Preview: NBL25 R3 Home v Sydney Kings

The time has finally arrived for the Brisbane Bullets to play their first home game of NBL25 and it's a return to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre with the stage set for a memorable night up against the Sydney Kings.

There's great expectations on the Kings for this NBL season with the return of legendary coach Brian Goorjian and former league MVP Xavier Cooks making them the perfect opponents first up for the Bullets in their home opener.

This season the Bullets are returning to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre—a venue steeped in the club's rich history, and they will be looking to get the first win on the board of the new season to mark the occasion.

The Bullets overcame a slow start in the first game of the season in Perth as part of HoopsFest before almost snatching the win at the death over the New Zealand Breakers.

After another slower start last Friday in Wollongong, the Bullets hit back again with a 35-point second quarter before the absence of Josh Bannan and Sam McDaniel, and injuries to Mitch Norton and Deng Adel took their toll in a 12-point loss to the Illawarra Hawks.

The Bullets have now had a full week at home to prepare for the home opener on Saturday night against the Kings with a full squad expected to be available aside from Sam McDaniel who will miss the rest of the season with second-year Josh Bannan right to return to action.

Firstly on the injury front, Bullets coach Schueller is relieved that Adel and Norton have overcome their groin complaints and can't wait to get Bannan back out there.

"Both Deng and Norto's groins are definitely on track and we don’t have too much concern about them not being available," Schueller said.

"Fingers crossed we'll be as close to healthy as we've been and Josh Bannan will definitely be on the floor this week. That's an exciting thing for us to add a starting piece that we've missed this whole pre-season and the first two weeks."

There has been plenty of positives for the Bullets to take from both games on the road to start the season especially the fourth quarter performance against the Breakers and then second term against the Hawks.

However, falling 26 points down in the first place to New Zealand and giving 38 first quarter points to Illawarra is something that Schueller knows isn’t going to be a recipe for success moving forward.

"The obvious one is that we have to find a way to start games better and that’s on the starters to set the table for us," Schueller said.

"It's something that we continue to challenge that group with, but after the initial four minutes I think we were really absolutely controlling that game right up to the point where Norto got injured.

"I was really comfortable with where we were at up to that point, but to the Hawks credit they are a high-octane team and we expended so much energy after the poor start that once the injuries started to pile up we didn’t have enough in the tank to sustain what we had done.

"That's the disappointing part because we'd dug a hole again and showed that we can match it with the best in the league, and just couldn’t sustain it. Our focus is on getting better every single day and believe in what we're doing, but reduce the gaps between our great effort versus the poor parts."

There's also the coaching battle for Schueller and it will be his first opportunity to go up against six-time NBL champion Brian Goorjian, and he can't wait.

"I think every week I enjoy the battle of the person down the other end," Schueller said.

"One beauty of our league is that the coaching is absolutely elite and there's no one down the other end that isn’t in a chess match with you, but Brian's obviously done it for the longest and to the highest success.

"It will be a coaching moment that I'm sure I will remember for a long time to come, especially if we can find a way to jag the win."

GAME INFO

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings

Tip off: 8:00pm (AEST), Saturday 5 October, 2024

Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Tickets: Purchase Here

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel and Kayo