NBL
2 weeks ago
What to watch for in thrilling NBL Round 9
By SEN
Every week of the Hungry Jack's NBL25 Season, we'll be previewing the big games, the big names and all the key talking points.
Check out the Round 9 Preview below.
Don't forget, every game of the NBL25 season is live on ESPN.
Tasmania vs Brisbane
When: Friday, November 15 - 7.30pm AEDT
Where: MyState Bank Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: There’s been a lot of heat on the JackJumpers, especially in recent weeks, due to their lack of offensive production. However, last Saturday night the reigning champions responded in emphatic fashion, when they dismantled the top of the table New Zealand Breakers. It was further proof that this team thrives in front of their sold-out home crowd and showed why they’re one of the best defensive teams in the league.
The Bullets enter this round ready to play their first double-header this season and will be facing a confident Tasmania at MyState Bank Arena. The Bullets have shown glimpses in all eight games of how good their potential can be, but haven’t been able to put a full performance together. They now enter their toughest set of games after the FIBA Break with multiple double-headers, which makes this game against Tasmania so important to set the tone.
Players to watch: It’s very rare that a Tasmania team which averages a league-low 77.6 points per game could win a game by 20+, with their star guard Milton Doyle scoring just three points. While he still had 5 assists and played a team-high in minutes, it was fellow imports, Craig Sword and Jordon Crawford who helped carry the offensive load. The task ahead now is how they get all three of them to fire together and put up a competitive score once again.
For Brisbane it’s been a heavy dose of Keandre Cook, James Batemon and Tyrell Harrison when they have managed to win their three games so far. The comparison in their efforts when the team loses is quite alarming for Justin Schueller, which makes it even more important that they step up on Friday night.
The stat: Tasmania is allowing just 71.7 points per 40 minutes while Craig Sword is on the floor. That's the lowest mark of any player in the league.
Missing in action: Sean Macdonald is out for this game, but is nearing a return from an ankle injury. Will Magnay is a game-time decision. Sam McDaniel is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Perth vs South East Melbourne
When: Friday, November 15 - 9.30pm AEDT
Where: RAC Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: One of the games of the round takes place here, when the Wildcats welcome the red-hot Phoenix to RAC Arena. Since starting 0-5, South East Melbourne is currently just outside the Play-In Tournament, where Perth hold the sixth spot on the ladder. The Phoenix look like a complete new team that began the season and are firing on all cylinders under Josh King. It’s worth noting that this team may not be close to scratching the surface of their potential as well, as they look to integrate Derrick Walton Jr back into the lineup.
Perth on the other hand has done a great job of keeping steady without their four-time MVP, having won three of the past five without Bryce Cotton. It’s given an extended opportunity to Ben Henshall and Elijah Pepper, who have both relished the added responsibility on the offensive end. With two games this round before the break, the Wildcats would settle for nothing less than splitting the pair, before they get a chance to have their star return in three weeks.
Players to watch: John Rillie switched things up against Melbourne United and inserted the Spanish Next Star, Izan Almansa, into the starting lineup. The move proved to be a success instantly as Almansa produced his most productive NBL game to date, scoring 19 points and pulling down 7 rebounds. Kristian Doolittle continues to quietly put together a very productive season on the offensive end, as he scored 21 points with 5 assists.
Angus Glover has been a revelation for the Phoenix in the past few wins and looks to be cemented into his starting role. Coming off a 22-point night, Glover has been the barometer for South East Melbourne in each of their past wins. Alongside MVP candidate, Matt Hurt, they have some prolific scoring potential and are locking in defensively to make it all click.
The stat: Angus Glover is coming off a career high 22 points in round eight.
Missing in action: Cotton is unlikely to play due to a rib injury.
Cairns vs New Zealand
When: Saturday, November 16 - 5.30pm AEDT
Where: Cairns Convention Centre
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: The Taipans will be the closest they have been to full strength since Round 3 when they take on the Breakers at home. With Taran Armstrong and Tanner Groves both returning last week, there were obvious signs of rust from two key pieces in this Cairns team that should be feeling good about the opportunity ahead. Rob Edwards also returns from suspension, which gives Cairns one of its best chances in recent weeks to find the form that had them win three straight games after Round 1.
Meanwhile, New Zealand will be looking to bounce back and prove that last weekend’s horrific display in Tasmania was just an anomaly. The Breakers scored just three points in the third quarter against the JackJumpers and suffered their worst loss of the season so far. They still sit second on the ladder, but with Illawarra and Adelaide right on their tail, this is a must-win game for them in Cairns.
Players to watch: Look for Edwards to be on a mission in this game and get back to being one of the best scoring guards in the league. When Edwards and Armstrong shared the floor together back in round two, the Taipans' offence was firing on all cylinders and the team was rolling. Those two guards have the ability to score the ball at a high rate, but also have a willingness to get others involved when they have to.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright is still the frontrunner for this season’s MVP, but he needs his teammates to show up and take the pressure off him throughout the game. Matt Mooney and his carelessness with the ball in Tasmania would have been an issue that the Breakers would want to rectify in this game in Cairns. Sam Mennenga also returns to his former home and will no doubt be hoping to have a big game.
