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What We Learnt #4
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HALLELUJAH brothers and sisters. What we learnt in Round 4 is the G.O.A.T. of NBL coaching, Brian Goorjian, still has it. Last season at the Kings was forgettable and losing to Melbourne had the doubters out in force. But that masterplan for the 36ers in Adelaide was solid gold and made Bryce Cotton look more like Bryce Courtenay.
Breakers outfoxed, United cavort on Snake-skin rug
OWEN Foxwell led South East Melbourne to its historic first win over New Zealand at Auckland's Spark Arena today before United took out the garbage in Melbourne, dumping Cairns' game-plan, terminal execution, statue defence and lack of earnest desire in a dumpster outside John Cain Arena.
Hawks soar and Kings reign in Adelaide
IT was a basic case of "addition by subtraction" as Illawarra farewelled Jaquori McLaughlin and played its best game of the season, while Brian Goorjian showed he hasn't lost his coaching chops, producing his finest performance since returning to Sydney, masterminding a thorough 103-79 rout in Adelaide.
AA takes a last shot and blows last chance
WHAT the hell was Andrew Andrews thinking? Is he the only player in the NBL who hasn't seen Jack McVeigh's long shot that turned the Tasmania-United championship in 2024? Can he be so blissfully unaware the Olympian is "The Man" when it comes to a last shot, not an import who is 3-of-11 from range but still jacks up a prayer?
Tassie jazzy but 36ers too smooth
BRYCE in blue is creating havoc across NBL 2025-26 but the 36ers' long-suffering fanbase is not the only beneficiary of Cotton's creative abilities. Isaac Humphries is revelling as Adelaide's primary keyway target, coolly scoring 24 points against Tasmania at a wickedly efficient 80 per cent.
Time Out-NO FLOP ZONE: Pelicans series soars for NBL
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JUST how much did co-host Joey Wright and I enjoy the NBA-NBL series in Melbourne last week? You'll need to tune into out Time Out-NO FLOP ZONE podcast this week to hear our assessments of the visit by the New Orleans Pelicans and the performances by United and the Phoenix against them.
Breakers ignited and United delighted in Cup starts
LET'S be frank. The New Zealand Breakers LOVE playing under Blitz rules. They won it this year, remember? So give them the same set of rules for the Ignite Cup and what do they do? Cream NBL champion Illawarra. Parker Jackson-Cartwright, and this is no rib, dished 17 assists with his 20 points.
Brad&Boti: We need more serves of Rod Laver Arena
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HOW good was seeing top level basketball back at Rod Laver Arena? Brad Rosen and I were thrilled the NBA-NBL series took us back there and we discuss how well that went, along with a WNBL update and a full hard look at which teams performed in Round 3 on this week's Brad&Boti podcast.
A new way to Ignite interest with big prize pool
IT tips off tomorrow night, the NBL's latest copy of an NBA concept, the "in-season tournament," when the Ignite Cup's opening matches are underway in Auckland and Sydney, these games additionally counting toward regular season results, with only the Final, scheduled for the Gold Coast, a separate entity.
What We Learnt #3
THERE was much to process from the NBL's third round and associated events, a round which, interspersed with two matches against the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans saw "basketball royalty" such as Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Joe Dumars in tow, and our own dual AFL premiership coach Chris Fagan enjoying the action.
