Every Game In Focus (Round 13, NBL25)

Every week of the Hungry Jack's NBL25 Season, we'll be previewing the big games, the big names and all the key talking points.

Check out the Round 13 Preview below.

Don't forget, every game of the NBL25 season is live on ESPN.

New Zealand vs Sydney

When: Friday, December 20 - 5.30pm AEDT
Where: Spark Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: The freefall of the New Zealand Breakers continues, as the team dropped their sixth straight game in a loss to Adelaide. From sitting in the top two on the NBL standings prior to the FIBA Break, this Breakers team has struggled to find ways to be competitive and hence suffered some big losses in previous weeks. The positive for this team is that they now head back to Spark Arena for the first time in over 11 games, where they welcome a Sydney team whch is quietly doing some damage.

The Kings sit third and are still looking to put together 40 minutes of their best possible basketball, which makes them a dangerous proposition in the back half of the season. Led by Jaylen Adams and Xavier Cooks, Sydney came up big in the fourth quarter over Brisbane and continues to chip away at this season. If the Kings can win this on the road, they are about to have a big stretch of home games which would have them fancy themselves to get into a top two position.

Players to watch: Parker Jackson-Cartwright has been a consistent superstar all season for this New Zealand team which is desperately looking to find their next win. When he’s not making plays for himself, he’s unselfishly setting up his teammates for easy looks and helping tick the scoreboard over. Right now, Jackson-Cartwright needs someone to come along with him for the ride, as Matt Mooney has been struggling to knock down shots in this losing streak. Tacko Fall has had some very impressive moments on both ends of the floor, but perhaps none bigger than his block on Montrezl Harrell and following it up with a dunk on the other.

When it was time to step over and take over the game, that’s what the two former MVPs in Adams and Cooks did against Brisbane. Both were huge in the clutch and are the clear engine room for this Sydney team that has all the potential to go a long way in the finals. Outside of those two, it’s Cam Oliver who is the real x-factor of this team and has shown that he can win a game himself when required.

The stat: New Zealand has lost each of its six games, but has won its last six at Spark Arena. 

Missing in action: Jaylin Galloway is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Bul Kuol is sidelined with knee soreness.

Brisbane vs Cairns

When: Friday, December 20 - 7.30pm AEDT
Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: It’s the 'Sunshine Stoush' as Brisbane hosts a Cairns team that is desperate to get the monkey off their back and find a win. The Taipans have lost 12 straight games and would love nothing more than to buck that trend against their state rivals. Unfortunately for Cairns, nearly all their issues can be traced back to the fact that they have been decimated by injuries since the pre-season. When Sam Waardenburg was ruled out of last round with a hand injury, it meant that all but one rostered player (Jonah Antonio) for Cairns has missed time through injury or suspension in NBL25.

The positive for Adam Forde is that his team continues to play hard and fight to get a much-needed win and if they needed any more motivation, the Brisbane Bullets selected them as part of the Summer Shootout happening next month. While Brisbane dropped their game to Sydney after a poor fourth quarter, they have proven to themselves and the league that they have enough offensive weapons to be competitive this season.

Players to watch: Taran Armstrong has been on another level since he returned from injury and looks every bit of the NBA prospect many believe he is. He has been scoring the ball at a very high rate and doing it in many ways, which has raised eyebrows of the NBA scouts. Alongside Rob Edwards, this Cairns team still has the talent and firepower to put up a big score in each game.

The question for Cairns is whether it can enough defensive intent to slow down Casey Prather, Keandre Cook and James Batemon. The big three for Brisbane have been unstoppable since the FIBA Break and putting up some impressive numbers, especially shooting the ball from deep. When those three are locked in, it seems this Bullets team is capable of achieving anything.

The stat: Brisbane is first in the league for three-point percentage at 39.1 per cent.

Missing in action: Sam McDaniel is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Sam Waardenburg is out with a hand injury. Akoldah Gak is out with a knee injury.

South East Melbourne vs Adelaide

When: Saturday, December 21 - 8pm AEDT
Where: John Cain Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: It’s a double points battle that could be very important in how the standings finish at season’s end. The Phoenix are fresh off a big Throwdown win and are feeling like they can cement their spot in the top six. However, the Adelaide 36ers received their boost against New Zealand when they welcomed back Montrezl Harrell and came up big on their home floor. 

It all sets up for an almighty clash at John Cain Arena, which will also be South East Melbourne’s first open-air game. The 36ers have done well to take care of business at home, but their big challenge is carrying that form with them on the road and finding a way to win. Josh King’s men have seemingly had an answer for every question they have had in recent weeks and this game could be one of the best of the round with so much at stake.

