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NEW NAME ENTERS MVP CONVERSATION<\/p>\n
It was one of the more memorable season openers you\u2019ll see, with the Adelaide 36ers walking away with a thrilling 97-95 victory over Melbourne United.<\/p>\n
Cole Anthony of United and Bryce Cotton of the 36ers chat after the round one NBL match between Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers at John Cain Arena, on September 19, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
But after the dust settled, another conversation emerged: is the MVP battle between six-time winner Bryce Cotton and reigning Finals MVP Kendric Davis about to become a three-man race?<\/p>\n
United\u2019s former NBA star Cole Anthony produced one of the best import debuts you\u2019ll see. In just 21:50 minutes of action, he poured in 30 points, shooting 10-21 (47.6%) from the field.<\/p>\n
Anthony knocked down some incredible shots from deep, showing exactly why he was one of the NBA\u2019s most dangerous scorers several seasons ago. <\/p>\n
Despite entering the game with a lingering calf injury, the star guard used his first post-match press conference to make a bold statement about his new team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I might be a little biased, but I don\u2019t feel like we\u2019ll lose another game for a while,\u201d Anthony said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m gonna call it what it is and superstitions or not, God willing if we keep people healthy I think we\u2019re gonna be a heck of a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony\u2019s performance has immediately put his name into the conversation alongside Cotton and Davis, but for now, it was the six-time MVP who walked away with the win.<\/p>\n
Cotton led the 36ers to an impressive road victory despite Adelaide losing John Jenkins and Isaac Humphries pre-game, before Flynn Cameron suffered an ankle injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the contest.<\/p>\n
Cotton finished with 29 points, two rebounds and seven assists, shooting 7-17 (41%) from the field, before using the post-match press conference to share his excitement about the victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think it was a great way to start the season,\u201d Cotton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA great test playing a team like United and to start the season on the road.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was great to win under those circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
CAIRNS IDENTITY CRISIS WHILE FINALS MVP SHINES.<\/p>\n
It was one of the biggest off-seasons in recent memory for the Taipans, who have recruited one of their best rosters in several years with the arrivals of Keanu Pinder, Jaylin Galloway, NBL Next Star Luke Paul and import Jaylon Brown.<\/p>\n
Taipans head coach Adam Forde looks on during the round one NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Afterpay Arena, on September 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
But if last night\u2019s 111-90 loss was any indication of what\u2019s to come, it could be a bumpy road ahead for the team that finished ninth (9-24) last season.<\/p>\n
The Taipans found themselves trailing the reigning champion Sydney Kings by just six points at half-time, but a dominant third quarter saw the Kings outscore them 31-20 before eventually wearing Cairns down in a 21-point defeat.<\/p>\n
It was reigning Finals MVP Kendric Davis, who had been back in Australia for less than a week after flying in from America, who picked up exactly where he left off last season.<\/p>\n
Kendric Davis of the Kings shoots a free throw during the round one NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Afterpay Arena, on September 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Davis exploded for 26 points, five rebounds and six assists, shooting 9-19 (47%) from the field in just 29 minutes of action, reminding the league why he was one of its best players last season. <\/p>\n
In the post-match interview, Davis admitted he was \u2018nervous\u2019 heading into the game as the Kings raised their championship banner.<\/p>\n
As for Cairns, import Jaylon Brown had a modest debut, finishing with 11 points, two rebounds and six assists, but struggled to find his shooting stroke. Brown shot just 4-16 (25%) from the field while also finding himself in foul trouble with four fouls as he adjusts to the NBL.<\/p>\n
Keanu Pinder, meanwhile, was dominant in his first game back as a Taipan since the 2022-23 season, finishing with 27 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting an impressive 11-17 (64%) from the field.<\/p>\n
Keanu Pinder of the Taipans drives to the basket during the round one NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Afterpay Arena, on September 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
However, it was an unfamiliar game for million-dollar man Jack McVeigh, who finished with just seven points and attempted only seven shots for the entire game.<\/p>\n
The performance has started to raise questions, not necessarily about McVeigh himself, but where he fits within this new-look line-up under head coach Adam Forde.<\/p>\n
Last season, McVeigh was the focal point of the Taipans\u2019 offence. Now paired alongside Pinder, Brown and soon Jaylin Galloway, all players who could be taking 10-plus shots per game, it remains unclear whether McVeigh will see the same level of production we became accustomed to last season.<\/p>\n
Jack McVeigh of the Taipans warms up during the round one NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Afterpay Arena, on September 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
As a team, the Taipans shot 13-44 (29.5%) from deep, with more than half of their total field-goal attempts coming from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n
Their reliance on the perimeter also highlighted a lack of inside presence outside of Pinder, with Jonah Bolden and Kyrin Galloway combining to attempt 10 three-pointers, connecting on just two.<\/p>\n
EXCLUSIVE: Why \u2018f***ing brutal\u2019 injury run didn\u2019t break star… and teammate act that opened his eyes<\/a><\/p>\n In the post-match press conference, Forde spoke about his side\u2019s performance and inability to respond when the Kings increased the pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cWe let our emotions get the better of us, right? We are a confidence team and it\u2019s important that the guys back themselves, even during the dry parts,\u201d Forde said.<\/p>\n Shaun Bruce and Adam Forde in last night’s post-match press conference (Images via NBL YouTube)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cWe let the offence determine what we did defensively and then defensively was bad and then it made our offence a little bit more worse.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was disappointing, it was frustrating, but it\u2019s a lot of lessons for guys who were getting frustrated with officiating, guys were getting frustrated with the within themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cSydney did a good job keep up the pressure and we just failed to respond,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Kendric Davis of the Kings drives to the basket during the round one NBL match between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Afterpay Arena, on September 20, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Albeit just one game, the arrivals of Jaylin Galloway in late October and Next Star Luke Paul in Round 3 will be welcomed with open arms.<\/p>\n Until then, the Taipans will need to shake off last night\u2019s performance and turn their attention to their first home game of the season on Wednesday, when they host the Tasmania JackJumpers.<\/p>\n BREAKERS DAMAGE HAWKS IN WIN<\/p>\n The Gordon Herbert era could not have started much better, with the New Zealand Breakers defeating the Illawarra Hawks 95-81 behind MVP candidate Parker Jackson-Cartwright.<\/p>\n