Basketball On The Internet.

BRIAN Goorjian's 600th win as the GOAT of NBL coaching likely was one of his least challenging, Illawarra yesterday providing token opposition and hardly anything resembling the champion of 2025 or even a worthy derby rival for its loathed Sydney Kings "big brother".

Having coached at the Hawks between his Kings' stints, Goorj knows this rivalry from both sides of the fence and probably expected greater venom from what turned into a very lack lustre opponent.

His opposite number, Hawks championship coach Justin Tatum post-game was full of belief in his team and what it still will do, despite a 0-3 start, conceding 106 points per game and copping (no surprise here) a very tough regular season draw from the NBL.

Sorry JT but when Tyler Harvey naturalised, the Hawks had the luxury of surrounding him with three imports that each filled a need.

Instead you plumped for a friendly face in Darius Days - who you cut within two weeks - a 196cm forward in Kelan Martin and a championship-winner in Milton Doyle.

Your pressing needs were at point guard and centre but instead you opted for DD who is neither, and MD who also is not a PG.

Doyle has proven he is a quality import but his best NBL seasons were at Tasmania where he was at SG alongside Jordon Crawford, with JC backed by Sean MacDonald. He wasn't playing PG.

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk is being wasted, Todd Blanchfield and Mason Peatling were playing confused and uncertain even before they suffered long-term injuries.

The place is a mess, as it has been since the departure of championship PG and All Star 5 selection Trey Kell so when the talk swings to the team's "most pressing need", and the answer is another big man, my first thought is this - Didn't Illawarra have a star big man last season in Javale McGee?

Surely a proper PG, instead of a raft of almost PGs such as Davo Hickey, Harvey and Doyle is where the Hawks should go first? Because right now, they're heading for last.

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Malique Lewis blocked seven shots for Cairns against Adelaide, the most since Townsville import and Ray Borner Medallist Mickell Gladness and Illawarra Hawks centre AJ Ogilvy had eight apiece back in 2014. Lewis is 202cm. Gladness and Ogilvy are 211cm.

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How good was Elijah Pepper in the endgame for Perth against Adelaide? Not only did he take it at the GOTE Bryce Cotton, draining a banker three under duress. But he had the smarts to see there was 1.9 seconds on the clock as he lined up for his bonus free throw.

Pepper is a winner. He made sure the shot missed, giving the 36ers no chance for a time-out or sufficient time to manufacture any sort of miracle. A guy who puts winning above his own stats is one you can build around.

Earlier, not sure fouling on Perth's possession when the 36ers had a three-point lead was the right strategy, Jo Lual-Acuil converting both penalties and leaving the door ajar for what happened.

Cotton's 300th game still was outstanding, the little master delivering a season-high 37 points.

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The only NBL player likely appreciating South East Melbourne's 4-of-41 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc against Melbourne was new New Zealand bomber Dejan Vasiljevic.

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Are our officiating ranks so thin and parlous we need all these American whistleblowers running around, unsure of FIBA rules and showing inappropriate attitudes in an Aussie sporting landscape?

It's a sad state of affairs and one the NBL seems incapable of rectifying at a time when the comp boasts mostly top notch coaching, excellent imports and an influx of notable young Aussies.

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That was quite the performance by Max Mackinnon for Brisbane against Illawarra, his 31 points and 12 boards setting a high mark it won't be easy to regularly duplicate.

Or perhaps it will! Time will tell. 

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OK, before the usual experts get too far ahead of themselves with how well Brisbane is tracking, Wednesday's Ignite Cup match against the champion Kings in Sydney - Bullets coach Will Weaver back in his previous NBL stomping ground for the first time - should truly cast light on the team.

I suspect Kendric Davis will lead the scoring and Arnas Velicka the assists. Can he deliver double-digit assists for the third straight time? Can Brisbane deliver outside of Queensland? Or will Brian Goorjian be filing away win #601?