Cotton's remarkable 33-year first

Just when everyone thought Bryce Cotton couldn't top his statement game of 59 points against New Zealand, the four-time MVP continues to raise the bar, putting together an incredible stretch of performances not seen since 1991.

On the back of that record-setting game, Cotton scored 40 points and then 49 across weekend, to have one of the best offensive stretches the NBL has ever seen.

Those three straight games scoring 40-plus points hasn’t been since in the NBL since Andrew Gaze did it back in 1991. In that season, Gaze had three different stretches of scoring 40+, with his most recent one where he averaged 46 points on 51 of 94 from the field.

Cotton joins Gaze, Al Green, Leroy Loggins and Wayne McDaniel as the only players to ever achieve that feat.

Cotton’s three game stretch has seen him put up 148 points across his last three games, shooting 47 of 72 from the field, 18 of 32 from the three-point line and 36 of 38 free-throws.

His 49-point scoring average has come across two wins and a loss, and included 15 assists.

Cotton’s return from a serious rib injury could be the motivating factor in his current form, according to the man himself.

“I think it was just missing the game,” he said.

“That month I was out felt like an eternity ... I was just very anxious to play that whole month, so I guess it’s just a lot of pent up emotion and energy.”

In Perth’s win over Adelaide, Cotton had 23-points in the first half, while only missing three shots.

While this stretch has been heavily spotlighted by everyone, it’s his unselfishness that his head coach is most impressed in.

“The trust he had in his teammates in the fourth quarter ... getting into the paint, kicking it out to his teammates like that, like to me that’s the beauty of the of the way he’s playing,” coach John Rillie said.

Cotton heads to Cairns in Round 12, where he will look to join Gaze as the most recent player to eclipse 40 points in four consecutive games. In Round 4, he scored 35 in Cairns and has a personal record of 42-points back in 2020.

Right now, Cotton is absolutely match-watch. Tune in to ESPN on Saturday night at 8pm AEDT. You don't want to miss it.