SuperCoach NBL: Full scores, standouts from NBL Blitz
Who is in form heading into the NBL season and which cheapies are ready to go? See every SuperCoach score and the fantasy players you need to know from the NBL Blitz.
SuperCoach NBL
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperCoach NBL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The NBL season is getting closer and teams are getting serious as they hit the pre-season competition, the NBL Blitz.
And that means a mountain of intel to learn for our SuperCoach NBL teams.
The fantasy gurus from the Basketball Blokes are tracking scores from every game and watching every player and performance we need to know.
NBL SEASON STARTS THURSDAY!
Sydney Kings 76 v Brisbane Bullets 105
Sam McDaniel $112.5k (G/F)
McDaniel was on the attack on Friday night. He was the top SuperCoach scorer for the game with 29 points from 21 points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. New Brisbane coach Justin Schueller has bought McDaniel in from the JackJumpers having seen him first-hand when both were at Melbourne United. We think he sees minutes every game, but will he see the almost 23 minutes he had tonight every game? We don’t think so.
Tyrell Harrison $130.5k (C)
Could this be the year we get a fit Tyrell Harrison? With a decent jump in minutes for his second game of the Blitz, Harrison showed what he can produce with 18 points, eight rebounds, an assist and two blocks for a SuperCoach score of 28. This score was with Aron Baynes playing over 17 minutes, after he played 19 and 24 in the Bullets two earlier Blitz games. This could be a little bit of a red flag for Tyrell, but at $130.5k he is priced at 12 SuperCoach points, so could be an undervalued pick if he is playing 15-plus minutes every game.
Jaylin Galloway $123.6k (F)
Another solid performance from Galloway saw him have the top SuperCoach score of the Kings with 23 SuperCoach points. This effort combined with his other two SuperCoach scores of 38 and 18 in Sydney’s previous two Blitz games sees him average a touch over 26 for the Blitz. This output far exceeds the approximately 11 SuperCoach points he is priced at. Now we know that the Kings roster is stacked, but Galloway’s Blitz demands that you think about adding this King into your castle.
Nathan Sobey 287.6k (G)
We finally saw a little bit of Nathan Sobey that reminded us of his form of previous seasons. Sobey has been a legitimate premium option in the former NBL Fantasy format. Sobey had 28 SuperCoach points in just 22 minutes last night, putting stats up all over the box score with 17 points six rebounds four assists and one steal. This follows on from 14 and 23 in other NBL Blitz games, so he is warming up nicely. Sobey might be an option to bring into your side for some points scoring rather than value creation in those import rounds when Brisbane is on a double. He could also be a benefactor of the SuperCoach scoring system that rewards volume.
llawarra Hawks 108 v Cairns Taipans 90
The Taipans do not play a game in rounds 3 and 4 of the NBL season as they head to the USA for the NBL x NBA games. For this reason, we don’t recommend starting too many Taipans, despite them being some of the best value options this season. If you do decide to hold any Taipans over those rounds, we only recommend doing that with players priced at $69k. Thankfully in this match-up, the top three scorers for Cairns were all priced at that amount.
Taran Armstrong 69k (G)
The No.1 candidate to have on your guard bench is Taran Armstrong. Notably without Patrick Miller on Friday night, Armstrong had 35 SuperCoach points by filling up all aspects of the box score. His seven points, six boards, 7seven assists and four steals helped to bring his NBL Blitz average up to 23.66 SuperCoach points. This is effectively the same output new imports need to average to maintain their starting price of $277k. However, if you don’t select Armstrong to start, you will only miss out on one price rise before you can pick him back up upon their return in round 5.
Lat Mayen 69k (F)
When Mayen got an opportunity last year due to injuries at the Taipans, he was very impressive. Once again, due to players resting from this contest, Mayen was excellent. His top score of 37 SuperCoach points was made up of 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and one absolute poster dunk. We don’t think this kind of opportunity will be available for Lat at the start of the year, but if he does get an opportunity during the season, keep this performance in the back of your mind.