The stat: Cairns gives up the most points per game in the league, at 94.1.
Missing in action: Sam Waardenburg is unlikely to play due to concussion protocols. Pedro Bradshaw is out with an ankle injury. Max Darling and Mojave King are game-time decisions.
Illawarra vs Sydney
When: Saturday, November 16 - 8pm AEDT
Where: WIN Entertainment Centre
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: One of the games of the season to date as the rivalry continues between the Hawks and the Kings. What makes this such a big clash is the fact that both clubs will be desperate to head into the break with a win.
For the Hawks, they have lost three of their last four games and have slipped from the form that saw them as the hottest team in the league through the first month. While there hasn’t been any glaring reason why, Illawarra’s ratings on both ends have dipped enough to be a concern for Justin Tatum going forward. They usually rise to the challenge of playing the Kings, and a win before the FIBA Break would be huge for their moral.
Conversely, the Kings are slowly grinding away at the season through the first eight rounds. When they are at their best, it is by far the best in the league. Unfortunately, the other side of that is that their struggles have been hard to watch. Brian Goorjian called out his players following last week's win, saying they looked "entitled" in their win against Tasmania. So expect a fired-up Sydney as well.
Players to watch: There are a stack of great individual matchups in this game, but it’s hard to look past Darius Days and Xavier Cooks going head-to-head. After beginning the season on fire, Days' output has dipped in recent weeks and it’s no surprise that his team’s performance has been similar. Cooks on the other hand, just continues to go about his business and prove he is one of the most consistent superstars in the competition.
Another key focus will be on Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk against Jaylen Adams. When these two teams met earlier in the season, it was Swaka-Lo-Buluk who put the clamps on the former MVP and Illawarra managed to secure a win. That usually doesn’t happen twice when Adams has a point to prove.
The stat: Sydney now has the best defensive rating in the league and hold opponents to a league-low 82.3 points.
Missing in action: Jaylin Galloway (shoulder) is still on the sidelines for the Kings, while the Hawks have a clean bill of health.
Melbourne vs Adelaide
When: Sunday, November 17 - 2.30pm AEDT
Where: John Cain Arena
Watch: Live & free on ESPN via Kayo | 10 & 10 Play | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: Adelaide has won its past 10 games at home dating back to the end of 2023, and now the 36ers' challenge is to emulate that form on the road. This will be the second time this season that they take on United at John Cain Arena and they’ll be hoping to put in a much better effort than they did previously. With Jack White set to miss this game with a calf injury, how will Melbourne slow down Montrezl Harrell? That will be a significant question going into this game.
Melbourne has been at its best when White has been dominant on both ends, which will now be tested with him on the sidelines. Conversely, Adelaide continues to work on its rotations now that everyone is healthy, and could this be the first time that Jarell Martin, Isaac Humphries and Harrell play at the same time together?
Players to watch: Kendric Davis is quietly putting together one of the most productive seasons from a first-year import that we have seen in some time. His composure and understanding key moments of the game has been a major reason why Adelaide are a championship contender. He faces the biggest test of his season so far, when Shea Ili looks to limit his impact.
When Chris Goulding and DJ Vasiljevic hit the floor, it will be the two best shooters in the league letting it fly at each end. After Goulding’s record-breaking performance last week, can he stay hot and produce some more magic? Or will Vasiljevic tap into the form that saw him hit 10 threes in a game a few seasons back and take that battle?
The stat: Melbourne is first in the league for assists at 20.2, on the back of Matthew Dellavedova’s 12 last weekend.
Missing in action: White looks set to miss with a calf injury, following the news he was being replaced in the Boomers' squad.
Brisbane vs Perth
When: Sunday, November 17 - 4.30pm AEDT
Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Watch: Live & free on ESPN via Kayo | 10 Bold & 10 Play | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App
Watch for: The last game before the FIBA Break could be an incredibly important one for both these teams, who will be on their second games of the round. This is Brisbane’s first double-header of the season, so it will be interesting to see how prepared they are for backing up less than 48 hours after their last game. One of Brisbane’s strength in its wins so far is an ability to control the glass, which will be tested against the Wildcats, who currently lead the league in that statistic.
For the Wildcats, this is likely their last game without Bryce Cotton and they’ll be hoping to sneak out another win before they welcome back their champion. It’s also one more opportunity for players like Ben Henshall and Elijah Pepper to enjoy the added responsibility on the offensive end, before they have to reduce that role after the break.
Players to watch: Tyrell Harrison will be going into this game feeling like he can make his presence felt in the paint against a smaller Wildcats team. It’s no coincidence that his best three games have come in the three wins for Brisbane. Casey Prather is also quietly going about a very productive season, picking his moments well to become a very solid scoring option when the team needs it.
Kristian Doolittle has had to play every position on the floor this season, from the point-guard to the center, and has done a great job of adapting on the fly. His turnovers are up, which is no surprise considering the added ball-handling, but he continues to add to his overall game each week and be one of the best two-way players in the league.
The stat: Perth averages the most rebounds per game, at 44.1
Missing in action: Cotton will be unlikely in this game with a rib injury. Sam McDaniel is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
