The middle of the pack is a rollercoaster of inconsistency, injuries, and new additions, while the bottom three scramble to keep their seasons alive. These power rankings break down who\u2019s climbing, who\u2019s slipping, and who needs answers – quickly.<\/p>\n
1. Melbourne United | Record: 11\u20132 | Offensive Rank: 1st | Defensive Rank: 1st | Previous Rank: 1st
Death. Taxes. Melbourne United at No. 1 in the Power Rankings. Despite a close call against Brisbane, United remain the benchmark of the league.
Round 9 saw them nearly cough up a 21-point lead, scraping past the Bullets by just six after conceding a huge 39-point fourth quarter to Stu Lash\u2019s short-handed side.
Milton Doyle delivered his best game of the season, putting up 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists to carry United to the finish line.
Round 10 gives them an unusual mix: a trip to WIN Entertainment Centre to face an Illawarra team desperate to rebound after a horror outing, followed by a home matchup against Perth- who haven\u2019t won at John Cain Arena in over two years.
The two-time runners-up appear to be cruising, and while an upset may eventually catch them napping, they are unquestionably still the league\u2019s top outfit.
2. Adelaide 36ers | Record: 9\u20133 | Offensive Rank: 2nd | Defensive Rank: 6th | Previous Rank: 3rd
A perfect 2\u20130 round pushes Adelaide to second in both the standings and the rankings – but not without some concerns.
Following an impressive 11-point win over Tasmania, the club filled its final import slot with former NBA wing Troy Brown Jr. The new-look roster will need time to gel, and that was obvious as Adelaide barely escaped at home against an extremely undermanned Cairns side.Bryce Cotton\u2019s ridiculous 41-point explosion ultimately saved them in OT, securing a 105\u2013101 win.Round 10 brings matchups with Illawarra and South East Melbourne – two games that could go down to the wire.
Offensively, the 36ers are elite, but their defensive issues are becoming harder to brush aside.
3. South East Melbourne Phoenix | Record: 8\u20133 | Offensive Rank: 3rd | Defensive Rank: 3rd | Previous Rank: 3rd
A coin flip separates Adelaide and Phoenix for the No. 2 spot, but SEM feel only a loss or two away from sliding.
Nathan Sobey\u2019s red-hot stretch has cooled, raising questions about consistent scoring support. However, the return of Angus Glover was perfectly timed – his 24-point, 6-three performance helped lift the Phoenix past Cairns 101\u201390.
This round features a danger game against Brisbane followed by a top-of-the-table showdown with Adelaide. That second matchup will go a long way in determining which team is truly the better side.
Defensively, Phoenix look solid. Offensively, the long-term outlook is less certain. Still, this is shaping up to be their best season since entering the NBL.<\/p>\n
Taipans still last as Phoenix run riot | 00:59<\/p>\n
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4. Sydney Kings | Record: 7\u20135 | Offensive Rank: 4th | Defensive Rank: 2nd | Previous Rank: 4thAre the Kings\u2026 good again? That\u2019s now four straight wins for Brian Goorjian\u2019s squad.
Sydney played just once in Round 9 but dismantled the defending champions by 27 at WIN Entertainment Centre, largely thanks to a brilliant tactical plan that forced JaVale McGee into foul trouble – he finished with just nine points before fouling out.
Impressively, they did it without Matthew Dellavedova, who sat out with a minor injury. With Xavier Cooks rediscovering MVP-level form, the Kings look rejuvenated.
Their lone Round 10 matchup is against Tasmania at MyState Bank Arena, and given their momentum, a fifth straight victory feels very achievable.<\/p>\n
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 16: Xavier Cooks of the Kings drives to the basket as JaVale McGee of the Hawks defends during the round nine NBL match between Illawarra Hawks and Sydney Kings at WIN Entertainment Centre, on November 16, 2025, in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
5. Perth Wildcats | Record: 7\u20135 | Offensive Rank: 5th | Defensive Rank: 5th | Previous Rank: 5th<\/p>\n
A steady 1-0 round keeps Perth exactly where they were. Their 88\u201375 win over New Zealand was tougher than the score suggests, with Kristian Doolittle\u2019s fourth-quarter heroics sealing the deal.This round is massive: Tasmania and Melbourne await, both capable of dropping Perth back to .500.The club also confirmed rising young talent Jarron Rillie will miss up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury – a huge blow. There\u2019s no need for panic just yet, but a rough week could have fans sweating.<\/p>\n
Doolittle leads Wildcats to tough win | 00:51<\/p>\n
6. Brisbane Bullets | Record: 5\u20139 | Offensive Rank: 6th | Defensive Rank: 9th | Previous Rank: 7th
The bottom half gets messy, but Brisbane have shown enough fight to justify the No. 6 spot despite their record.
