Defence letting the side down
The Otago Nuggets have nine games remaining to salvage what they can for the NBL season. But first they need to play some defence, writes sports reporter Adrian Seconi in his mid-term report. The good
This should be brief, but the Nuggets have shown some potential.
However, with three wins from 12 games, there is more material for the other two categories.
Arguably their two best performances were recorded in the losses column.
They were edged 97-94 by the Auckland Tuatara in Dunedin on April 6.
That game appeared to be heading for a blowout win for the visitors.
But the Nuggets fought admirably and even had a late chance to win it.
Don Carey jun poured in 29 points and Jose Perez muscled his way inside for 24 points.
The Nuggets have no trouble scoring when those two are firing.
Jaylen Sebree (13 points, 12 rebounds) and Jonathan Janssen (14 points) chipped in and they ran a classy team very close.
They pushed the defending champion Canterbury Rams into overtime in Christchurch later that month.
Had they won those two games then the season might be shaping up differently.
They could have used them as a springboard for a more confident display against the Nelson Giants, which was a must-win game that got away from them.
Carey (22.3 points and 6.4 assists) is in the top 10 in the league for average points and average assists per game.
Jose Perez (20.8 points) is also in the top 10 for average points and has been the Nuggets' most productive rebounder. The bad
The KPIs will not please the investors.
The statistics mostly match what you might expect from a team on a seven-game losing streak and a couple of spots off the bottom of the competition standings.
The Nuggets' last win was against the Indian Panthers in Auckland on April 4.
There have been a couple of near-misses since then, but close losses do not improve your win percentage.
Otago started the campaign reasonably. They had three wins in their first five games.
But their defence opens wider than Winston Peters' mouth on immigration issues.
The Nuggets concede more points per game (96.8) than any other team other than the Panthers.
If you have to score 97 points to win a game of basketball, you are not going to win many games of basketball.
They rebound better than you might expect - 37.7 per game - and they do quite well grabbing offensive rebounds (sixth in the league).
But they are the worst team in the league at converting second-chance points, averaging 9.1 points per game.
They are also last for blocks per game (2.3), last for free throw percentage (65.5) and 10th for field goal percentage (42.8%).
There is hope, though. The Nuggets lead the league in three-pointers made (140) and are the fourth most accurate team (34.8%) from beyond the arc.
Bombs away. The ugly
The Nuggets have been like a plant-based alternative since Todd Withers returned to Australia following a three-game cameo.
While tofu is fine if you marinate it to within inches of its life, and jackfruit might even pass for pulled pork, they are no substitute for a good, meaty defence.
Withers brought a defensive intensity few can match and he lifted the Nuggets from the ranks of the mediocre.
It is no coincidence they won two of their three games while he was still gracing the singlet.
The other win came over the beleaguered Panthers.
Withers made up only 20% of the team when he was on the court. But he was 100% more committed than his replacement, Sebree, who likes to flex when he cuts to the hoop but folds down the other end.
Perez tries. But he is more bull than gazelle and has the top speed of a three-toed sloth missing one of its toes.
Janssen is out of position at centre. But, as the tallest guy on the roster, he gets stuck trying to shut down a different big each week and it is not his game.
Carey is in the team to score and he does that well in patches. But he is not a particularly hungry defender.
Some people throw themselves around, like Canterbury Rams player Walter Brown. He dived on the ball to secure possession for his side to help the Rams eventually beat the Nuggets 108-107 in overtime.
That ball was right at Carey's feet.
That leaves Darcy Knox as the only other regular member of the starting five.
The Nuggets captain does his best. But it is not a starting five blessed with much defensive potential. They often get shredded by the bench during training scrimmages.
The Nuggets can reliably lean on Matthew Bardsley to bring some defensive hustle from the bench.
He is hungry and he gets stops. Maybe he ought to start more.
Something needs to change.
The defence needs more bite.
adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Rams show Nuggets no mercy
What does hope look like when it has been shredded in a blender? Well, like the long faces that headed into home dressing rooms at the Edgar Centre last night. The Otago Nuggets trailed the Canterbury Rams 55-29 at the break. The game was over. Or was it? Of course it was over. It was a clash between the best team in the National Basketball League and easily the worst and that was very, very obvious. The 113-59 final score was a painfully honest reflection of the gulf in class between the traditional rivals. The 54-point loss was the heaviest defeat in their history. Their previous largest losing margin was a 47-point shellacking by the Southland Sharks in 2013. Australian guard Sean Macdonald top-scored with 27 points and CJ Penha added 19 from the bench. Jonathan Janssen was the best of the Nuggets players. He posted a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds. There were early troubling signs. Rams guard Taylor Britt got free passage along the baseline for a basket. Someone dropped off their defensive assignment and he was not the last. Macdonald drilled a couple of early three-pointers and the Rams took an 8-0 lead. Janssen finally got the Nuggets on the board with a putback and Jaylen Sebree landed a triple. Other than that it was painful to watch for the home fans. The Nuggets made a series of bumbling efforts close to the hoop and some complete misreads on defence. Where is the exit? Cannot have been the only one thinking that. The Rams claimed twice as many rebounds and posted almost three times as many points in a lopsided 27-10 opening period. Macdonald stuck another three for the two-time defending champions early in the second quarter. Walter Brown grabbed an offensive board and popped it in. That was too easy. So was the cut Macdonald made to the cup for another bucket moments later. Maybe the fire alarm will go off now? Cannot have been the only one thinking that. The Nuggets rallied towards the end of the half but still trailed by 26 points. The third quarter was sloppy. The Rams lacked some of the urgency they displayed earlier and the Nuggets were able to disrupt their pattern more successfully. Max Darling drilled late back-to-back threes to stretch the margin to 38 points with 10 minutes remaining, though. Make it stop. Cannot be the only one thinking that. The game carried on, of course. The Rams spent a chunk of the fourth quarter taunting Sebree and he promptly fouled out of the game. Call that a win for the visitors. Darling brought up 100 for the Rams with a lay-up. The Rams beat the Nuggets 42-36 in the Rapid League game.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Struggling Nuggets face brutal test against Rams
Cue the Mission Impossible theme. The Otago Nuggets host the Canterbury Rams at the Edgar Centre tonight. The Rams have set the benchmark in the NBL again this season. They are chasing a third consecutive title, while the Nuggets are just hoping to snap a lengthy losing streak. They are teams at either end of the competition standings. Keep your $5 in your pocket if you are planning on backing a roughie. That said, the Nuggets pressed the Rams into overtime in Christchurch in April. And despite their lowly position, they have been competitive in most matches. Well, up to a certain point. They tend to fade at the back end of games. No-one is more aware of their shortcomings than coach Mike Kelly. He could do with a little more X-factor on the roster and a third import. But there is no cavalry coming. He has to squeeze every last drop of talent from the personnel he does have. That will be the challenge tonight. Patrick Freeman and Michael Ruske return to bolster the bench, and players like Caleb Smiler, Mac Stodart and Christian Martin have been getting more opportunities at the elite level. "While we haven't had results in the NBL with wins, and that is frustrating, I have to remind myself that we are trying to get better every day and these young guys are doing exactly that," Kelly said. "Christian Martin, Mac Stodart and all of these guys who have not played a lot of NBL minutes have been a real key part for us to be competitive in every game we've played. "I think the continued improvement and development of these young guys has kind of been the [defining character] of the season." That said, a win would be good. The Nuggets have dropped 12 in a row. "I don't see it as us being down on confidence, but rather down on players. "With the guys that we've got here, we have to be able to execute almost perfectly to be in every game. "We have to play really tight basketball for each other and I think we've done that to a certain extent to keep ourselves in with a shot. "We've managed to do that in every one of these games, so that has been gratifying. "We've continued to work, continued to stay competitive. "I really do believe in the process and not just the results. "As much as I want the results, I think we are doing it the right way. "And we want to continue that against the Rams, who we had a phenomenal game against at their house. "They are a really talented team that is well-coached and plays super hard." NBL Dunedin, 7pm Otago Nuggets: Jonathan Janssen, Matthew Bardsley, Don Carey jun, Josh Aitcheson, Jaylen Sebree, Darcy Knox, Caleb Smiler, Patrick Freeman, Michael Ruske, Mac Stodart, Christian Martin, Liam Boomer. Canterbury Rams (possible): Taylor Britt, Walter Brown, Sean McDonald, Kyle Bowen, Tohi Smith-Milner, Max Darling, CJ Penha jun, Tamatoa Isaac, Tawhiri Cate, Mana Martin, Ihaka Cate, Tony Worthington.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Nuggets handed heaviest loss in franchise history
What does hope look like when it has been shredded in a blender? Well, like the long faces that headed into home dressing rooms at the Edgar Centre tonight. The Otago Nuggets trailed the Canterbury Rams 55-29 at the break. The game was over. Or was it? Of course it was over. It was a clash between the best team in the National Basketball League and easily the worst and that was very, very obvious. The 113-59 final score a painfully honest reflection of the gulf in class between the traditional rivals. The 54-point loss was the heaviest defeat in their history. Their previous largest losing margin was a 47-point shellacking by the Southland Sharks in 2013. Australian guard Sean Macdonald top-scored with 27 points and CJ Penha added 19 from the bench. Jonathan Janssen was the best of the Nuggets players. He posted a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds. There were early troubling signs. Rams guard Taylor Britt got free passage along the baseline for a basket. Someone dropped off their defensive assignment and he was not the last. Macdonald drilled a couple of early three-pointers and the Rams took an 8-0 lead. Janssen finally got the Nuggets on the board with a putback and Jaylen Sebree landed a triple. Other than that it was painful to watch for the home fans. The Nuggets made a series of bumbling efforts close to the hoop and some complete misreads on defence. Where is the exit? Cannot have been the only one thinking that. The Rams claimed twice as many rebounds and posted almost three times as many points in a lopsided 27-10 opening period. Macdonald stuck another three for the two-time defending champions early in the second quarter. Walter Brown grabbed an offensive board and popped it in. That was too easy. So was the cut Macdonald made to the cup for another bucket moments later. Maybe the fire alarm will go off? Cannot have been the only one thinking that. The Nuggets rallied toward the end of the half but still trailed by 26 points. The third quarter was sloppy. The Rams lacked some of the urgency they displayed earlier and the Nuggets were able to disrupt their pattern more successfully. Max Darling drilled late back-to-back threes to stretch the margin to 38 points with 10 minutes remaining, though. Make it stop. Cannot be the only one thinking that. The game carried on of course. The Rams spent a chunk of the fourth quarter taunting Sebree and he promptly fouled out of the game. Call that a win for the visitors. Darling brought up 100 for the Rams with a lay-up. The Rams beat the Nuggets 42-36 in the Rapid League game.
