Bullets season ends at home to Kings

A season where every hurdle imaginable was put in the way of the Brisbane Bullets has now come to an end and they did put up a fight with a 33-point first quarter, but couldn’t go with the Sydney Kings the rest of the way.

The Bullets finished their season on Friday night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, but it was always going to be a significant challenge against a Sydney team on a 10-game winning streak and in top spot.

Brisbane did come out and start impressively including going on a 26-15 run to finish the first quarter and to still be leading 33-26 by quarter-time on the back of some scorching shooting at 72 per cent with 4/8 from deep.

However, the Kings worked on top from there and outscored the Bullets 91-44 the rest of the way to end up winning 117-77 as they finish in top spot to close the regular season at 24-9 with 11 straight wins.

The Bullets' season is now over and they end with 13 consecutive defeats and a 6-27 record.

Hunter Maldonado fought hard once again for Brisbane with 16 points, six assists and four rebounds with Taine Murray knocking down three triples on his way to 13 points and three assists.

Terry Taylor finished with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists with Tyrell Harrison adding eight points and two rebounds, Jack Purchase nine points on three late triples, and Alex Ducas five points, six rebounds and three assists.

Tohi Smith-Milner also had six points, two rebounds and two assists, Jacob Holt four points and two boards, Mitch Norton three points and two assists, and Tristan Devers two points, four rebounds and three assists.

The Kings ended up shooting 57 per cent from the field with 13/30 from three-point territory and making all 16 of their free-throw attempts with Kendric Davis leading the way with 31 points and eight assists on 13/15 shooting.

Makuach Maluach added 15 points, Torrey Craig 14, Matthew Dellavedova 13, Xavier Cooks 13, Tyler Robertson 11 and Kouat Noi 10.

After Kendric Davis helped Sydney to the 11-7 lead early, the Bullets really got rolling and it started once Tyrell Harrison checked into the game for the first time.

He kickstarted six straight points for the Bullets and then Tohi Smith-Milner and Alex Ducas both knocked down three-pointers in a 10-0 run to open a 24-15 lead.

Brisbane were able to keep that momentum going too into quarter-time to be leading 33-26 on the back of a scorching 72 per cent shooting to the 59 from the Kings with Davis having the 12 points and two assists without missing a shot.

The Kings turned that momentum around to start the second period starting with a Torrey Craig triple before another 8-0 run before a Terry Taylor bucket steadied the Bullets.

Sydney were starting to feel good and scored another six points in-a-row but then Hunter Maldonado responded with a pair of three balls for Brisbane to return scores back level.

Taylor also hit from deep to return the Bullets to the lead but Sydney finished the half strongly to go into the break on top 58-50 with the 27 points and four assists from Davis.

It was a horror start to the second half from the Bullets with the Kings asserting their authority with a 17-4 run as their lead got out to 21, and it was at 30 by three quarter-time.

The Kings then scored the first 17 points of the fourth quarter including a couple of three-pointers from Shaun Bruce as the lead ballooned to 47 but Jack Purchase came on and hit three late bombs of his own for Brisbane to bring it back to 40 by the end.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – ROUND 22

BRISBANE BULLETS 77 (Maldonado 16, Murray 13, Taylor 11)

SYDNEY KINGS 117 (Davis 31, Maluach 15, Craig 14)

BOX SCORE