Players to watch: Nathan Sobey had his best game in a Phoenix uniform in the Throwdown when he put up 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks. It was a performance that all the fans were waiting for from their star guard, who has been inconsistent to this point of the season. Sobey wasn’t alone in stepping up during this comeback from South East Melbourne as Derrick Walton Jr proved to be very important to his team in the fourth quarter. With a full squad available, it now gives the Phoenix a chance to get one step further to locking themselves into a top six position,

While Harrell returned with a double-double and some highlight plays that ignited the crowd, it’s been Kendric Davis who is putting together one of the best first seasons for an import in recent history. The second-year professional is a serious MVP threat to Perth’s Bryce Cotton, and is averaging over 30 points and 10 assists in his last three games. How far Adelaide go in NBL25 will have a lot to do with their Davis and Harrell combination.

The stat: Adelaide is the worst rebounding team in the league at 38.3.

Missing in action: DJ Vasiljevic is out with a hamstring issue. Sunday Dech is also questionable due a hamstring injury. 

Illawarra vs Perth

When: Sunday, December 22 - 2.30pm AEDT
Where: WIN Entertainment Centre
Watch: Live on ESPN, 10 & 10 Play | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: There’s plenty at stake when these two teams meet this weekend and while both will be trying to build on their current momentum, all eyes will be locked on Bryce Cotton. The four-time MVP is looking to join Andrew Gaze and Al Green as the only players in NBL history to score 40-plus points in five consecutive games. Cotton has been simply unstoppable across the last four outings, averaging 48 points on an absurd 65 per cent shooting. It’s not just Cotton that the Hawks will have to worry about, as this Perth team in general has averaged 119 points per game since the FIBA Break.

The Hawks went into Melbourne last Friday in a highly anticipated matchup and put one of the hottest teams in the league to the sword. Illawarra shut down United in every facet of the game and ran out big winners on their opponents’ home floor. It creates a little bit of breathing space for them at the top of the ladder, but they’ll be looking to build on that with two big tests coming up.

Players to watch: Outside of Cotton’s brilliance, it seems as if every Wildcat has a new sense of confidence shooting the ball. Dylan Windler and Ben Henshall have been enjoying the extra space and freedom created from what Cotton is doing and they’ve been able to help this Perth team put up their big numbers offensively.

For the Hawks, while they continue to get it done as an entire unit, this game will come down to a battle of two individuals. Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk will get the initial task on slowing down Cotton, before Will Hickey gets his chance. If they can wear down the MVP leader, then the Hawks will be in the box seat to get a big win. Offensively, it’s been Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling who are coming off arguably their best performance as a duo of their careers.

The Stat: Perth holds a 5-0 record when Dylan Windler scores 15+ points this season.

Melbourne Vs Tasmania

When: Monday, December 23 - 7.30pm AEDT
Where: John Cain Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: This matchup has been a rivalry that has slowly been building, ever since Tasmania initially knocked Melbourne out of the finals three years ago, before beating them in the Championship Series last season. With United suffering three straight losses for the first time since 2022, Tasmania is rolling with five straight wins. Melbourne will be hoping to welcome back Chris Goulding and Marcus Lee, who have both missed time through injury and added to the team’s pain.

Tasmania made a roster move last week, parting ways with Craig Sword and bringing in Ian Hummer for the remainder of the season. Scott Roth hopes that their new signing will bring a toughness and experience to the front court and provide some insurance for Will Magnay. Outside of that change, this JackJumpers team is starting to click at the right time. Their defence is still one of the best in the league and their offence looks much cleaner with Sean Macdonald running the show. 

Players to watch: Matthew Dellavedova bounced back from a disappointing game against the Hawks with a much better performance in the Throwdown. Overall, he has stated that he’s disappointed in the way he played when Goulding has been missing. Outside of the guards, it was Jack White who had a quiet weekend for United and will be hoping to be able to do all he can to get his team back on track with a win.

With Tasmania’s offence looking much more productive, a lot of that can be traced back to the move to bring Jordon Crawford off the bench. The game five hero from last season’s championship series has always been a score first guard and now he gets to insert himself into the game with a green light to shoot the ball. When he’s filling it up like he did last week off the bench, it takes pressure off Milton Doyle and the starting unit and allows the team to flow as a unit.

The stat: Tasmania is bottom in the league for scoring at 81.4 points per game.

Missing in action: Chris Goulding (calf) and Marcus Lee (back) are-game time decisions.  

Adelaide vs Brisbane

When: Tuesday, December 24 - 7.30pm AEDT
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: What is exciting about this game is that the individual matchups across the board are going to be fun to watch. Can Tyrell Harrison hold down the front court against Isaac Humphries and Montrezl Harrell? Or will Kendric Davis continue in his incredible form and be too much for James Batemon? Since Round 10, Brisbane has been on fire shooting the ball and their offence as a team has seemingly clicked into gear. Led by their import trio, this Bullets team has been putting up some big numbers in recent weeks and unsurprisingly seeing the wins flow in.