Akoldah Gak 69k (F/C)
Gak was given the starting role over Sam Waardenburg. We are not sure if this move will stick in the regular season, but it is certainly something to monitor given Gak had 27 SuperCoach points with this increased opportunity. It could well have just been a show of faith in a revenge game for Gak. He scored only eight SuperCoach points in his two prior Blitz games, so perhaps this will be an outlier. Gak is still very young as was a recipient of a Summer League invite in 2022, perhaps the sun of the tropical north will allow him to shine this season.
Lachy Olbrich 69k (F/C)
Like Armstrong, another player that we feel like you could set and forget on your SuperCoach bench is Lachy Olbrich; but for the very poor schedule. The Hawks play a total of three double-game rounds out of the first 14 rounds of the season. This means that there will be very few opportunities to consider starting Olbrich on your court; however, the cash generation may just outweigh this negative. This is back-to-back 30-point SuperCoach performances for Olbrich in the Blitz. He will have his first price rise after round 3, so a potential round 2 trade of one of your Taipans players to Olbrich could prove to be an excellent strategy.
Perth Wildcats 93 v NZ Breakers 89
Bryce Cotton 466.3k (G)
Both Perth Wildcats fans and Supercoaches collectively held their breath when Cotton was down in pain holding his knee in the early stages of the fourth quarter of this match-up. In what appeared to be a knee-on-knee collision, it was a positive sign that Cotton was able to shoot his free throws before trying to run out the next few possessions. Finally, instead of running ahead to complete a fast break, he held himself back and went to the bench. In his 29 minutes of court time, he managed to score 33 SuperCoach points. This once again demonstrated why he is the most expensive player in the game; and should strongly be in your consideration – if he is healthy.
Keanu Pinder $385.9k (F/C)
If Cotton were to miss, their new marquee man would likely become the focal point of the Wildcats attack. Regardless of Cotton’s status, it was great to see Pinder play just shy of 29 minutes in this contest, having had an injury interrupted pre-season. Fitness concerns now do not need to be a part of your decision making with regards to Pinder’s place in your SuperCoach line-up. Perth starts the season with two matches in round 1, meaning Pinder could start for you in both the forward and centre positions. Pinder had nine more rebounds than any other Wildcat against the Breakers and games where he will score less than 10 points will be few and far between; so you can expect plenty of double-double bonus points if you do select him.
Jordan Usher $277k (F)
I know I just discussed how Keanu Pinder would be the main man if Cotton were to miss, but the moment Bryce went down Usher said, ‘Watch this’ on his way to 39 SuperCoach points. Usher has now averaged 27 SuperCoach points per game through the Blitz; and has been a pleasant surprise on offense for someone who entered the league with ambitions on defensive player of the year. Usher certainly made us want to bring him into our SuperCoach line-ups with a shooting masterpiece including 8-11 from beyond the arc. He will be competing with the likes of Mitch Creek, Keanu Pinder and Tyler Cook at that starting forward position. Has this game opened the door for him to be considered amongst those other big names? Yeah! It has.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright $277k (G)
A final word on Jackson-Cartwright is essential here. You will see that once again he has tallied 30 SuperCoach points. However, I need to discuss the underlying numbers behind that score, which included eight turnovers. If this is your first time playing NBL fantasy, we need to let you know that you don’t get the triple-double bonus if one of those categories is turnovers. Parker almost accomplished that with his 15 points, 10 assists and eight turnovers. On any given night you may expect a point guard to make a few errors, but we could have easily seen another 40-point SuperCoach game from Jackson-Cartwright here. On the coverage of the game, Angus Glover and the commentary team suggested that the return of Will McDowell-White could open things up more for Parker. We cannot start him in our initial line-ups, but keep track of his performances and consider bringing him into your team after the NBL x NBA games.
Tasmania JackJumpers 86 v Adelaide 36ers 82
Milton Doyle $344.6k (G)
It was pleasing to see Doyle end the NBL Blitz in the form we had been accustomed to see him produce last season, which resulted in him receiving all NBL first team selection. Doyle scored 41 SuperCoach points against the undermanned 36ers, leading the JackJumpers in both points (19), assists (7) and steals (3). This was a significant jump in Doyle’s prior games in the Blitz, which were 16 and 19 SuperCoach points respectively. Doyle comes into the NBL season as the ninth most expensive player, we will want to see more of the same before considering him as a round 2 trade target (perhaps for Bryce Cotton) where the JackJumpers start their run of four games over two rounds.
