Breakers boss Shamir backs Patterson to bounce back

New Zealand Breakers head coach Dan Shamir has backed star recruit Lamar Patterson to rediscover his top form after a horror start to his tenure with the Kiwi club.

Lamar Patterson of the NZ Breakers looks on during training session at Kingborough Sports Centre Source: Getty Images

Every game of the 2020-21 NBL season is LIVE, FREE and in HD via SBS On Demand, with select games also live on SBS VICELAND.

However, time is ticking for the two-time All-NBL star who was benched in the Breakers second consecutive loss to the Adelaide 36ers after failing to make an impact during his 15 minutes on court.

Patterson scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in the Breakers season opener, a narrow overtime defeat to the 36ers on January 22, but failed to get his name on the score sheet in the rematch five days later as Adelaide cruised to a 24 point win.

Shamir said he was confident his free-scoring star would again find the form which has made him one of the NBL’s best players but stressed the pressure was on the American to find his way sooner rather than later.

“I believe in our team and I believe in Lamar,” Shamir said.

“Lamar is a major part of our team turning it around…I’m not here to point a finger at him. 

“I’m sure he is just as disappointed as we all are.”

The addition of Patterson this season has made the Breakers a favourite of league experts to compete for the NBL21 title and Shamir is adamant the Pittsburgh native will show his true colours as he finds his feet with his new club.

But that did not stop the Israeli coach from hitting out at Patterson’s physical conditioning coming into the season.

“Lamar is a proven player. All-NBL for two years running. It’s been a dream for a long time for me to coach him, he said. 

“He’s so smart, one of the best passers, he’s a huge mismatch because of his size and his ability to play on the perimeter and in the low post.

“One of the main factors for basketball players is being in elite shape and sometimes it’s not easy to do it after a while off the floor. As a group, we’re not there.”

Patterson will have a big chance to make his mark this Saturday as the Breakers travel to Cairns to take on a Taipans side which has lost five of their first six games.

The lockdown defence which lifted Cairns to the NBL finals series last season has been non-existent during NBL21 opening the door for Patterson to make the most of his ability to find the basket and lead New Zealand to their first win of the campaign.

Catch all the action on SBS VICELAND and SBS ON DEMAND as the Cairns Taipans host the New Zealand Breakers this Saturday from 5.30 pm (AEDT)LIVE, FREE and in HD.