Brisbane Bullets clinging on to top four spot ahead of must-win game against New Zealand Breakers

Brisbane coach Andrej Lemanis expects in-form New Zealand Brakers to come all guns blazing and says the Bullets need to match their desperation to stay in the top four.

Lamar Patterson drives to the basket against the Kings. Picture: Getty Images

Brisbane coach Andrej Lemanis says the Bullets need to match the desperation of New Zealand in the must-win NBL clash in Auckland on Sunday.

The Breakers have to win all of their remaining seven games and hope for other results to go their way to qualify for the finals so they will come out with all guns blazing at Spark Arena, fresh from their freewheeling 113-106 victory over Cairns on Thursday.

Brisbane have a quick turnaround from their 87-81 loss at the hands of Sydney at Boondall on Friday when Kings superstar Andrew Bogut stood tall with a matchwinning 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

The Bullets met at Carina at 5am on Saturday to board the bus for the international airport ahead of the early game (11.20am AEST).

They then have to contend with in-form Breakers centre Shawn Long who can dominate the paint like Bogut and tear sides apart if he avoids foul trouble.

Bullets big man Cameron Bairstow in action against the Kings. Picture: AAP

Brisbane (12-10) are stinging after falling away in the second half against the Kings and a win over New Zealand would keep them in the top four after fellow finals aspirants Adelaide lost to Perth on Friday night.

Lemanis said Brisbane played best with a backs-to-the-wall attitude.

“(The Breakers are) a team that is going to play with that desperation. We need to play with that desperation as well,’’ he said.

“It’s going in as a team with an intent.

“We showed at the end when we were down (late in the fourth quarter against Sydney), we finally came with a bit of disruptive desperation.

“I know they were more playing to save a lead than anything but we are good that way. We need to find ways to continue to have that sort of impact on the game, throughout it.

“Too many times we ended up being a little bit passive and a little bit on the backfoot, as opposed to trying to dictate the terms of the game through our defensive energy.

“Regardless of who we are playing, we’ve got to come with that (energy).’’

New Zealand’s Shawn Long looms as a threat for the Bullets. Picture: AAP

Lemanis said Brisbane needed to do a better job of shutting down Long than they did with Bogut, although Cam Bairstow was a standout for the Bullets against the Kings with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

“Long has found some form over the last couple of weeks. We’ve got to ensure we’re intelligent in the way we go about attacking him,’’ he said.

Brisbane beat New Zealand in Auckland in Round 1 thanks to a Cam Gliddon shooting masterclass, while the Breakers exacted revenge in a Round 5 thriller at South Bank with a Tom Abercrombie buzzer-beater handing the visitors a last-gasp win.

Originally published as Brisbane Bullets clinging on to top four spot ahead of must-win game against New Zealand Breakers