Their narrow loss to Melbourne was admirable, especially given Casey Prather\u2019s season-ending injury, Jaylen Adams\u2019 departure, and several lingering injuries across the roster. Their grit is undeniable.
The club has signed import Terry Taylor – yet to be officially announced – and is expected to bring in another to replace Adams. With reinforcements coming, there\u2019s legitimate hope Brisbane can push for sixth place.
They host SEM this week in what could be a confidence-boosting upset opportunity. Can Stu Lash pull it off?
7. Illawarra Hawks | Record: 4\u20137 | Offensive Rank: 9th | Defensive Rank: 8th | Previous Rank: 6th
A brutal week for the defending champs. Their 28-point loss to Sydney felt like a flashback to their early-season struggles.
Despite the setback, the Hawks have played only 11 games – giving them more runway than most teams to regroup. But Sydney exposed a clear vulnerability by forcing JaVale McGee off the floor early, and Justin Tatum must find a solution quickly if they intend to defend their title.
Two games in two days against the top two teams now awaits. Not ideal.
8. Tasmania JackJumpers | Record: 5\u20138 | Offensive Rank: 7th | Defensive Rank: 7th | Previous Rank: 8th
The reigning champions continue to spiral, now dropping five straight.
\u201cDefend the island\u201d no longer applies – just one win in seven home games has forced the new motto: \u201cSave the island.\u201d
Will Magnay\u2019s latest setback (bone bruising, out at least a month – and likely longer) makes a shaky situation worse, particularly for their interior defense.
This round features two huge tests against Perth and Sydney.
David Johnson\u2019s upcoming return will help, but Magnay\u2019s absence creates a defensive void opponents will happily exploit.<\/p>\n
HOBART, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 13: Scott Roth Head Coach of the Jackjumpers talks to his players during the round nine NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Adelaide 36ers at MyState Bank Arena, on November 13, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
9. New Zealand Breakers | Record: 4\u201310 | Offensive Rank: 8th | Defensive Rank: 4th | Previous Rank: 9th
One of the most puzzling teams in the league. The talent is there, but their fourth-quarter collapses continue to undermine them.
Round 9 was another mixed bag: a blowout win over Brisbane followed by a narrow loss to Perth. But the recurring theme remains – giving up leads late.
If they simply held fourth quarters at league-average levels, they\u2019d be a top-three team.
Head coach Petteri Koponen must be nearing frustration, and something may need to change soon. Fortunately, they draw Cairns this round – a game they absolutely must win.
10. Cairns Taipans | Record: 3\u201311 | Offensive Rank: 10th | Defensive Rank: 10th | Previous Rank: 10th<\/p>\n
Despite flashes of fight, Cairns continue to endure a historically rough season.<\/p>\n
Injuries haven\u2019t helped, though Adam Forde is not one to use them as excuses. Still, both ends of the floor have been a disaster, and with only three wins from 14 outings, questions must be asked. The club is spending more than ever – yet producing its worst basketball in years. Forde has a knack for maximizing limited rosters, but this season he\u2019s been given legitimate talent and marquee players, and the results remain bleak.<\/p>\n
Their Round 10 matchup against the Breakers is – surprisingly – a winnable one. A victory could ease fan tension, but as it stands, this roster simply isn\u2019t performing at the level the NBL demands.<\/p>\n
CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 14: Andrew Andrews of the Taipans is seen after the round nine NBL match between Cairns Taipans and South East Melbourne Phoenix at Cairns Convention Centre, on November 14, 2025, in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Emily Barker\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With Round 10 approaching, the NBL landscape is shifting fast. Melbourne United remain the clear benchmark, while Adelaide,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289636,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-289635","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\/289635","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=289635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289635\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/289636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}