DJ shines as BNZ Breakers get monkey off back

DJ Vasiljevic lived up to his reputation as a big-time shooter and scorer to help the BNZ Breakers back to winning in spectacular fashion while paying credit to his teammates ahead of a return to Sydney on Sunday.

Coming back to Spark Arena on Friday night for just a fourth home game so far of NBL27, the BNZ Breakers had lost Parker Jackson-Cartwright for the rest of the season, had lost five straight and Vasiljevic had managed lows for his 192-game, two-time championship career.

But he's proven himself too lethal, and too good, to stay struggling for long and despite having averaged just 9.0 points on 21 per cent three-point shooting with 33 per cent from the field the past five matches, he put on a show against the Brisbane Bullets.

Vasiljevic produced his best performance with the BNZ Breakers, delivering 36 points on 12/20 shooting from the floor, 3/7 from deep and 9/10 at the foul line, including hitting a massive three from way downtown in overtime that went a long way to being the clincher.

For Vasiljevic, it was more important just to contribute to the BNZ Breakers avoiding a sixth straight defeat.

"I think we had a bit of desperation at shootaround and we knew we had to stick together and talk and communicate, and I think that's what set the tone," Vasiljevic said.

"We were able to get stops when we needed to and get scores as well so a big shout out to the guys and it's the monkey off the back now and we've got to go to Sydney."

Vasiljevic had full faith that he was putting in the work that he always has across his NBL career in Sydney and Adelaide, and prior to that at the University of Miami, so he knew that a game like his 36-point outing wasn’t far away.

At the same time, he gives credit to his teammates for helping make it happen especially makeshift point guard Carlin Davison who produced a stunning triple-double in the overtime win against the Bullets.

"I give all the credit to my teammates and coaching staff," Vasiljevic said.

"Obviously coach called out the plays and guys were able to screen, and Carlin is a very underrated point guard and had the 13 assists. I'd love to know how many he passed to me today, but he was able to find me where I needed to.

"I think there's a natural instinct of doing the work throughout the week, and I felt like I was doing a lot to prepare myself.

"I haven't been playing up to the standard that people know I can and I was able to come out and do that tonight. You just know that if you do the work, the time will come."

The breakout star so far not only with the BNZ Breakers, but the entire NBL, could very well be Davison who has thrived since being moved into the point guard role since Jackson-Cartwright first went out of the team.

That all came together with one of the more complete and remarkable individual performances of the season on Friday night where he produced a triple-double consisting of 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

It might still not be perfect and he had four turnovers and his coach Gordie Herbert did describe his game as like playing Russian Roulette.

Vasiljevic doesn’t necessarily disagree, but he sure is enjoying seeing him thrive.

"He gives you a heart attack at times and he's still young and trying to develop into that point guard role, and obviously in the off seasons he plays it, but this is the NBL," Vasiljevic said.

"We're just giving him the chance and you've got to talk to him a little bit to know when to go quick and when to slow down.

"And when you have 19, 12, and 13 as someone who doesn't play that position truly, like that's incredible. So, he's one to watch for the years to come."

Vasiljevic will now look forward to returning to his former home floor at Afterpay Arena on Sunday to take on the Kings in what doubles in his first return to the building since Game 5 of last season's Championship Series where he and his Adelaide 36ers were within seconds of clinching the title.

"Yeah, obviously it's the first time back since the Championship Series so it'll be good to go back and see a few close friends," Vasiljevic said.

"Hopefully people still rock my jersey in there but I know there's going to be a full crowd and I think they're expecting 15,000, from what I've heard. So it'll be a good game."