Brisbane Bullets odd couple lead in defeat of Perth Wildcats, now for the Illawarra Hawks

Brisbane Bullets are looking to make it a weekend to remember against Illawarra Hawks after snapping a three-game losing streak against teh defending NBL champions on Friday night.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 01: Jason Cadee of the Bullets makes a call during the round five NBL match between the Brisbane Bullets and the Perth Wildcats at Nissan Arena on November 01, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

• Bullets right at home against NBL big guns
• Gutsy Breakers dig deep against Cairns

Bullets guard Jason Cadee says the stirring victory over reigning NBL champion Perth on Friday night shows Brisbane are coming out the other side of the difficult “teething stage”.

Brisbane snapped a three-game losing streak with an 87-78 win over the Wildcats at Nissan Arena and now have to back-up for the clash with the Illawarra Hawks at AIS Arena on Sunday.

Due to World Cup duties, family commitments and injuries, Brisbane barely had a training session with their full squad before the NBL season started.

Live stream selected games of the 2019/20 NBL Season with ESPN on KAYO with your TV, Mobile, Tablet or Laptop. Get your 14 day free trial & start streaming instantly >

The win over Perth was important for the Bullets’ season.

They have shown an understandable lack of cohesion at both ends of the floor in the first four rounds but worked hard in the build-up to the Perth clash on clarifying roles and responsibilities.

Cadee was outstanding against Perth, providing a significant spark off the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal and no turnovers.

He said scaling back and simplifying the gameplan paid dividends against the Wildcats and Brisbane needed to carry on with that against the Hawks.

“We are a new group, we’ve been together since a week before the season so there’s obviously going to be a teething stage,’’Cadee said.

“I feel like we might be out the other side of it now and hopefully we can demonstrate that on Sunday as well.

Mika Vukona had a big role to play in the Bullets’ win.

“It’s tough because when you are a new group, you are playing some guys out of spots and they are trying to pick it up.

“If you don’t know the stuff, it kind of falls apart. As a group, we did a good job of talking people through different spots this week and I felt like we saw the results (against Perth) and hopefully we see the results over the new few weeks and onwards.’’

Bullets head coach Andrej Lemanis said Mika Vukona continues to defy sports science by being available to play after two serious injuries in the off-season and paid tribute to the five-time championship winner for setting the tone against Perth when he was injected into the starting five.

Vukona’s heavy lifting in the paint also took pressure of import Taylor Braun who delivered his best game for Brisbane with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists.

“Anyone who gets the game of basketball knows he’s (Braun) a good basketball player,” Lemanis said.

Jason Cadee did some great work off the bench.

“Anyone who says he’s not a good basketball player, in my opinion, doesn’t understand basketball…I love Taylor as a basketball player.

“He plays selflessly and in the interests of the group. He’s a no fuss, no nonsense guy who’s committed to team outcomes.”

Lemanis said Braun was “outstanding” defensively as he could match-up on guards or forwards.

Braun’s fellow US import EJ Singler also chimed in with a handy 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal against the Wildcats.