Illness has swept through the camp and there might be a couple of regular starters missing from the lineup for tonight’s rematch against the Canterbury Rams in Christchurch.
The defending champions brushed aside the Nuggets in Dunedin on Anzac Day, winning 96-81.
It was a frustrating result for the Nuggets.
Tai Webster got himself ejected. Import Zaccheus Darko-Kelly caught the flu and missed the game. And the Nuggets shot 37% from the floor, missed a bunch of free throws and gave up 18 offensive rebounds.
MJ Walker jun poured in 29 points for the Rams and Australian Lachlan Olbrich scored 21 and snatched nine rebounds.
The flu Darko-Kelly caught is still lingering. He is a doubtful starter tonight, as is centre Jack Andrew, who has been sick all week with the bug.
Several other Nuggets players have had a dose as well.
But the camp had managed to fit in "a couple of decent hit-outs", coach Brent Matehaere said.
The Nuggets have two games this round and two next week, so it is a key period in terms of their playoff prospects.
He wants his side to focus on keeping their discipline and "going back to the way we play".
"We have not been performing very well when we try and play one-off. But we perform at an elite level when we shift the ball, get the ball inside and then get it outside and so on."
You cannot out-run the flu, but you can out-run your opponent and that is what the Nuggets want to get back to doing.
They want to bring back more tempo. Webster is a key to that plan but he has had a troubled run with the officials of late.
He was suspended for one game for a cheap shot on Wellington guard Lat Mayen. He then got ejected from the Rams game in the third quarter after picking up a second technical foul and booted an advertising hoarding on his way out.
It has not been a stellar period for the the former Tall Black, and the Nuggets will need Webster back focusing on the game if they are going to press a talented Rams side playing some decent basketball.
The Nuggets will also likely be looking ahead to the game against the Nelson Giants in Dunedin on Sunday.
Given the disruptions they have had with illness this week, that game will be in the crosshairs.
Andrew and Darko-Kelly would have had a few more days to recover by then.
Nuggets point guard Dontae Russo-Nance is closing in on a return to play. He has been struggling with a wrist complaint.
But he is back training and Matehaere suggested the Nuggets’ home game against the Auckland Tuatara on May 16 shaped as a likely target.
NBL
Christchurch, 7.30pm
Otago Nuggets: Tai Webster, Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, Ben Henshall, Kimani Lawrence, Jack Andrew, Matthew Bardsley, Darcy Knox, Robbie Coman, Josh Aitcheson, Caleb Smiler, Matt Pyper, Benji Freeman.
Canterbury Rams: Taylor Britt, Walter Brown, MJ Walker jun, Lachlan Olbrich, Kenyon Buffen jun, Kaia Isaac, Aidan Tonge, Takiula Fahrensohn, Mana Martin, Joshua Nickel, Corban Mason.
