 47-35 heading into the half-time interval.
The Breakers did get back within five points midway through the third quarter following a dunk in transition to Jonah Bolden, but the Phoenix again responded and with a three from Ben Ayre just before three quarter-time, they were back up 14.
South East Melbourne maintained control the rest of the way to end up winning by 26 points for a first win in Christchurch and make it back-to-back wins under Sam Mackinnon.
Both teams back up again to play in Round 6 with the Phoenix at home to the league-leading Illawarra Hawks on Saturday while the Breakers take on the Kings in Sydney on Sunday.
South East Melbourne Phoenix 88 (Matt Hurt 19, Angus Glover 13, Ben Ayre 13, Nathan Sobey 12, Joe Wieskamp 11) NZ Breakers 62 (Parker Jackson-Cartwright 19, Grant Anticevich 12, Matt Mooney 11). 1Q: 27-17, HT: 47-35, 3Q: 65-51