R16 Preview: SE Melbourne Phoenix v Brisbane Bullets

When: 7.30pm (AEST), Thursday 29 April 

Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Broadcast: ESPN; Sky Sports NZ; SBS On Demand; Twitch

The last time
South East Melbourne 99 (Creek 29, Gliddon 19, Adnam 15) d Brisbane 83 (Hodgson 20, Drmic 16, Sobey 16) – NBL Cup Week 1, John Cain Arena, Melbourne

These two teams have only met once so far this season and that was way back to open the NBL Cup on February 21, and it's fair to say plenty has changed since but they are still fighting over a playoff spot coming into Thursday night's clash.

Boomer Mitch Creek roared at his South East Melbourne teammates to come with him and the Phoenix responded emphatically to erase a 16-point deficit and claim a memorable 99-83 NBL Cup win. With his side rattled in the first quarter and staring down the barrel of a serious flogging, the one-time NBA player laid down the law to his teammates including some choice words of inspiration, demanding they lift. 

While Creek (29 points, nine rebounds) was the talisman, former Bullet Cam Gliddon had a day out from the three-point line on his way to 19 points off 5/8 shooting from long range in his first appearance against his old side. Kyle Adnam had a sensational cameo with 15 points and six assists while Keifer Sykes (14 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) delivered a triple-double.

Nathan Sobey was strong for the Bullets again with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists while Matt Hodgson looked free of any calf pain that has restricted him so far this season on his way to 20 points and nine rebounds. 

The now

The South East Melbourne Phoenix can take another step towards locking in a playoff berth with a win on Thursday night on their home floor while the Brisbane Bullets can't afford to fall against one of the teams they are trying to knock from the top four.

The Phoenix come into the game in fourth position on the NBL table with a 14-12 record while the Bullets are 10-13 in sixth position. A win for South East Melbourne on Thursday night would give them five more victories on the season than Brisbane and the Bullets are running out of time to make up that deficit with 12 matches remaining in their #NBL21 campaign following Thursday.

South East Melbourne had hit a rough patch of form losing three games in-a-row with two of those to the Sydney Kings and one at home to the Adelaide 36ers seeing themselves fall in jeopardy of falling from the top four. But the Phoenix did bounce back impressively on ANZAC Day beating the Cairns Taipans in Far North Queensland 86-66.

That steadies the Phoenix with a 14-12 record on the season and with 10 games remaining, every win they compile from now on will take them a step closer to a playoff berth. And while Keifer Sykes, Dane Pineau and Kendall Stephens will remain sidelined come Thursday night, sharpshooter Ryan Broekhoff will be back to take on the Bullets.

Meanwhile, Brisbane now hasn’t played since losing in Perth to the Wildcats last Friday night. Because of the snap lockdown in Western Australia, their home game scheduled against the Phoenix on Sunday didn’t eventuate and now this will be the Bullets' first game since as they remain on the road still with no home games scheduled in Brisbane until May 13 against the Sydney Kings.

But with 13 games left in their season, the Bullets are still in the playoff mix at 10-13 if they can stop this current three-game losing run following defeats to Melbourne, New Zealand and Perth, and especially if they can stay afloat before that run of five straight home games later in May. However, they do need to start winning soon and there's be no more perfect time than tonight.