Jordon Crawford $277k (G)
Crawford’s score of seven SuperCoach points against Adelaide was the first small score we had seen from him in the Blitz. This score followed a couple of very promising performances where he had 23 and 36 SuperCoach points. What didn’t assist his score in this game was the four turnovers as compared to the solitary dime he dished out. Whilst the aforementioned Doyle dominated the assist count on this occasion, we expect Crawford to lead the team in that statistic across the season. We look forward to seeing what Crawford can do in the season proper, to work out if we will look to bring him into our squads for round 2.
Mitch McCarron $262k (G)
While it is difficult to gauge the Adelaide 36ers amidst their scattergun pre-season, Mitch McCarron demonstrated his ability to facilitate from the point guard position. Much like Cadee, who I wrote about last game (see below), Mitch exudes far more control over the offense than the very young Trentyn Flowers. Jason Cadee did not suit up for this game, nor did Jamaal Franklin, who is set to part ways with the club. Keeping that in mind, we do not expect 36 minutes from McCarron every night. Especially when there is talk of a replacement import point guard coming in the near future. However, if this import does not arrive, can we consider McCarron in our line-ups with four games over the first two rounds? His 42 SuperCoach points including 16 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists indicate that the answer to this question is a yes.
Trentyn Flowers $115k (G)
One player that is unlikely to be impacted by the signing of a new import is Flowers, who now will play a wing role for the 36ers. Whilst this will likely ensure his minutes by moving out of that logjam guard rotation for Adelaide; it is still yet to produce good SuperCoach scoring. As a Next Star, Flowers is priced at 10 SuperCoach points, but would have lost money based on his three-game Blitz average of 7.67 points per game. Whilst I haven’t completely cut Flowers from my consideration, as his size and athleticism could be a great asset in transition play, it would have been nice to see it in the Blitz. Much like the battle for guard minutes in the Adelaide backcourt, there are a few other options competing for the bench in your SuperCoach line-up. We think it is a risky move to pick Flowers based on form, but with the court time he is seeing, some decent NBL SuperCoach scores could stem from them.
Melbourne United 105 v Sydney Kings 87
Luke Travers $276.3k (G/F)
Don’t overthink it. Just lock him in. A game-high 40 SuperCoach points on Wednesday night, and flexing a bit of muscle heading into round 1. Twenty-one points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals – a typical Travers game. Travers got off to a hot start with some smooth and ones and some highlight dunks in the first quarter. Travers had reminded us of some of his passive play with the Wildcats in previous seasons in his prior two NBL Blitz games. This performance against the Kings was more in line with the pre-season games prior to the Blitz, where he was the No.1 averaging player with 45 SuperCoach points across two games. Melbourne has the best schedule in the first five rounds with four double game rounds. Available as a guard or forward, lock Travers into your line-up and throw away the key.
Jaylen Adams $377.4 (G)
In the NBL22 MVP’s first game of the pre-season, Jaylen Adams looked like he never left the Kings for a season. He posted a solid 25 SuperCoach points, but remarkably this was done in only 16 minutes of court time. Jaylen averaged a touch over 36 SuperCoach points in that NBL22 season, so he is obviously able to put up large numbers, hence his larger starting price. Sometimes you have to pay a premium for those elite scores and Adams passed the eye test on Wednesday night. Considering he scored his SuperCoach points at such an efficient rate while looking like he didn’t get out of first gear, he is definitely on our radar as a trade-in target for rounds 2 and 3 when Sydney plays four games in that period.
