The 2023 NBL Championship Series final between the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers kicks off on Wednesday, March 15, on ESPN via Kayo.
After four games, The Sydney Kings meet the New Zealand Breakers for the NBL Championship tonight at 7:30 pm, with coverage starting at 7:00pm with The Jump pregame show.
After an 80-70 home victory by the New Zealand Breakers levelled the NBL grand final series at 2-2 on Sunday, The Sydney Kings will play for a second straight title in a grand final series decider at Qudos Bank Arena.
Game five, which will be Xavier Cooks’ last for the Kings before he joins the Wizards in Washington, follows a controversial game four in Auckland on Sunday.
The Kings were held to their lowest-ever score in a championship game and blew the opportunity to seal back-to-back titles in an 80-70 loss in front of a crowd of 9742 at Spark Arena — a record in New Zealand.
The Breakers made it known, following game three, they had lost the foul count and shot fewer free throws than their opponent in each of their previous six playoff contests.
“They were allowed to get away with stuff they weren’t allowed to in the first few games,” Sydney coach Chase Buford said, post-game.
“There was no freedom of movement. At one point, it was 11-2, the foul count, in the second half.
“We were playing five-on-eight out there. It was clear.”
The Kings will host the Breakers in game five on Wednesday night, with the winner to be crowned NBL23 champion.
Game five of the NBL Championship series between Sydney and New Zealand tips off at 7:30pm AEDT Live on ESPN and Kayo – Coverage starts at 7:00pm with The Jump pregame show