Alex Pledger. Photo / Richard Robinson.
The high-powered offence which propelled the Breakers to consecutive ANBL titles has yet to reappear but their quest for a third crown has suffered little in its absence.
The Breakers are sitting pretty - near the top of the ladder after the first month of the season. Friday night's 11-point
win in Melbourne was the latest example of the defending champions grinding out results while below their best. With a 3-1 record, they are in the same position they were after four rounds in their last campaign - but that's where the similarities end.
Last season the Breakers were cruising, blowing teams out, averaging 99 points and conceding 77. This time around, with their offence out of touch and averaging 74 points in their three wins, the North Shore club have tightened the screws on defence to give up only 65 points a game.
"That's been our thing so far this year," centre Alex Pledger said. "The last couple of years we've been known as a team that can score pretty much at will and be a little in and out defensively. But this year we've been pretty good defensively most of the time and a little erratic offensively."
There are personnel factors behind the shift in approach. Gary Wilkinson was consistently among the Breakers' best at the offensive end of the court, averaging more than 16 points a game in his time with the club, whereas Pledger prides himself on his ability under his own hoop.
