NZ Breakers' return to home court counted for little in their ANBL Championship finals series, as Sydney Kings squared the ledger in convincing style at Auckland's Spark Arena.
Following an upset 95-87 loss in Sydney on Friday night, the Kings got their own back on the Breakers' home turf, winning game two 81-74.
Victory would have put the Breakers just one win away from a first title since 2015, and fifth title in the club's history.
But they'll now head to Sydney for game three looking to stay in the series, rather than win it.
Kouat Noi (20 points, five rebounds, two assists) led the way for the Kings, and was supported by Dejan Vasiljevic (16 points), Justin Simon (12 points, nine rebounds) and Angus Glover (12 points).
The ever-reliable pair of Barry Brown Jr (21 points) and Jarrell Brantley (20 points) stood up for the Breakers, but only Izayah Le'afa (14 points) joined them in reaching double figures.
Bouncing back from last Friday's defeat in style, the Kings showed the form that saw them win 19 regular season games to finish top of the ladder, racing out to a convincing lead in the opening quarter, as the Breakers had no answers.
From 21-9 down at the end of the first quarter, the Breakers convincingly took the second quarter 21-13 to close the gap to just two points at halftime, cutting Sydney's gap to 34-30.
But for all of the efforts of the second quarter, the Breakers dropped the third 23-11 to give themselves a mountain to climb at 57-41 heading into the last.
A series of three-pointers in the final quarter saw the Breakers managed to close the gap to single figures at 76-69 in the final minute, but one final Vasiljevic three effectively sealed the Kings' series comeback.
Now, both sides will return to Sydney, for game three on Friday night.
NZ Breakers 74 (Brown Jr 21, Brantley 20, Le'afa 14)
Sydney Kings 81 (Noi 20, Vasiljevic 16, Simon 12, Glover 12)
