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IF Perth and Brisbane this NBL round can stage a match half as good as last week's double-overtime thriller, it may well be another "match of the round".

Games Review Panel inconsistencies aside, Round 3 has such promise as to again have the potential to drag fans from their seats and others down to the venues to see the action first hand.

Beating a team such as Perth in back-to-back games at The Jungle is almost one for the Mission Impossible team so James Duncan is going to have to find something even more special than what his Bullets conjured last round.

We tip off with a Melbourne-Sydney rematch, only this time it's in the Victorian capital, United showing off a few more familiar faces.

  ROUND 3 A YUMBO JUMBO

WITH players steadily returning and Melbourne yet to play a truly bad game despite its 0-2 record, this is United's chance to turn the tide against visiting Sydney. Dejan Vasiljevic (Achilles) makes his long-awaited return for the Kings with import R.J. Hunter (knee) a game-time decision. Jaylen Adams will be out of the Kings lineup while Mason Peatling (suspended) misses for United but Melbourne regains dual-Olympian Chris Goulding. It is time for Melbourne to make its breakthrough.

IT'S hard to see Illawarra going under at home to New Zealand. The Hawks already are in full flight while the Breakers are still trying to put their optimum outfit on the floor. Will McDowell-White and Hugo Besson had some great moments last round and Finn Delany has elevated his game again. But Duop Reath is living up to expectations and the Hawks have too much size and too many weapons to fall short in this one.

NEW Wildcats import Michael Frazier will make his debut in Perth as the home team looks to reverse its three-point double-overtime loss to Brisbane at the same venue last Sunday. The Bullets had Lamar Patterson, Nathan Sobey and Robert Franks firing when it mattered while Perth countered with irrepressible Vic Law, Bryce Cotton eventually, and returnee Todd Blanchfield. Winning again out West would set up Brisbane's season but the Wildcats should make the adustments to ensure they walk out with the W.

SQUARING off first to defending champion Melbourne, then its Victorian rival South East Melbourne in consecutive games makes this a tough round for Sydney. Down key personnel also will make this difficult although the matchup of Kings forward Xavier Cooks and Phoenix phenom Mitch Creek alone should be worth the price of admission. Vasiljevic at home with a game under his belt also looms largely, though no-one more largely than Zhou Qi. Phoenix to phlourish.

BEATING Tasmania last round was just the tonic for Cairns and its loyal support base. But the win was not accomplished without cost, Scott Machado (Achilles) now out as the Taipans prepare to host a surging Adelaide 36ers lineup. The Sixers also KO'd the JackJumpers last round and did it on the road. Then they reversed a 19-point deficit to break NZ by 13. That builds confidence and Cairns also happens to be one of Daniel Johnson's favourite venues to rattle up a big tally. Sixers win.

THIS sadly will be a long drawn-out season for New Zealand which does have a playoff-worthy team when everyone is fit and available. Wracking up the losses in the meantime means the Breakers once again will be scratching just to get back to the black, Melbourne regaining Jack White and also Mason Peatling for this contest. It doesn't bode well, but in NZ's favour is United will now have to sort out its rotations and responsibilities which does leave the door slightly ajar.

THERE'S been a surprise result - can't really call them "upsets" this early in a season - in every round so far so why not in Brisbane when the Bullets host Illawarra? The Hawks very much are on their game already but no-one is expecting them to go through undefeated. Look how well that prediction worked out for Melbourne last season? But United still won the flag, as Illawarra most likely also will. But this could be Nathan Sobey's night.

THE best JackJumpers fans can hope for in Perth against the Wildcats is that coach Scott Roth remembers the best place to grab a mid-evening post-game meal from his assistant-coaching days. These are the sorts of "must-win home games" the Wildcats never falter in but Tasmania can make a decent game of it, given Roth's insider knowledge of many of the Perth players. It won't be enough though tp cause a boilover, Vic Law heading for another night out.

FAST-forward to Wednesday and Tasmania is on the road again and this time into Sydney. The Kings will be primed and ready to get back into the winners' circle, with Tasmania needing a big game from its entire roster to prevent the inevitable. Still not sure what the Americans did over there to Will Magnay but he is a shadow of a silhouette of a chalk outline of his previous persona and the JackJumpers need the version of him that was on the NBA fringe. Sydney to win.

GOOD AFTERNOON. My name is Qi, Zhou Qi. SEM's new star introduces himself to United.