The Kings produced one of the great National Basketball League playoff comebacks to score an astonishing 104-100 win over Brisbane in their semi-final series opener at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

The defending champion and minor premier trailed by 26 just before half-time and by 18 early in the final quarter.

Roared on by almost all of a 6,005-strong crowd which grew increasingly loud as the comeback developed, the Kings powered over the top of a shell shocked Brisbane outfit.

Forward and captain Matthew Nielsen and point guard CJ Bruton each finished with 21 points for Sydney.

Ben Castle and Derek Rucker topped Brisbane's score sheet with 20 while Stephen Black contributed 18.

Early on, Sydney's two week lay off for finishing the regular season in the top two appeared to have affected it as it did second-placed Wollongong in their semi-final loss to West Sydney on Friday night.

Sparked by four three pointers from Castle, Brisbane bolted to a 37-21 first quarter lead.

It got even uglier for the Kings in the second quarter with Brisbane holding a seemingly unassailable 68-42 lead.

Sydney lifted its defensive intensity markedly in the second half and also bumped up its shooting percentage while the Bullets fired blanks.

After shooting 51 per cent from the field to Sydney's 41 in the first half, Brisbane finished at 45.3 per cent to Sydney 46.9 per cent.

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