NZ Breakers have been crushed 106-66 by Portland Trail Blazers in their NBL X NBA showdown on Wednesday (NZ time).
The Auckland-based NBL side kept pace with the Americans for the majority of the contest until the second half, when their shooters went ice cold. The Breakers lost the final quarter by 22 points, shooting just 30.1 percent overall as a team.
Point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright top-scored for the Breakers with 19 points, albeit on just 6/23 attempts from the field. Centre Zylan Cheatham posted a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, playing a team-high 36 minutes.
Most of Portland's starters – including marquee trade acquisition DeAndre Ayton and highly touted rookie Scott Henderson – played limited minutes.
Ayton finished with eight points and six boards in 15 minutes, while Henderson notched seven points and six assists in 19.
Former Breakers Next Star Rayan Rupert – who was drafted by the Blazers with the 43rd overall pick in the draft – didn’t take the court.
The Breakers move on to face Utah Jazz on October 17, before resuming their NBL campaign on October 22 against Melbourne United.
