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NO Isaac Humphries (knee), no John Jenkins (back), Flynn Cameron leaving the game injured. If Mike Wells still was at the helm of the 36ers, Adelaide last night would have been humiliated by United in Melbourne. Trevor Gleeson? Come on down. That, 36ers fans, is what a real coach looks like.

Adelaide really hasn't had one of this calibre since Joey Wright left prematurely and pre-game, have no doubt, club management would just have been hoping for an honourable road defeat. That's what they - and 36ers' fans - have been conditioned to accept.

Yet right from the get-go, Gleeson unvelied a plan which saw Jacob Rigoni promoted to start, Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic aggressive and Bryce Cotton not exclusively having to run this team.

Isaac White, Ben Griscti and Matt Kenyon had definite roles to play and Flynn Cameron was relishing his playing the point, even though his injury restricted him to less than half the game.

Unlike last season, every offensive play did not rely on Cotton, who still comfortably slotted 29 points with seven assists and despite the final 97-95 scoreline, Adelaide's defensive commitment showed energy, effort and the promise of things to come.

Anyone doubting the 36ers' bona fides as an NBL championship favourite can think again after watching the victory Gleeson masterminded, even though it only was preserved by United missing last-gasp 3-point hopes from Cole Anthony, Chris Goulding and Fabijan Krslovic.

Had one of those shots dropped and a victory salvaged, it would have been an injustice for the way Adelaide went about its challenging task.

Both Gleeson and his United counterpart Jacob Chance copped technical fouls, although generally the officiating was less noticeable.

Down Shea Ili, Chance decided to bring Anthony off the Melbourne bench and the NBA stud responded with a round-high 30 points in a mere 21:50 of action. The ease with which Anthony could score though had to send shivers across the league, Joe Ingles also providing a big lift off the bench.

To further Adelaide's adversities, Rakocevic fouled out, adding even more merit to the road win.

Round 1, Saturday, Sunday Results, Wraps

Adelaide 36ers 97 (Cotton 29, Cheatham 18, Rakocevic 14, White 10; Rakocevic 9 rebs; Cotton 7 assts) d Melbourne United 95 (Anthony 30, Oduro 14, Ingles 12, Travers 11; Oduro 6 rebs; Ingles 7 assts) at John Cain Arena.

In Perth, the Wildcats started promisingly but four 3-point bombs by Tanner Krebs in the second term made it a 30-13 quarter and set up South East's victory. Incredibly it was Jesse Wagstaff who orchestrated Perth's third period revival which had the deficit back to three by the last break. Perth had it level at 69-69 early in the last but from there the Phoenix went on a 6-0 run in a 31-10 explosion. Krebs again was inspirational and Dash Daniels with career highs in points (24) and boards (12 all tolled, 10 in the first half) ensured South East was leaving WA with the W. Nathan Sobey missing meant Skylar Mays controlled the tempo too.

South East Melbourne Phoenix 100 (Krebs 25, Daniels 24, Mays 16, Glover 10; Daniels 12 rebs; Mays 6 assts) d Perth Wildcats 79 (Doolittle 25, Lual-Acuil 20, Pepper 19, Wagstaff 11; Lual-Acuil 8 rebs; Doolittle 7 assts) at RAC Arena.

Dejan Vasiljevic made a triumphant debut for New Zealand in Auckland today with 24 points at 57 per cent, including 6-of-10 threes, as the home team smacked Illawarra 95-81. As if it may have been necessary to remind NBL fans that he too is a great PG, Parker Jackson-Cartwright rocked the Hawks with 23 points and a round-high 13 assists. Sam Mennenga's game-best 27 points came at 65 per cent, the Breakers almost always in control. William Hickey led the ho-hum Hawks with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists but the lack of a genuine PG was made more blatant by PJC's shenanigans.

New Zealand Breakers 95 (Mennenga 27, Vasiljevic 24, Jackson-Cartwright 23, Te Rangi 11; Mennenga 8 rebs; Jackson-Cartwright 13 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 81 (Hickey 18, Harvey 14, Martin 13, Doyle 10; Hickey 9 rebs; Hickey 5 assts) at Spark Arena.

The Kings unveiled their 2025-26 championship banner in Sydney, then set about dismantling Cairns by 21 points, six players in double digits. The Taipans simply could not sustain the pressure, playmaker Jaylon Brown with 11 points and six assists at halftime - the same number with which he finished the game. Keanu Pinder led Cairns with 27 points but Jack McVeigh was far too passive, only Malique Lewis offering consistent support. Kendric Davis may not have caught Cotton or Anthony with his 26-point return, but he definitely led them on flops and cons-for-calls. Off the bench, a couple of the new young faces (Will Johnston, Harry Wessels) showed positive promise.

Sydney Kings 111 (Davis 26, Cooks 18, Craig 13, Dellavedova 12, Carr 11, Maluach 10; Cooks 7 rebs; Dellavedova, Davis 6 assts) d Cairns Taipans 90 (Pinder 27, Lewis 13, Brown, Bruce 11; Bolden 10 rebs; Brown 6 assts) at Afterpay Arena.

Tomorrow: South East Melbourne at Tasmania. Tuesday: New Zealand at Brisbane