Basketball On The Internet.

IT'S rare, we admit, but some rounds it is easy to come up with our NBL Player of the Week, especially when you factor in our "match-winning shot" caveat.

And, coming into Christmas, we are glad this one didn't take hours of debate.

Firstly, Brisbane's Will Magnay was absolutely brilliant, producing a career-best game as he fired up the Bullets for a magnificent home win over ladder-leading Sydney.

Having his first career-start, the Kings had no answers as The Magnate went off for 23 points at 57 percent including 3-of-6 threes, 14 rebounds, an assist, a steal and two blocks, announcing himself as Brisbane's premier big man.

United imports Shawn Long and Melo Trimble were the instigators behind Melbourne's huge road win in Perth - 23 points apiece, with 13 rebounds and six assists respectively.

As Cairns KO'd the 36ers, DJ Newbill again was at his best - 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting, and a bunch of fours, as in four 3-pointers at 44 percent, four rebounds, four assists.

The round's stand-out for us though easily was NZ Breakers import Scott Hopson, reinforcing just how key his absence through injury was, earlier this season.

Hopson had 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting, nine rebounds, three assists and a block as the Breakers made a statement against South East Melbourne in Christchurch.

He backed that up with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds and five assists in New Zealand's 91-89 road win over Illawarra.

And, importantly, that haul included the match-winning jumpshot.

In the Breakers' two wins, Hopson averaged 22.5 points at 60 percent, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists.

He hit 3-of-6 threes over the two wins as well, leaving him one-out as our NBL Player of the Week.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 Scott Hopson (NZ Breakers)