"We're right there": Breakers out to end late-game fades

The New Zealand Breakers might sit in ninth with a 3-9 record as the Hungry Jack's NBL26 season heads into Round 9.

But they know they are well and truly still in the post-season mix.

During Wednesday's episode of NBL Now, New Zealand Breakers star Parker Jackson-Cartwright explained how his team are rolling with the punches through the early part of the 2025-26 campaign.

"You can't get down on how you start, you have to keep putting in the work," Jackson-Cartwright said on NBL Now.

"It's a process and even though it's not an ideal start for us, the train doesn't stop moving, so it's on us to regroup."

Regroup is exactly what the American point guard, who is averaging 16.4 points, 7.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals this season, and his Breakers will look to do when they play the Bullets on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.

The focus for New Zealand will be playing for the full four quarters, after two late-game fades last round against Adelaide and Sydney.

"Damon Lowery said it, if the game was 32 minutes we would be near the top of the ladder, and that's really kind of where our season's been," Jackson-Cartwright said.

"You have to play for 40 minutes, especially in a league like this, at this level. Guys are too good, teams and coaches are too good.

"We have understood that we're right there in terms of getting over the hump, but obviously you have to do the things to put yourself in that position to win games."

Wednesday's Ignite Cup fixture tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.