# 2012–13 New Zealand Breakers season

The 2012–13 NBL season was the 10th season of the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL. The Breakers succeeded in winning their third NBL championship, becoming the second team in the league to win a three-peat.
In the preseason, the Breakers record was 3–3. The Breakers lost their preseason series with the Wollongong Hawks 1–2.
On 24 April 2013, following the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, Lemanis was announced as the new head coach of the Australian men's national basketball team.

## Off-Season
### Additions

| Player | Signed | Former Team |
| Will Hudson | Signed 14 July | Gold Coast Blaze |
The Breakers also signed Reuben Te Rangi and Morgan Natanahira as contracted development players and Tai Webster as a non-contracted development player.

### Subtractions

| Player | Reason Left | New Team |
| B. J. Anthony | Released | OceanaGold Nuggets |
| Gary Wilkinson | Released | BC Kalev/Cramo |

### Re-signed players

The Breakers re-signed Cedric Jackson, Leon Henry, Tom Abercrombie, Dillon Boucher, Mika Vukona, C. J. Bruton, Alex Pledger, Daryl Corletto and Josh Bloxham (DP).
Corey Webster also returns to the team, after a 12-month suspension.

## Roster
### Depth chart

| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 |
| C | Alex Pledger | Will Hudson | |
| PF | Mika Vukona | Dillon Boucher | Reuben Te Rangi |
| SF | Thomas Abercrombie | Leon Henry | Morgan Natanahira |
| SG | Daryl Corletto | Corey Webster | Tai Webster |
| PG | Cedric Jackson | C. J. Bruton | Josh Bloxham |

## Pre-Season

The Breakers finished the Preseason with a 3–3 record.
| Date | Opposition | Venue | Result | Box Score |
| 11 September 2012 | Wollongong Hawks | CBS Arena, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand | W 70 – 61 | |
| 13 September 2012 | Wollongong Hawks | Edgar Centre, Dunedin, Otagon, New Zealand | L 61 – 64 | |
| 15 September 2012 | Wollongong Hawks | Claudelands Arena, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand | L 87 – 90 | None |
| 20 September 2012 | Townsville Crocodiles | St Pauls Court, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia | W 71 – 66 | |
| 21 September 2012 | Cairns Taipans | St Pauls Court, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia | W 83 – 75 | |
| 22 September 2012 | Sydney Kings | St Pauls Court, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia | L 93 – 100 | |

## Regular season

| Round | Date | Opposition | Venue | Result |
| 1 | 5 October 2012 | Perth Wildcats | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | L 72 – 93 |
| 2 | 12 October 2012 | Adelaide 36ers | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 73 – 59 |
| 3 | 19 October 2012 | Townsville Crocodiles | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 73 – 71 |
| 4 | 26 October 2012 | Melbourne Tigers | Hisense Arena, Melbourne, Australia | W 64 – 75 |
| 5 | 2 November 2012 | Sydney Kings | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 79 – 76 |
| 6 | 9 November 2012 | Townsville Crocodiles | Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, Queensland, Australia | W 81 – 72 |
| | 10 November 2012 | Cairns Taipans | Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Queensland, Australia | W 73 – 54 |
| 7 | 16 November 2012 | Townsville Crocodiles | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 93 – 63 |
| 8 | 22 November 2012 | Perth Wildcats | Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia | L 64 – 89 |
| 9 | 30 November 2012 | Melbourne Tigers | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 94 – 64 |
| 10 | 8 December 2012 | Sydney Kings | Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, Sydney, Australia | L 62 – 75 |
| 11 | 13 December 2012 | Cairns Taipans | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 97 – 76 |
| 12 | 28 December 2012 | Adelaide 36ers | Adelaide Arena, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | W 71 – 66 |
| | 31 December 2012 | Cairns Taipans | Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Queensland, Australia | W 66 – 61 |
| 13 | 5 January 2013 | Wollongong Hawks | WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | W 78 – 76 |
| 14 | 11 January 2013 | Townsville Crocodiles | Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, New South Wales, AUS | W 82 – 78 |
| 15 | 17 January 2013 | Wollongong Hawks | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 72 – 71 |
| | 20 January 2013 | Adelaide 36ers | Adelaide Arena, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | W 84 – 66 |
| 16 | 24 January 2013 | Sydney Kings | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 95 – 76 |
| | 26 January 2013 | Wollongong Hawks | WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | W 91 – 74 |
| 17 | 1 February 2013 | Perth Wildcats | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 98 – 81 |
| 18 | 9 February 2013 | Sydney Kings | Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia | W 96 – 94 |
| 19 | 15 February 2013 | Wollongong Hawks | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 92 – 84 |
| 20 | BYE | | | |
| 21 | 28 February 2013 | Adelaide 36ers | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 104 – 79 |
| 22 | 7 March 2013 | Cairns Taipans | NSEC, Auckland, New Zealand | W 80 – 77 |
| 23 | 14 March 2013 | Melbourne Tigers | Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand | W 79 – 74 |
| 24 | 22 March 2013 | Perth Wildcats | Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia | L 58 – 73 |

## Finals

With the Breakers making the playoffs in 2012/13, it was their fifth appearance in the NBL Finals. If they progress to the Grand Final, it would be their third appearance.
Semi-final 1: vs Kings – 28 March 2013 @ Vector Arena, Auckland Semi-final 2: @ Kings – 1 April 2013 @ Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney Grand Final 1: vs Wildcats – 7 April 2013 @ Vector Arena, Auckland Grand Final 2: @ Wildcats – 12 April 2013 @ Perth Arena, Perth
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | New Zealand Breakers | 81 | 99 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | Sydney Kings | 64 | 88 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | Sydney Kings | 64 | 88 | X | 1 | New Zealand Breakers | 79 | 70 | X |
| | | | | | 2 | Perth Wildcats | 67 | 66 | X |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 93 | 85 | X | 2 | Perth Wildcats | 67 | 66 | X |
| 3 | Wollongong Hawks | 65 | 81 | X | | | | | |

## NBL All-Star round

The NBL All-Star Round was played on 22 December at the Adelaide Arena. Two of the New Zealand Breakers' roster and coach Andrej Lemanis took part in the event.

### All-star line up

The New Zealand Breakers were placed in the "South" team for the All-Star game, along with the Adelaide 36ers, Melbourne Tigers and Perth Wildcats. Breakers who played for the South All-Stars were:
* PG: Cedric Jackson
* SF: Thomas Abercrombie

### All-star coach

The Breakers' coach, Andrej Lemanis, coached the South All-Stars team. This was decided because the Breakers had the top NBL ladder spot of the South teams at the end of Round 9, when the decision was made.

### Slam dunk competition

Thomas Abercrombie took part in the Slam Dunk Competition. This was decided by the League Office after the teams nominated players.

## Awards
### Player of the Week

* Round 3 – Mika Vukona
* Round 6 – Cedric Jackson
* Round 9 – Cedric Jackson
* Round 11 – Cedric Jackson
* Round 16 – Daryl Corletto
* Round 17 – Cedric Jackson
* Round 22 – Alex Pledger
* Round 23 – Alex Pledger

### Player of the Month

* November – Cedric Jackson
* February – Cedric Jackson

### Coach of the Month

* November – Andrej Lemanis
* January – Andrej Lemanis