Anthony Lamb of the Breakers. Photo: Photosport
The struggling New Zealand Breakers paid the price for a sluggish start, going down 94-76 to the Perth Wildcats in their NBL game on Friday.
The Breakers crashed to a sixth defeat in eight games, handing the home side 14 turnovers, many of them coming in the opening quarter, which they lost 34-17.
Coach Mody Maor will be desperate for answers heading into Thursday's game against the Tasmania JackJumpers in Launceston after overseeing another performance in which the Breakers struggled at both ends of the court to fall to second-last on the standings.
They struggled to contain flashy guard Bryce Cotton, who scored a game-high 37 points while Keanu Pinder contributed 21 and former Breaker Tai Webster produced eight points, six rebounds and three assists.
Imports Anthony Lamb (25 points) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (20) led the Breakers' scoring while there was a "double-double" for Mangok Mathiang (11 points, 14 rebounds).
"It wasn't a good game from us, we didn't compete the right way," a disappointed Maor said at the post-game press conference.
"Nothing in basketball works when you don't play with the appropriate effort.
"When your whole team doesn't play with the appropriate intensity from the jump, the responsibility sits solely on the shoulders of the head coach.
"So the only thing that this is attributed to is my leadership. We need to be better and the responsibility is on me."