Recap | Bullets fire with roof open at Pat Rafter

The Brisbane Bullets turned the game on its head over the last 15 minutes to open their NBL season with the memorable 88-85 win over the New Zealand Breakers with new import point guard Arnas Velička starring at a sold out Pat Rafter Arena.

It was quite the way for the Bullets to start the new season with the roof open and the first ever game played at Pat Rafter Arena which was sold out for the occasion.

They were taking on a Breakers team who had already beaten the Illawarra Hawks back on Sunday and then the Bullets found themselves 11 points down four minutes into the third quarter.

But Brisbane scored the next 10 points from there and closed the third quarter on a 23-9 run before continuing that momentum in the fourth, and then closing out the three-point victory in a thrilling finish.

New coach Will Weaver would have been delighted that the Bullets won on the back of pulling down 15 offensive rebounds with that especially crucial the longer the game went to create second chance opportunities.

It was a spectacular NBL debut from Lithuanian import Arnas Velička who finished with 23 points, 14 assists, five rebounds and shooting 5/9 from the outside.

Tyrell Harrison was also an imposing presence with 22 points, seven rebounds and four blocks while Nate Hinton delivered 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals to go with his renowned defence.

Son-of-a-legend Max Mackinnon also had nine points and seven rebounds with Jacob Holt contributing six points and three boards, Jaylin Williams six points and four rebounds while being +15, and Lat Mayen five points and five boards.

It was a first game of the season for the Bullets with the roof open for the historic occasion at Pat Rafter Arena, but it was the visitors with the better of the start and the Breakers were leading 26-19 by quarter-time.

Tyrell Harrison had seven points and three rebounds for Brisbane in the opening 10 minutes but as a team the Bullets only managed to shoot 8/18 while having five turnovers and sending New Zealand to the line eight times.

Harrison picked up a third foul in the second quarter which didn’t help Brisbane's cause but after falling down 11, the home team did fire back before the Breakers pulled away again to lead 44-37 by half-time.

Harrison was still up to 10 points and three rebounds for the Bullets with new point guard Arnas Velička having five points and six assists by half-time but they were up to 10 turnovers after the opening 20 minutes.

New Zealand again got out to an 11-point lead early in the second half before the Bullets responded with a 7-0 run with five of those points coming from Velička including a three ball.

That became 10 straight points with a three-pointer as well from Nate Hinton and Brisbane were able to level scores shortly after and then be leading 65-63 by three quarter-time thanks to a three just before the buzzer from captain Mitch Norton.

The Bullets then scored the first four points of the last quarter to go up six which soon became eight with another three ball from Velička with seven minutes on the clock.

Four minutes later and the Breakers had levelled the scores once more before Hinton hit a second three-pointer of the night and then a Lat Mayen offensive rebound led to a crucial dunk from Harrison.

Max Mackinnon stretched the lead back to three at the foul line and then that proved to be the winning margin for a memorable season-opener for the Bullets.

The Bullets remain in Brisbane to now take on the Illawarra Hawks on Friday night, this time at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

GAME DETAILS

BRISBANE BULLETS 88
NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 85

Pat Rafter Arena, Tuesday September 22

Arnas Velička – 23 points, 14 assists, 5 rebounds
Tyrell Harrison – 22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks
Nate Hinton – 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Max Mackinnon – 9 points, 7 rebounds
Jaylin Williams – 6 points, 4 rebounds