Ariel Hukporti $172.1k (C)
A few may have jumped ship following a couple of sub-par scores across the blitz, but I am 100 per cent all in. Hukporti looked super athletic, he is running the floor well; and his team mates are throwing lobs to him with confidence knowing he will finish with authority. He looks gassed at times because he plays at 110 per cent in the minutes he plays, but 25 minutes on Wednesday night is likely what we see come round 1. The positives here were the blocks and his 19 points, as he was more prevalent on the offensive end than prior pre-season games. He had 13 SuperCoach points at the half and finished with 32 for the game. He was credited with just the one block on the box score, but the eye test had him with four or five, so a 40-point SuperCoach game was the more likely outcome here. We have to remember Hukporti is priced at just 15 SuperCoach points and United have nine games in the first five rounds, making him a value pick at $172k.
Jonah Bolden $232k (F/C)
Could Bolden be the biggest high risk, high reward SuperCoach player for NBL24? Everybody knows the story by now – a former NBA player who hasn’t played any professional basketball since February 2020. Plenty of questions remain, but in this game against Melbourne United, we think Jonah demonstrated his ability to make an impact early on in the season. In a touch under 18 minutes game time, Bolden had 16 points, six rebounds, one assist and a block for a cool 25 SuperCoach points. His was automatic from the three-point line, shooting four from five attempts. Upon his recruitment, Sydney Kings CEO Chris Pongrass said if they can get Bolden back to his best, he is a top-three player in the league; and whilst he is not there yet, he does look ready to contribute right away.
Brisbane Bullets 88 v Illawara Hawks 95
Aron Baynes 240.3k (C)
It was a sight for sore eyes seeing Baynes put up 20 points and 20 rebounds for 54 SuperCoach points. Baynes did absolutely everything, from walking into three-point shots to sending back opposition shots. Baynes did this in only 24 minutes, which was right on his season average from last season. However, I think 24 minutes could represent his floor for court time this season (pending any foul trouble). With the big man banging out performances like this, it will impact the upside of Rocco Zikarsky, who managed just five SuperCoach points with Tyrell Harrison also returning. With their appealing schedule, it could finally be time for Brisbayne to rise.
Lachy Olbrich 69k (F/C)
Do we get Olbrich quick? Wednesday night’s 31 point SuperCoach score and his 20 point game suggests that we should. Both numbers were team leading for the Illawarra Hawks. He passed the eye test on his initial outing, but was brilliant here. Yes, he does have a poor schedule, but with his dual-position eligibility of Centre and Forward, it makes him valuable in manoeuvring the likes of Saar and Cook whilst you are hopefully watching your investment in Olbrich lead to some nice price rises after round 3. There is plenty of competition for cash cows at those positions, but you won’t hear an argument from me if you decide to lock Olbrich into your SuperCoach side.
Justin Robinson 277k (G)
It has been 354 days since we last saw Robinson play for the Illawarra Hawks. Before injuring his knee very late in the piece on 1 October 2022 against the Sydney Kings, that lone game would have netted him 37 SuperCoach points. He has been priced at the level of a new import this year, which is around 24 SuperCoach points. On Wednesday night, he had those 24 SuperCoach points in the first half. It was extremely pleasing to see one piece of play where he drove hard to the basket, hovered, kept hovering, took body contact and finished with the left hand. When both the eye test and the SuperCoach production align, Robinson could be set for an elite season of SuperCoach NBL.
DJ Mitchell 186.1k (F)
One of the biggest position battles we wanted to see play out as part of the Blitz was who gets the starter minutes out of DJ Mitchell and Josh Bannan. Bannan owners will be hoping he maintains the role that he had prior to the knee knock that is keeping him out of the Blitz, because DJ may have turned the tables with this performance. Beautiful shooting and sound play in transition resulted in 29 SuperCoach points for Mitchell. Let’s see if his form continues in his remaining Blitz game.
Cairns Taipans 100 v SEM Phoenix 95
Mitch Creek 418.9k (F)
We only saw Creek in the first half as he builds up to four games across the first two rounds of the season. I think South East Melbourne will be as reliant on Creek as ever this season; and despite the reduced game time he looked good while he was out there (the hair is questionable) for his 13 SuperCoach points. Given that the Phoenix tip-off the season with a sold-out Throwdown against Melbourne United, we should be able to get updates on Creek’s health right up to the tip; and make any necessary adjustments. Given how interrupted his pre-season has been I understand that some coaches will have ruled him out already, but I will have a line-up planned with Creek; and one without.
