Former Golden State forward Anthony Lamb top scored with 23 points but it wasn't enough to lift the NZ Breakers to victory in a 114-94 loss to NBA outfit Utah Jazz on Tuesday (AEST).
Lamb, who only signed with the Breakers a week ago following an injury to fellow import Justinian Jessup, went 9-of-15 from the field and added seven rebounds in an impressive display.
Fellow American Parker Jackson-Cartwright added 19 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Breakers, but he missed all six of his three-point attempts.
NZ were blown away 31-11 in the first quarter, but it was an even arm-wrestle after that.
It was a marked improvement from a week earlier, when the Breakers were thumped 106-66 by Portland.
Finnish star Lauri Markkanen top scored for the Jazz with 15 points, while Jordan Clarkson (12) and Ochai Agbaji (12) also chipped in with handy totals in a match where Utah used 19 players.
In other action on Tuesday, Australian star Ben Simmons tallied eight points, nine assists and six rebounds during Brooklyn's 127-119 pre-season loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Up against his former team, Simmons was on court for 29 minutes as his build towards the regular season continues to take shape.
Duop Reath scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in Portland's 106-91 loss to Phoenix.
Australian star Patty Mills failed to score in just five minutes of action during Atlanta's 116-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
