This Week's Games (Round 17)

Has there been a more incredible round of NBL23 action this season than Round 16? Maybe, maybe not - but this week's upcoming action looms as being another round of incredible fixtures.

NBL Media runs through Round 17's fixtures.

Brisbane Bullets vs Sky Sport Breakers

When: Thursday, January 26 | 9:30pm 

Where: Nissan Arena – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on Sky Sport

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening:

The Sky Sport Breakers overturned their dismal run of six losses from seven games with a clutch win over the Sydney Kings – all without key guard duo Barry Brown Jr and Izayah Le’Afa.

Will McDowell-White has taken his game to new heights in recent fixtures, and although the Breakers have put themselves behind the eight-ball in terms of a top-two finish a win in Brisbane will help heap pressure on the Taipans and Kings above them.

The Brisbane Bullets of the last two weeks is the team many expected to see from the beginning of NBL23. Although their run has come to late to make any kind of playoff push of their own it bodes well as they look to build a platform for their NBL24 campaign.

They’ll have the play out the rest of the season without centre Harry Froling though, who was the victim of a one-punch attack in Wollongong after his side’s win over Illawarra.

At the time of writing a 19-year-old man has been arrested in relation to the incident and Froling is recovering from emergency surgery with the well wishes of the entire basketball community.

Tasmania JackJumpers vs Sydney Kings

When: Friday, January 27 | 7:30pm AEDT

Where: MyState Bank Arena – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: The JackJumpers enter this one with the hopes of taking down the top two in consecutive games following their Round 16 win over Cairns.

Tasmania looks to be at a minor disadvantage when compared to the sides immediately around them on the ladder – that being they’ve played one more game than Cairns, New Zealand and Perth. A win against the Kings will help them stay one step ahead of the game in the race for play-in positioning.

The Kings have dropped two straight games for the first time this season to be pulled kicking and screaming back into the jostle for ladder position.

They remain one win and percentage ahead of the second-place Cairns Taipans, but a third loss on the bounce could not only be catastrophic for their positioning on the ladder – but for their momentum heading into the post-season.

Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks

When: Friday, January 27 | 9:30pm AEDT

Where: RAC Arena – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: Perth’s ability on the defensive end and the glass has been a major discussion this week after Simon Mitchell admitted to targeting that as an area of weakness in South East Melbourne’s win over the Wildcats.

Those numbers against the Phoenix don’t make for good reading – they finished with 14 fewer offensive rebounds and 24 fewer total rebounds in the 21-point loss.

Brady Manek and TaShawn Thomas uncharacteristically struggled to contain the likes of Alan Williams and Mitch Creek on the glass on that night and will be hoping to even the scores against Sam Froling and Mangok Mathiang.

Despite losing to Brisbane in their final game of Round 16 the Hawks are still riding high after their drought-breaking win over New Zealand.

After being so close – yet so far – in so many games this season Illawarra finally held on for an emotional and deserved win, even if it did take a half-court Tyler Harvey special to seal the game.

Sky Sport Breakers vs Melbourne United

When: Saturday, January 28 | 7:30pm 

Where: Spark Arena – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on Sky Sport

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: Melbourne United is one of the in-form teams in the competition right now. After looking dead in the water in terms of a finals berth they’ve rallied to win eight of their last nine games – with the only loss in that stretch coming at the hands of the Kings on Christmas Day.

A win over the Breakers is included in that impressive run. United travelled to Spark Arena just three weeks ago and put on a defensive clinic en route to a 12-point win.

If history repeats itself United will put themselves in a prime position to move into the top six at someone’s expense. If the Breakers don’t get their act together it could well be at theirs.

Cairns Taipans vs Brisbane Bullets

When: Saturday, January 28 | 8pm AEDT

Where: Cairns Convention Centre – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: The final clash between the NBL's two Queensland sides looms as, quite potentially, the hottest coming together of the two sides this season.

The Taipans currently lead the season series 2-0. A narrow nine-point win opened their NBL23 campaign against the Bullets before their opposition collapsed en route to a 21-point win at the start of this month.

Plenty has changed for the Bullets since then though. While they’re out of the playoff picture they look like a team that’s re-found its belief under Greg Vanderjagt, and a win over Cairns could be the perfect way for the former Croc to further his potential ambitions to lead the side next season.

Tasmania JackJumpers vs Perth Wildcats

When: Sunday, January 29 – 2pm AEDT

Where: MyState Bank Arena - Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live and free on 10 Peach and 10 play | Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: The JackJumpers play their second game of the round at home when they take on Perth. For the Wildcats, this is their final road trip of the NBL23 regular season.

These two sides haven’t locked horns since the start of November. Plenty has changed for Perth since then – Brady Manek and TaShawn Thomas have found their rhythm, Tai Webster has been added to the group, and the rotation has been shortened to within an inch of its life.

Tasmania currently leads the season series 2-0 after 31-point and eight-point wins just two weeks apart earlier in the season.

Sydney Kings vs South East Melbourne Phoenix

When: Sunday, January 29 | 4pm AEDT

Where: Qudos Bank Arena – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: If this contest turns out similarly to last two times these sides played then fans are in for a treat.

The Kings ran out as one-point winners in a double-overtime thriller back in December before once again overcoming the Phoenix in January – this time in a high-scoring affair that got done in regulation.

Ryan Broekhoff played a key role in the Phoenix’s fight in both of those games, so all eyes will be on how the likes of Junior Madut, Kyle Adnam and Reuben Te Rangi combine to cover for the loss of the former NBA star.

Cairns Taipans vs Adelaide 36ers

When: Monday, January 30 | 7:30pm AEDT

Where: Cairns Convention Centre – Buy Tickets

Broadcast details: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Follow online: Live stats and box score

What’s happening: Last time these teams faced off Cairns produced a comeback for the ages to win by three points. Not only did that win elevate the Taipans’ finals aspirations in the eyes of many, but it also placed an asterisk against the 36ers.

Adelaide gave up a 10-point three-quarter time lead to lose on that occasion. Shannon Scott helped keep the Snakes in it with his 31-point performance before DJ Hogg and Tahjere McCall helped finish the job.

The season series is currently tied at one game apiece, and the 36ers have a chance to create some positivity if they can overcome one of the competition’s best side in their head-to-head series.