Basketball On The Internet.

CAIRNS playmaker Scott Machado got the NBL round off to a flying start, equalling his career-high of 29 points in a key win over New Zealand to put his hand up for Player of the Week consideration.

Unfortunately in the Taipans' road loss in Sydney, he wasn't quite as effective, Dan Kickert turning back the clock for one of his best games of the season.

Bryce Cotton was shooting out the lights for Perth against Illawarra before Jerome Randle and Eric Griffin both put in memorable performances in Adelaide's win over Melbourne.

Phoenix shooter Kendall Stephens was right in the mix too with a stellar shooting display in the win over the Hawks.

But for us here at Basketball On The Internet, one man had a lot to prove across the ditch against New Zealand and that was Brisbane's All Star import Lamar Patterson.

Patterson dominated when the Bullets had the Breakers by the throat in Brisbane earlier this month, his basket giving them the lead, his hustle at the other end giving them the ball.

But then he turned it over and compounded the error with an unsportsmanlike foul. New Zealand tied the game from the stripe, then won it with a buzzer-beating three.

There's no doubt Patterson was out to make amends in the next rematch and that's exactly what he did at Spark Arena, leading Brisbane from the front with a game-high 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a steal to secure a long overdue Player of the Week award.

He was our man in Round 15.BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET PLAYER of the WEEK

Round 1 Mitch Creek (SEM Phoenix)
Round 2 John Roberson (SEM Phoenix)
Round 3 Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings)
Round 4 Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
Round 5 Shawn Long (Melbourne United)
Round 6 LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks)
Round 7 Melo Trimble (Melbourne United)
Round 8 LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks)
Round 9 Daniel Johnson (Adelaide 36ers)
Round 10 Scott Machado (Cairns Taipans)
Round 11 Jerome Randle (Adelaide 36ers)
Round 12 Scotty Hopson (NZ Breakers)
Round 13 Scotty Hopson (NZ Breakers)
Round 14 DJ Newbill (Cairns Taipans)
Round 15 Lamar Patterson (Brisbane Bullets)