Adelaide is a different beast altogether when they play on their home floor. When Harrell is hyping up the crowd, they draw off that energy and become a juggernaut. Before this team had to battle through suspensions to their star players, they had won 10 straight games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Unfortunately for the 36ers, they don’t have too many home games left to end the season, which makes every one of them even more important.

Players to watch: Casey Prather in recent weeks has become one of the most dominant players in the league, reminiscent of the championship winner for Perth and Melbourne, when he was last in the NBL. It’s been Prather’s hot shooting from the outside and the mid-range that has made him so hard to stop, as he has been effortlessly getting to his spot and knocking it down. When Prather has been on fire of late, it’s Keandre Cook who has been the most consistent offensive threat all season for the Bullets.

Outside of Davis and Harrell, Adelaide will be hoping that Jarell Martin picks up where he left off, from his best game of the season against New Zealand in Round 12. The big man has been fighting to get back into his best form since returning from injury and it was a game that excited 36ers fans about this team’s potential. If he can continue to shoot the ball at a high rate and compliment his star duo, then this team has enough weapons to go a very long way.

The stat: Brisbane has scored over 100 points in four of their last six games.

Missing in action: Sam Macdaniel is out for the season. DJ Vasiljevic and Sunday Dech are out with hamstring injuries.

Tasmania vs New Zealand

When: Wednesday, December 25 - 6pm AEDT
Where: MyState Bank Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | NZ: ESPN & TVNZ | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: The first of a big Christmas Day double header and it will be a big task for a Breakers team who will either be trying to snap a seven-game losing streak or trying to build on a win from earlier in the round. These two teams just recently met last round when the JackJumpers ran away with a big 24 point win. In that game it was Jordon Crawford who was a spark plug in his new role, dropping 24 points off the bench in just 22 minutes of playing time.

The issue for New Zealand out of that game was that they only hit four of their 29 attempts from three and also committed 13 turnovers. Heading into MyState Bank Arena, the Breakers will have to look after the ball and find easy ways to score against a Tasmania team that defends very well at home.

Players to watch: In that recent matchup, it was Sean Macdonald who played the perfect complimentary role for a starting point guard, with his 17 points in the game. Will Magnay also played facilitator in this game, dishing out 8 assists and doing a bit of everything on that end of the floor. 

For New Zealand, Parker Jackson-Cartwright will be eager to respond against Tasmania who held him to one of his lowest performances of his NBL career. He had just 11 points and only 4 assists and the JackJumpers defence didn’t give him any room to breathe. As Jonah Bolden continues to get back into game shape after missing time with injury, there will be more pressure on Sam Mennenga to find the form that had him as a leading candidate for the Most Improved Player this year.

The stat: Tasmania are the lowest scoring team in the league at 81.4 points, yet is the best defensive team, holding teams to just 82.8 points.

Sydney vs Illawarra

When: Wednesday, December 25 - 8.30pm AEDT
Where: Qudos Bank Arena
Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo, 10 & 10 Play | NZ: ESPN | International
Scores: Download the free NBL App

Watch for: The round reaches its climax with the New South Wales rivalry in full flight when the Kings host the Hawks and seek redemption for their early season woes. It doesn’t take much for this game to have some extra spice, whether that’s on court or in the media and with all eyes locked in on Christmas night, you can be sure that there will be fireworks. The Kings are slowly building towards being the championship contender that many believe they are and a big win over the leading Hawks will help them solidify that.

The Illawarra juggernaut has found managed to unlock even more firepower due to their move to bring Darius Days off the bench and start Mason Peatling. It’s been a genius decision from Justin Tatum, as Peatling sets the tone with his work ethic and unselfishness, and it allows Days the freedom to come out aggressive when he checks in. There is much more than just bragging rights up for grabs on Christmas Night.

Players to watch: Alex Toohey has been a revelation in his second season as a Next Star, doing it on both ends for the Kings and being a major reason for their success thus far. While he has the ability to score 20 points on any given night, it’s the way he helps his unselfishness without the ball that helps his team. When he’s on the floor with Jaylen Adams, Xavier Cooks and Cam Oliver, it’s usually a good sign for Sydney.

Trey Kell III has been quietly putting together an All NBL team season in terms of his productivity. After arriving at the Hawks from Adelaide, Kell has been a revelation in this league since he became a point guard in the middle of last season. While he can score at a high rate, he’s been able to help Tyler Harvey have his most efficient and damaging season to date as well.

The stat: It’s the number one offensive team in Illawarra taking on the number one defensive team in Sydney.

Missing in action: Jaylin Galloway is out for the season.