BRYCE COTTON IS STILL THE MAN IN THE NBL<\/p>\n
In an offseason filled with big moves, fresh faces and returning stars, one truth remains – Bryce Cotton still runs the NBL.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/content.foxsports.com.au\/fs\/electrode\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
The five-time MVP (yes, five) made his Adelaide 36ers debut against the injury-hit Brisbane Bullets and wasted no time showing why he\u2019s the league\u2019s gold standard.<\/p>\n
Cotton poured in 39 points, dished out six assists and drilled six threes, carrying the 36ers to their first win of NBL26.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the 36ers celebrates shooting a three during the round two NBL match between Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, on September 28, 2025, in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
He controlled the offence with ease, and while Adelaide\u2019s supporting cast looked shaky at times – Dejan Vasiljevic managed just five points in 32 minutes, and only three others reached double figures, it was enough to get the job done in their opening hit-out.<\/p>\n
There were positives beyond Cotton\u2019s brilliance. Isaac Humphries contributed 13 points and six boards, Zylan Cheatham did the dirty work with 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Isaac White chipped in 10 points off the bench.<\/p>\n
But make no mistake: this was Cotton\u2019s night, and he reminded everyone that he\u2019s still the NBL\u2019s most dominant force.<\/p>\n
The 36ers have invested heavily this offseason, and with another import on the way plus a roster spot still open, they look every bit a contender. With Cotton leading the charge, Adelaide\u2019s championship aspirations are very real.<\/p>\n
United victorious in Throwdown 29 | 01:11<\/p>\n
CAN THE HAWKS WIN WITH JAVALE MCGEE AS THEIR BEST PLAYER?<\/p>\n
JaVale McGee\u2019s NBL debut was nothing short of spectacular – 32 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks on 75% shooting in just 30 minutes. It was one of the most dominant first outings the league has ever seen.<\/p>\n
But despite his heroics, the Illawarra Hawks still walked away with a disappointing home loss on the night they raised their championship banner. That result raises the obvious question: if McGee is your best player, can you really win a title?<\/p>\n
It seems the simple answer is no.<\/p>\n
At 37, McGee is still box office, but his minutes must be managed. He\u2019ll need rest games, and even when he\u2019s on court, he\u2019ll tire quickly, which was already evident as he rotated in and out frequently to stay fresh. For Illawarra to be a serious contender, they need more than McGee. <\/p>\n
They need a Trey Kell-type ball handler and playmaker, Will Hickey healthy to provide depth and punch off the bench, and a strong, big-bodied point guard who can absorb defensive attention to free up Tyler Harvey.<\/p>\n
Right now, with Hickey and Jonah Bolden sidelined, Jaquori McLaughlin looking a step off the pace for the level of play the NBL demands and with the schedule front-loaded with tough opponents, they don\u2019t have those pieces.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s still a long season ahead, and it was only their first official hit-out, but the jury is still out on whether this roster is built to contend, even with McGee\u2019s fireworks.<\/p>\n
United demolish Breakers in Melbourne | 00:44<\/p>\n
BREAKERS STRUGGLE TO WIN AT HOME AGAIN<\/p>\n
The New Zealand Breakers have slumped to 0-3 to start the NBL season, falling to the Perth Wildcats in a game that, with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, looked all but won.<\/p>\n
After trailing 62-59 heading into the final quarter, the Breakers exploded on a 15-0 run to take a commanding lead with 6:52 to play. But basketball is a game of runs, and what should have been a statement home win quickly unraveled.<\/p>\n
The Wildcats responded with their own 15-0 surge, reclaiming the lead with 3:35 remaining and never looking back.<\/p>\n
Dylan Windler, Kristian Doolittle, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Jaron Rillie led Perth\u2019s charge, showing poise and execution when it mattered most.<\/p>\n
For the Breakers, it was a gutting defeat. Injuries, illness and heavy travel have already disrupted their season, but coach Petteri Koponen and star guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright didn\u2019t hold back on what truly cost them, poor discipline and a failure to control the glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cExtra possessions are going to kill you,\u201d Jackson-Cartwright admitted. \u201cWe weren\u2019t as disciplined and steady as Perth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Koponen echoed the frustration: \u201cWe have to use every day to get better and get our guys on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n
Compounding the issues is a rotation that still looks unsettled. Import Rob Baker logged just 12 minutes off the bench, Izaiah Brockington saw 18 minutes, and Carlin Davidson, a spark in Round 1, played only three minutes. The lack of trust and consistency is becoming more obvious as the pressure mounts.<\/p>\n
The expectations for this team are high, but the signs are worrying. With frustration already visible from the head coach, that tension risks spilling into the locker room if wins don\u2019t come soon. Sitting at 0-3, the Breakers need to steady quickly. Their next outing is nothing short of a must-win.<\/p>\n
Taipans clinch game in Sunshine stoush | 01:26<\/p>\n
THE TAIPANS BOUNCE BACK IN A BIG WAY<\/p>\n
Just a week ago, the Cairns Taipans were embarrassed in their season opener, falling 114-77 to SEM Phoenix.<\/p>\n
Fast forward seven days, and they\u2019ve flipped the script – finishing Round Two 2-0 with wins over their state rivals Brisbane and a Sydney team many believe to be a genuine title contender.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the response fans were hoping for after what has been one of the club\u2019s most exciting off-seasons, filled with star signings who finally showed their worth. Leading the charge was the \u201cMillion Dollar Man\u201d Jack McVeigh, who delivered 19 points, nine rebounds and nine assists against Brisbane, then backed it up with 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists against Sydney.<\/p>\n
Head coach Adam Forde set the tone during the week with blunt post-loss comments, reminding his players of their responsibilities: \u201cI shouldn\u2019t have to tell someone who gets paid to do this job, to perform in a certain manner\u2026 if a plumber, a chef, a labourer doesn\u2019t do their job, they\u2019re going to lose their job.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a powerful message from a coach who knows his team\u2019s potential – and his players responded.<\/p>\n
What stood out most wasn\u2019t just the wins, but the composure. Both games went down to the wire, yet Cairns made the winning plays and knocked down the big shots. Defensively, they were just as impressive, holding Sydney to 14.3% from three and Brisbane to a miserable 10% from deep.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s still plenty of work ahead, but after a disastrous Round One, this bounce-back week has reignited belief among the fans, the community, and within the club itself. The Taipans once again look like a team capable of chasing a top-four spot. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Round Two of the NBL season is in the books, and with it we\u2019ve now officially seen all…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":174959,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-174958","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-basketball","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-basketball","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174958"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174958\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}