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ADELAIDE has beaten a depleted Tasmania on the road as its new NBA-experienced wing import Troy Brown Jr lobbed into town, Brisbane losing Casey Prather for the season and finally dumping Jaylen Adams, with Shea Ili set to return for United as NBL Round 9 rolls past only its second game.

It was a serious 24 hours in the NBL, the 36ers leading the JackJumpers by 28 (80-52) before the home side reduced the deficit to seven late in the last quarter.

With Zylan Cheatham (season-high 27 points at 75 per cent, including 3-of-4 threes, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks) having his finest statistical game since joining the 36ers, Adelaide was almost entirely in control of its contest.

Down centre Will Magnay - and of course import David Johnson and championship-winner Anthony Drmic, who now is likely to miss the rest of the season with a back injury - Tasmania should never have been in this game.

But as is the DNA of Scott Roth teams, they fought it to the finish and when Majok Deng (17 points at 64 per cent, 8 rebounds) splashed a three to bring the JackJumpers to 76-85, that 24-5 run had Tasmania sensing it was something of a wild chance.

Nick Marshall's drive brought it to 85-92 inside the final minute but from there, Flynn Cameron and Cheatham closed it from the FT line, the extraordinary foul disparity 10-29 in Adelaide's favour.

But a win is a win, Brown Jr arriving in Adelaide ready to play against Cairns on Sunday, 36ers fans keen to believe the versatile 3-point shooting wing is the final missing piece that will put them into genuine championship contention.

Thrashed by New Zealand at home on Wednesday, Brisbane pulled the plug on its under-performing and disinterested import Jaylen Adams, and not before time.

Lamar Patterson has been activated to take the place of unlucky Casey Prather who is having surgery to "correct a hardware related fixation issue" - whatever the hell that means - and another new import face is being pursued.

Maybe finding a coach with actual coaching credentials wouldn't hurt either, but that will never happen, Bullets management too compromised to admit it made a huge miscalculation.

Patterson will suit against Melbourne, where Ili also is expected to make his return, giving United its first full-strength lineup of the season.

Round 9

New Zealand Breakers 113 (Mennenga 25, Brockington 19, Jackson-Cartwright 15, Lopez 13, Baker 12; Baker 11 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 7 assts) d Brisbane Bullets 84 (Prather 26, Mathias 12, Harrison, Ducas 11; Harrison, Prather 8 rebs; Ducas 5 assts) at The Rifle Range, Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre. Crowd: 2,275 Q-Q: 27-18, 41-18, 24-21, 21-27. Ignite Cup Pts: New Zealand 6, Brisbane 1

Adelaide 36ers 97 (Cheatham 27, Vasiljevic 14, Cotton 12, Rakocevic, Cameron 11, Humphries 10; Cheatham 14 rebs; Cheatham, Cotton 4 assts) d Tasmania JackJumpers 86 (Campbell 20, Deng 17, Bannan 16, Marshall, Hamilton 12; Bannan 14 rebs; Ayre, Marshall 4 assts) at The Anthill, MyState Bank Arena. Crowd: 4,340