NZ Breakers coach Mody Maor has leapt to the defence of American star Parker Jackson-Cartwright, after the struggling Auckland-based team fell agonisingly short of toppling two-time defending ANBL champions Sydney Kings.
In a rematch of last season's grand final, the Breakers rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second quarter to edge ahead in the closing minutes, but needed a basket in the final seconds to at least force overtime.
As the clock would down, Jackson-Cartwright opted for a forced three-point attempt, well defending by Kings captain Shaun Bruce, rather than using his speed to attack the basket.
That shot selection was second-guessed by commentators and media afterwards, along with the choice of Jackson-Cartwright to take it, instead of former NBA forward and topscorer Anthony Lamb.
With his player still kicking himself over the costly miss, Maor has stepped into the firing line, pledging his undying support.
"Fantastic player," he insisted. "I'd sign a contract with the basketball gods that every game I need to win for the rest of my career, I'd put the ball in his hands and I'd be a very rich man, winning a lot of basketball games.
"I'm very happy."
Jackson-Cartwright's credentials are beyond question - he began the game as the Aussie league's leading scorer and top playmaker. His 18 points saw him slip fractionally behind Brisbane guard Nathan Sobey for scoring.
The American clearly needed consoling after his miss and he found a willing ally in his coach. Asked about his one-on-one offensive choices down the stretch, Jackson-Cartwright shrugs.
"Obviously, in that moment, you at least want to get a clean shot, but that's just the way it went and you learn from it," he said. "You can say what you want to say about those last minutes..."
Maor interjected: "Those were good shots, I don't know what you're talking about.
"Lamb at the rim, Parker at the rim... these are good shots. We're playing versus a team that switches everything, the result of this is you put the ball in your best players' hands and they create.
"They create for themselves and they create for each other, and they did this all game. All you can ask is you get good shots.
"As far as the last shot goes, if you're going to be the guy to take those shots, you need to be the guy that's ready to miss them. All of us in that locker room are ready to live and die with Parker.
"He's as good a teammate and player as there is, so stop diggin there. We're good."
Given their current predicament, the 2-5 Breakers actually competed above themselves against opponents seeking their third straight NBL crown and currently sitting second on the competition table.
With American forward Zylan Cheatham sidelined by injury, they are playing severely understrength, as they try to stay in playoff contention until his return. Staring at the stat sheet, Maori finds plenty to celebrate from the latest loss.
"We played fantastic," he insisted. "We held Sydney to four fastbreak points, nine offensive points, 32 points in the second half... great job.
"The ball bounces differently, we come out with a huge win. I'm very proud of them."
Jackson-Cartwright's frustrations go far further than his shot selection, as he continues an ongoing battle with referees. In his seven appearances, he has exited twice with five fouls and averages 4.0 per game, which limits his impact.
He brought up his third foul midway through the second quarter against Sydney, forcing Maor to bench him for six minutes into halftime, as his team fell to their biggest deficit. Notably, he kept his hands to himself for the entire second half, as he contributed to the comeback.
Adapting to new competition rules and referee styles is nothing new to import players, who spend their careers bouncing from one country - and different interpretations - to another.
"New league," said Jackson-Cartwright. "Obviously, I need to adjust to the game, the league.
"Getting in foul trouble puts myself and the team into a bad spot. I want to be out there and I want to contribute."
The Breakers next face a long-distance road trip to Perth to face the Wildcats on Friday.
