Basketball On The Internet.

FIVE of the NBL's six winners out of Round 14 had their hands up to get our attention as candidates for our Team of the Week accolade, with only league-leading Melbourne - a strong winner in Sydney but then also a lonesome loser in Adelaide - not qualifying for consideration after splitting its matches. 

Illawarra posting 116 points in routing South East Melbourne was an immediate option, and Tasmania stalling Cairns was a further eye-catching win.

Adelaide staved off the fast-finishing Melbourne for its best win of the season, then Perth kept New Zealand at arm's length in Auckland to win more decisively than the final scoreline implied.

Brisbane concluded proceedings by shooting down a Sydney team struggling to find its identity.

It was a tough call.

Ultimately, we reluctantly ruled out the Hawks because the quality of their opposition - the Phoenix were missing imports Alan Williams, Abdel Nader and Gary Browne - was really in the NBL1 category so a big win should have been on the cards.

Tasmania had Milton Doyle back in form as it hammered another potential nail into Cairns' playoff coffin and Perth had Bryce Cotton rolling as it broke the Breakers' backs in Auckland.

Brisbane survived another bout of the Bullie-wobbles and also gave Casey Prather a promising first look at the new NBL, leaving the final choice a difficult one.

It fell to the Adelaide 36ers, having twice already lost to Melbourne, their home win over the league leaders was full of merit and great play from Dejan Vasiljevic, Trey Kell and Isaac Humphries, with Jacob Wiley twisting the knife late.

The last-placed team beating the first-placed club actually eventually made this a no-brainer.

How often does that event occur?

It was the Sixers' best win of the 2023-24 season, and arguably the best win in the NBL coaching career of interim Scott Ninnis, who previously for two seasons held the head coaching reins more than a decade ago.

So for Round 14, Adelaide 36ers for the second time found their way to the summit as our Team of the Week.

The Team of the Weak as Pi$$?

Do you live in Sydney? If so, the Kings performed like jesters, whacked at home by Melbourne, soundly beaten in Brisbane where they really should have offered more.

This was our Team of the Week a round ago! They came instead with token defensive efforts, selfish offensive options ... the fact the result was close remains testament to the fact Sydney does have the tools. They just don't know how to use them.

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 14 Adelaide 36ers
Round 13 Sydney Kings
Round 12 New Zealand Breakers
Round 11 New Zealand Breakers
Round 10 Illawarra Hawks
Round 9   Perth Wildcats
Round 8   Adelaide 36ers
Round 7   Melbourne United
Round 6   Perth Wildcats
Round 5   Brisbane Bullets
Round 4   South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 3   Melbourne United
Round 2   Tasmania JackJumpers
Round 1   Sydney Kings

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS PI$$
Round 14 Sydney Kings
Round 13 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 12 Brisbane Bullets
Round 11 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 10 Sydney Kings
Round 9   Adelaide 36ers
Round 8   Brisbane Bullets
Round 7   New Zealand Breakers
Round 6   Adelaide 36ers
Round 5   No Nominees
Round 4   Perth Wildcats
Round 3   Illawarra Hawks
Round 2   No Nominees
Round 1   No Nominees