Bullets fall at final buzzer

The Sydney Kings have held on for a 83-82 win over the Brisbane Bullets at Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday night.

The Bullets were down and out at three quarter-time, trailing by 12 points and looking consigned to a heavy defeat. 

But they stormed out of the break with the first nine points and when BJ Johnson slammed home a statement dunk they finally stole the lead back with less than 90 seconds left on the clock in front of a monster 9267 crowd at Qudos Bank Arena.

Shaun Bruce hit his foul shots to put the Kings back up by one point with 14 seconds left in the game leading to a Bullets timeout.

It seemed over when Jason Cadee lost the ball over the sideline, but an inexplicable Casper Ware offensive foul on Nathan Sobey gave Brisbane one last chance. BJ Johnson had a shot at the game winner but the pressing Sydney defence rushed him off his shot.

The result means the Kings finish the regular season level with wins with the fourth-placed South East Melbourne Phoenix who have all-but secured the final spot in the #NBL21 top four, although the Kings can still pray for a miracle.

They will now rely on the Bullets comprehensively flogging the Phoenix on Tuesday in their final match of the season to close the gap on percentage points. The magical number is a 78-point Brisbane win for Sydney to replace South East Melbourne in fourth.

The Bullets fought to the end but they will be left to rue another season that could have been, effectively derailed when they lost star import Vic Law after the NBL Cup. 

Nathan Sobey filled his boots with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists and he will now turn his attention toward making the trimmed down Boomers squad for the Tokyo Olympics. 

BJ Johnson (17 points, five rebounds) had his best game in Bullets colours and may yet factor in the planning for next season after originally coming in to replace departed import Orlando Johnson. 

With three imports likely in season 2021/22, there would be room for Johnson, Lamar Patterson (15 points, five rebounds, three assists) and Law. 

It was an entertaining and freewheeling first half as both sides fought like there was no tomorrow. Kickert was splashing triples with ease but newly minted Sobey was answering in kind and it was the Bullets who led 24-17 at the first break.

The Bullets exploded out of the gate and led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but the Kings were not going to let their season evaporate that easily. They roared past the Bullets with a huge 29-17 quarter, taking a 46-43 lead into the half-time break.

It seemed to stunned the Bullets who needed a cricket score to be any shot of making the post-season and they were reduced to passengers as the Kings pushed their lead out to eight. Things got worse for Brisbane when Sobey was called for an unsportsmanlike foul after collecting Ware in the head. 

Kickert was turning back the clock as he pushed into double figures with the final score of the third quarter, the Kings leading 70-58 with the finish line in sight.

There was one more chapter left for the Bullets who scored the first nine points of the final quarter to slash the margin to just three points. It was a nervous time for the Kings but they were able to push their way back out in front. Brisbane refused to say die, though, and had their chances to steal the match.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 21

SYDNEY KINGS 83 (Martin 28, Ware 14, Kickert 10)

BRISBANE BULLETS 82 (Sobey 22, Johnson 17, Patterson 15) 

BOX SCORE