Mills Albert Wellington Saints (12-4, 2nd) v Jadcup Auckland Tuatara (8-7, 4th)
The Saints are edging closer to securing a postseason berth, but there's little room for error if they want the home-court advantage that comes with a top-two seed. The Tuatara are beginning to charge up the ladder, finding themselves in the top four after a huge road win, but they also have no margin for slip-ups, with 10 teams still in the playoff hunt. Three-game winning streaks collide in the capital tonight!
When: Saturday 14 June, Rapid League 6:30pm, Sal's NBL 7:30pm
Where: TSB Arena, Wellington
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 4 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube |
Last Time Out:
The Saints faced a Bulls team desperate to snap a losing streak and were tested early, trailing by five at halftime. Tobias Cameron (12pts, 4ast, 3reb) and Till Gloger (18pts, 9reb) led the way early, but the Saints found another gear in the second half. Hyrum Harris celebrated his 150th game with a near triple-double (13pts, 14reb, 8ast, 3stl), while Nick Marshall (25pts, 7reb) led four Saints in double figures as they powered to a 93–77 win.
The Tuatara faced the Jets, who exploded to a 21–8 lead behind Quintin Rose (23pts, 7reb, 3ast) and Dontae Russo-Nance (20pts, 8reb, 5ast). But after Kenny Goins hit foul trouble, Auckland began finding space inside and on the boards. A six-triple second quarter gave the visitors a six-point halftime lead. With Luther Muhammad (21pts, 7reb, 8ast) asserting control, the Tuatara held off the Jets to secure an 89-77 victory.
What to Expect:
The Saints faced a Bulls team desperate to snap a losing streak and were tested early, trailing by five at halftime. Tobias Cameron (12pts, 4ast, 3reb) and Till Gloger (18pts, 9reb) led the way early, but the Saints found another gear in the second half. Hyrum Harris celebrated his 150th game with a near triple-double (13pts, 14reb, 8ast, 3stl), while Nick Marshall (25pts, 7reb) led four Saints in double figures as they powered to a 93-77 win.
The Tuatara faced the Jets, who exploded to a 21–8 lead behind Quintin Rose (23pts, 7reb, 3ast) and Dontae Russo-Nance (20pts, 8reb, 5ast). But after Kenny Goins hit foul trouble, Auckland began finding space inside and on the boards. A six-triple second quarter gave the visitors a six-point halftime lead. With Luther Muhammad (21pts, 7reb, 8ast) asserting control, the Tuatara held off the Jets to secure an 89-77 victory.
Matchup to Watch: Nick Musynski v Rob Loe - These two bigs are the defensive anchors for their teams and vital to their respective success. Muszynski, the Saints’ lone true center, provides rim protection and finishes efficiently inside. Loe, meanwhile, uses his range to drag defenders out of the paint and can protect the rim in his own right. Foul trouble for either would be a major blow—if one goes down, expect the other side to exploit it.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Saints | Tuatara |
| Scoring Offense | 94.13 (3rd) | 86.67 (9th) |
| Scoring Defense | 82.75 (2nd) | 89.07 (5th) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 54% (3rd) | 51% (8th) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 41% (1st) | 44% (5th) |
| Free Throw Rate | 29% (5th) | 29% (4th) |
| Free Throw % | 76% (2nd) | 69% (9th) |
| Three Point Rate | 39% (7th) | 45% (3rd) |
| Three Point % | 34% (3rd) | 31% (9th) |
| Turnover Rate | 12% (5th) | 13% (8th) |
| Assist Rate | 60% (3rd) | 57% (7th) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 25% (8th) | 23% (10th) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 78% (1st) | 77% (2nd) |
| Block Rate | 12% (1st) | 6% (9th) |
| Steal Rate | 10% (6th) | 7% (10th) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
