Basketball On The Internet.

PARKER Jackson-Cartwright produced another match-winning performance for New Zealand to leave Brisbane now sweating the result of the Sydney-South East Melbourne match tonight while Cairns revealed that as pundits, we just don't pay enough attention, as they again smacked NBL leader Melbourne. 

Considering both New Zealand and Brisbane were playing for their playoff lives, the Bullets were strangely lacking in the requisite urgency and it was only some fouling ill-discipline by the Breakers - who would finish with four players nursing four fouls - which kept them alive.

That and a hotly-contested Chris Smith 3-pointer to close the first quarter was the only reason Brisbane was a mere 21-26 behind. 

Mangok Mathiang picked up his second foul, then a tech to exit as Brisbane made a minor rally.

Zylan Cheatham and Will McDowell-White then quickly had the Breakers 10 points ahead at 33-23, but a Nathan Sobey-led charge dragged Brisbane back to 34-35.

Isaac White tied it up from the stripe and again it was unheralded Dane Pineau off the Breakers' bench who ignited his team. PJC was active, WMW also going and Finn Delany off-and-running in a 10-0 run for a 46-36 lead.

With his sixth point for the quarter, Pineau took the lead to 52-40. With 1.4 seconds to halftime and the Breakers with an offensive sideline possession, Mody Maor showed how smart he is.

Subbing in club icon Tom Abercrombie, who announced his retirement this week, he took out Pineau, realising Brisbane's inexperienced big Rocco Zikarsky was unlikely to follow the sub out of the key.

That allowed NZ to execute a perfect last play, Abercrombie splashing a wide open three for 55-40 going into the main interval.

Brisbane was carried by Josh Bannan who produced his NBL career-high 29 points on a slick 12-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-4 threes.

He ensured the Bullets had a pulse. PJC ensured it was an erratic one though, driving to the hoop and scoring amazing shots or dishing wicked passes.

Jackson-Cartwright finished with 27 points at 56 per cent, with a game-high eight assists, Izayah Le'afa hammering in the coffin-nails with a series of morale-boosting or back-breaking - depending on which team you support - 3-pointers to close this with all of New Zealand cheering.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 103 (Jackson-Cartwright 27, Cheatham 19, Le'afa 15, Rubstavicius 12, Delany 11; McDowell-White 7 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 8 assts) d BRISBANE BULLETS 87 (Bannan 29, Sobey 16, Norton 10; Harrison 6 rebs; Sobey 6 assts) at Spark Arena. Crowd: 6,085

IT doesn't matter what you think you know! You need to pay attention to facts! And, like many others, I overlooked the fact Cairns already twice this season had KO'd Melbourne, despite United's lofty and well-deserved standing as the team to beat for the championship.

The body language and evidence-of-the-eyes - not to mention recent results - said the Taipans were a team in torment, with several key players likely to be moved along at the season's imminent end.

Tahjere McCall for starters, clearly fell out of favour with coach Adam Forde, and considering Fordy even let McCall coach preseason games, this was a bond few would have foreseen fracturing so obviously.

But it did and it has, and Pat Miller, as McCall's good friend, could not avoid being caught in the storm. Bul Kuol was out with an injury - although many suspect he still fouled out regardless - so what could we expect of the Orange when so many clearly were waiting for the final siren and the Exit door?

Well what we got must have been the result of some serious last-week-of-the-season talks between coach and key players resolving that all issues - whatever they may be - would be buried for one last go-around and then, on your way.

McCall at halftime talking about how much he'd enjoyed his three years in Cairns screamed of the inevitable. Miller post-game talking about his contribution spoke of a player circulating his resume.

Neither seemed happy, which, after sweeping the championship favourite, spoke to the general malaise which led many of us to believe this game wasn't left in them.

Well it was, McCall with a 23-point, 9-rebound, 10-assist near triple-double haul, plus three steals, leaving on as high a note as it might be possible to go.

Cairns took control of this early, Taran Armstrong and Sam Waardenburg better than their numbers suggested and the further it went, the greater the margin blew out.

By late in the third period, this was embarrassing and reflected on Dean Vickerman and his staff not thinking this one out. They surely could have drawn more out of role players such as Flynn Cameron, Tanner Krebs, Kyle Bowen, Zac Triplett and retiree Brad Newley had they been given greater responsibility.

A few others - Chris Goulding (5 points, 2-of-11 shooting), Jo Lual-Acuil (8 points, one rebound, five fouls in 15 minutes) - did not appear overly interested and it took Ian Clark to keep the United competitive.

Luke Travers, with 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks had his head in the game but it was only trailing 54-77 with a period to play Melbourne switched on. It was 0-of-16 from the 3-point line but struck four in a 34-20 last quarter revival which kept this interesting.

They had the deficit back to four at 84-88 on Goulding's only triple but the Taipans always had the answers. So disappointing they long ago lost sight of the bigger question.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 97 (McCall 23, Miller 20, Roberts, Armstrong 12; McCall 9 rebs; McCall 10 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 88 (Clark 20, Dellavedova 16, Hukporti 15, Travers 10; Travers 13 rebs; Dellavedova 5 assts) at Cairns Convention Centre. Crowd:  4,378