NBS Nelson Giants (3-9, 10th) v Wheeler Motor Company Canterbury Rams (9-2, 1st)
The revamped Giants are a different team that played the first third of the season as a lift in talent has them playing confidently no matter who the opponent but the Rams come to town with a different level of resume and a different depth and level of talent. Can the Giants continue their surge from the bottom of the ladder or will the Rams continue to march their way dominantly through the competition?
When: Saturday 24th May, Rapid League 3pm, Sal's NBL 4pm
Where: Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Watch: Live in New Zealand on Sky Sport 3 | USA: ESPN3 | International: FIBA YouTube
Last Time Out:
The Giants rolled into Franklin for their second game of the week, riding a mini-streak of sorts having grabbed two wins in three. The Bulls, winners of two straight themselves, came out firing, building an early 11-point lead sparked by Marcel Jones (12pts). But loose play let the Giants hang around. Late in the third, a Jordan Hunt block on Hayden Jones (13pts) lit a fire under Nelson, with a Sam Dempster triple and five quick Jones points flipping the lead heading into the fourth. That momentum carried into the final term as Jeremy Combs (18pts, 8rbs, 4ast), Andrew Jones (19pts, 6rbs, 4ast), and Hayden Jones closed strong to secure a 91-80 win, their third in four outings.
In a rematch of the last two grand finals, and their 53-point blowout before the international break, the Rams hosted the Tuatara, who were without Davo Hickey while still awaiting Luther Muhammad. The Rams started strong, but Auckland hung tough, trimming multiple double-digit deficits to stay in it. A Sean MacDonald triple (27pts, 4rbs, 4ast) at the first-half buzzer gave the Rams a 7-point edge, which stretched to 12 early in the third. But Buay Tuach (24pts, 12rbs) sparked a Tuatara run, scoring 12 in the quarter to cut it to 3 heading into the fourth. A Charles Pride putback (31pts, 11rbs) gave the Tuatara a late 1-point lead with under a minute to go, but MacDonald’s clutch three and some late game free throws sealed the Rams' fifth straight win and kept them atop the table.
What to Expect:
The Giants have burst back onto the scene with their 3 win in four games streak, and can thank an influx of talent from the start of the season (Combs, McRae, Jones & Robinson) that has allowed for the rest of the squad to take advantage of their opportunities (Liam Judd, Hayden Jones) to a greater degree. While the balance is better there are still opportunities to exploit, McRae has yet to be unlocked on the post, low as a scorer and high as a passer for instance, leaving a higher ceiling for the Giants to reach. They haven't scored less than 91 in the last four games after topping that number just once in the first 8, and they've held opponents under 86 three out of the last for after doing that just twice in the first 8 a real testament to their improvement. Their efficiency can still lift but this is a team that is getting better week to week.
The Rams continue their march through the competition but are coming off their closest game in over a month and their second tightest win of the season. That's because they have a tendency to blow teams out with 8 victories by 9 points or more with their combination of physicality on defense and speed on offense. They feature overwhelming depth with multiple options at each position allowing the coaching staff multiple options to every situation. Inside the have enough size with Tohi Smith-Milner, Kyle Bowen, C.J. Penha and Max Darling to match up with anyone, while the variation of skill set can make it a bit of nightmare of opponents to do the same. The perimeter is similarly stacked with talent with Taylor Britt leading the way but Sean MacDonald, Walter Brown and the Isaac brothers aren't very far behind. Their only two losses on the season came on the road, but the last one of those came on the 9th of May. If they are allowed to impose their will on the game they will most likely win so the Giants need to find their workrate early.
Matchup to Watch: Jeremy Combs v Kyle Bowen - The battle of the power forwards will be key as Jeremey Combs has been a revelation for the Giants season since his arrival 5 games ago. His low post play (and occasional forays to the 3-point line) is tough to guard but his willingness as passer keeps the double from coming. If Bowen can guard him 1 on 1 while doing a little damage of his own on the other end this will be a tough win for the Giants to pick up.
Stats that Might Matter:
| Stat | Giants | Rams |
| Scoring Offense | 85.33 (10th) | 101.36 (1st) |
| Scoring Defense | 92.83 (10th) | 85.36 (4th) |
| Effective Field Goal % | 50% (10th) | 56% (1st) |
| Field Goal % Defense | 48% (10th) | 44% (5th) |
| Free Throw Rate | 30% (4th) | 24% (10th) |
| Free Throw % | 66% (10th) | 69% (9th) |
| Three Point Rate | 37% (10th) | 43% (3rd) |
| Three Point % | 32% (8th) | 35% (3rd) |
| Turnover Rate | 13% (6th) | 10% (1st) |
| Assist Rate | 62% (3rd) | 60% (4th) |
| Offensive Rebound Rate | 29% (5th) | 75% (4th) |
| Defensive Rebound Rate | 72% (9th) | 32% (1st) |
| Block Rate | 6% (9th) | 9% (5th) |
| Steal Rate | 9% (9th) | 10% (5th) |
all advanced stats courtesy of spatialjam.com
