Basketball On The Internet.

LET'S be frank. The New Zealand Breakers LOVE playing under Blitz rules. They won it this year, remember? So give them the same set of rules for the Ignite Cup and what do they do? Cream NBL champion Illawarra. Parker Jackson-Cartwright, and this is no rib, dished 17 assists with his 20 points.

That is the record for a 40-minute game and it was a lot more like it, the Breakers winning every quarter to seize the maximum seven points (three for the win, one for every quarter won) in a dominant display of aggression and focus.

The same applied in Sydney where Melbourne, down Shea Ili (hamstring) and with Chris Goulding only slated to return on Sunday, still manhandled the Kings 107-93, United banking six of the seven available Cup points.

The NBL's two NSW-based teams were made to look silly at times by their opponents' greater execution and unity.

With United, you expect unity. But the Breakers, who have been dragging their way from the rear since the regular season opened? Theirs was a tour de force.

You could see it from the opening moments, this was a NZ team which had held its team soul search session, decided who they wanted to be, then came out and executed accordingly.

Izaiah Brockington started as a man possessed, threatening the record at Spark Arena with his eight points inside the first four minutes before his fouls accumulated and his minutes shrivelled in direct proportion.

But he'd already laid out the new blueprint and Jackson-Cartwright was happy to continue running the show as only he can. Sam Mennega thrived out on the perimeter with 4-of-8 triples in his 20-point haul, Reuben Te Rangi also striking 4-of-8 in his 18-point return, Karim Lopez also firing.

Illawarra fell into the same trap which has plagued it all season, Tyler Harvey forcing far too much, Jaquori McLaughlin way out of his depth, Jonah Bolden MIA again, Javale McGee under-utilised, and too few sharing the load.

Hawks coach Justin Tatum copped a halftime tech foul and McGee was undisciplined only moments earlier, flinging Rob Loe to the floor for an unsportsmanlike foul. Just silly stuff not helping the cause.

Mason Peatling and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk battled on, Breakers coach Petteri Koponen copping a T of his own for running onto the court in a moment of madness. Illawarra was still within seven at 56-63 but went 2-11 over the next few minutes and despite a few runs, was never able to rein in the hosts.

Ahead 52-50 at halftime, Sydney meanwhile lost the plot in the third, outscored 31-19 as Melbourne's import trio - the best combo in the league? - of Tyson Walker (27 points at 60 per cent, 4 rebounds, 4 assists), Jesse Edwards (22 points at 55 per cent, 12 rebounds, three blocks) and Milton Doyle (16 points at 55 per cent, five rebounds, six assists) steered United to safety.

Xavier Cooks worked conscientiously for his 21-point, 10 rebound-double but his 1-of-10 free throw return was beyond an embarrassment.

Kendric Davis' 21 points came on 5-of-18 shooting and his final few minutes of flinging himself around trying to draw flop rewards was also embarrassing. Bravo to the refs for not falling for his shenanigans.

A frustrated Matthew Dellavedova fouled out, his last two fouls dreadful examples of a game in decline. His fourth foul was a clear and hideous USF as he bashed into Walker, and his fifth foul was not quite as crude but still unnecessarily physical. 

The Kings have a lot of work ahead if there is no plan to bring in some frontcourt relief.

Round 4 (Includes Ignite Cup)

New Zealand Breakers 117 (Mennenga, Jackson-Cartwright 20, Te Rangi 18, Lopez 16, Brockington 14, Davison 12; Lopez 9 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 17 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 88 (Harvey 22, McGee 19, Peatling 14, Swaka Lo Buluk 10; Blanchfield 8 rebs; Harvey 6 assts) at The Breakdance, Spark Arena. Crowd: 3,101. Q-Q: 30-24, 30-25, 27-23, 30-16. Ignite Cup Pts: New Zealand 7, Illawarra 0

Melbourne United 107 (Walker 27, Edwards 22, Doyle 16, Krebs 15; Edwards 12 rebs; Doyle 6 assts) d Sydney Kings 93 (Cooks, Davis 21, Galloway, Dellavedova 12; Cooks 10 rebs; Dellavedova 7 assts) at the Kingdome, Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 9,528. Q-Q: 29-25, 21-27, 31-19, 26-22. Ignite Cup Pts: Melbourne 6, Sydney 1

BRISBANE today parted company by mutual agreement with import Javon Freeman-Liberty.

According to press releases today, his hamstring injury was going to keep him sidelined sufficiently long for both parties to agree an alternative was in their best interests. The American is homeward bound to work on his recovery.

Meanwhile South East Melbourne are looking at Wes Iwundu, a 196cm small forward with mixed NBA experience, to replace dumped Belgian Vrenz Bleijenbergh.