Breakers coach Petteri Koponen instructs the Breakers huddle. Photo: Blake Armstrong/Photosport
NZ Breakers coach Petteri Koponen is feeling the pressure to start achieving results in the Australian NBL.
Before Friday's game against Tasmania JackJumpers in Auckland, the Breakers are stuck at the bottom of the points ladder on one win and five losses.
Koponen believes the team have let a couple of games slip away this season, including the last outing on their home floor against South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Giving up a 12-point half-time lead against the Phoenix to lose 87-81 was tough for Koponen to take.
"So many unforced turnovers, being sloppy, we can't afford this, if you want to beat these teams," he said. "We gave that game away.
"There were some moments we were thinking too much about wrong stuff, we tried to do too much offensively."
The Breakers have two games in three days, with a trip to the undefeated league-leaders Melbourne United on Sunday. The Auckland-based club could end the weekend further off the pace in the competition, if they do not get at least one win this weekend.
Koponen wanted more focus from the players on the court.
"We didn't have this killer mentality, the focus to finish the plays we lacked the last 5-10 percent [to convert]," he said. "Missing an open lay-up, it's not about talent - it's being focused and maybe a little bit confidence, but mostly focus.
"Same with the turnover - do you have this tension with the ball or are you sloppy?
"When you are sloppy, it's easy to get carried away and turn the ball over.
"There are still too many moments in the game when we don't have all five players on the same page and this is something we need to fix."
As Koponen worked on a way to get the roster clicking and wins on the board, he was aware the coaching staff could be under the microscope.
"We always try to produce results and try to help the players perform in their best way, and we're just trying to do our job," he said. "For us, in this league, to win the games, we need to perform really, really well.
"We had some flashes, but what we are searching still is that solid 40 minutes."
An increased output from American imports Izaiah Brockington and Rob Baker II would help the cause. The duo are new to NBL competition and have struggled to adjust in the opening rounds.
"Guys coming from G-League, the game is different," Koponen said. "You have to make your reads and decisions much faster, the space is very different than in the NBA and it's sometimes difficult for these guys.
"With Brockington, for example, it's the first time in his life he saw aggressive ball-screen coverage, but we try to help them and there is a lot of teaching in the pre-season.
"Baker, he came late, he missed a big part of the pre-season and many of the things, it takes time. We try to give them the confidence and what we ask them to do is just do your job defensively, offensively, simple things.
"You're open, shoot the ball, be aggressive, but defensively, everybody needs to do a better job."
Koponen said every game in the league was important, but with a run of road games next month, winning again in front of home fans could help them turn the corner on the season.
"We just have to learn how to win as a group and get the confidence back."
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