Sam Mennenga $69k (C)
Big Sam looked incredibly comfortable at the level on his way to 26 SuperCoach points. He continues to score at better than one SuperCoach point per minute; and if he keeps up performances like this, his minutes going forward seem secured. He is an option to start in your initial SuperCoach line-up and does pair well with Ariel Hukporti if you do decide to hold him on your bench whilst the Taipans head overseas for the NBLxNBA games. On form, we will all be bringing him in to our sides after round 5, perhaps you can find an advantage by holding him through their break and using the trade elsewhere?
Bobi Klintman 115k (F)
Bobi is a Next Star but he was arguably the star player of this game, too, with his game-high 30 SuperCoach points. He is well and truly outperforming his price that equates to 10 SuperCoach points so far this Blitz. For me he still remains a round 5 target, but if you are looking to start with a Taipan then Klintman is one of three options that I’d be fine recommending. However, I’d be less likely to consider holding Klintman over rounds 3 and 4 considering his starting price compared to the $69k pairing of Armstrong and Mennenga.
Patrick Miller $277k (G)
Did you know that there is a rollercoaster at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast called the Steel Taipan? There was another Steel Taipan on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night, too. It wasn’t Sam Mennenga with his man of steel looks. Even the commentary team was obsessed with the guns of steel that are Patrick Miller’s arms. Miller scored 28 SuperCoach points and also had a team-high 21 points scored. He also used his frame effectively to bring in six rebounds. Also of interest is that we now have to consider the impact that this steel taipan (Miller) has on the Taipan we want to get for a steal at $69k, being Taran Armstrong. Mind you, Taran still doubled his breakeven with his 13 SuperCoach points. But perhaps he is a little risky to be bringing on your starting court in round 2.
Perth Wildcats 112 v Adelaide 36ers 80
Keanu Pinder $385.9k (F/C)
Pinder continued to ramp up his production as a Wildcat, posting a ridiculous game-high 39 SuperCoach points from 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. He started with a bang, as he compiled 11 points, two assists and twi steals in less than five minutes of game play before taking a seat, but the most pleasing aspect was the points per minute – he played just 15 minutes. The touch was certainly back but the question for the 30 per cent of coaches who currently own him, is will the minutes increase enough to justify his price tag come round 1?
Trentyn Flowers $115k (G)
I suspected Flowers’ ownership would be on the decline following his 0 SuperCoach point outing against the Breakers on Sunday, but he still remains in 31 per cent of teams. Another slow start with more early turnovers and defensive breakdowns didn’t bode well for his role as a starting point guard, as Adelaide went down early 19-2 before trailing by a disappointing 26 points at the end of the first. He had some flashy highlights in the second half to show why he is a high draft prospect, but his 15 SuperCoach point game from 11 points, six boards and three dimes was very much salvaged in junk time. While his SuperCoach ceiling has been disappointing to this point, the bigger concern is how much longer CJ Bruton persists with his role following back-to-back losses of 32 and 26 points.
Ben Henshall $69k (G/F)
Henshall posted his best score of the pre-season with 29 SuperCoach points against Adelaide. Of note was that he played over 18 minutes in this contest, having played only nine the game prior. He was able to put up totals of 17 points, four rebounds, three assist and two steals with those extra minutes on this occasion. We will need to watch the next Blitz game closely to see if the extra court time was due to a blowout, or potentially due to Corey Webster being stood down for this match. If Webster were to miss any time in the early rounds, this would see Henshall as an excellent round 1 bench option. Regardless, he should be in consideration for all of our benches based on this performance.
Jason Cadee $241.3k (G)
Cadee topped the SuperCoach scoring for the 36ers with 24 SuperCoach points. This is the second consecutive Blitz game where Cadee has been the topscoring Adelaide guard, having scored 23 the prior outing. Cadee came off the bench again and provided some calmness and class amongst the chaos of this match, scoring 15 points to go along with his four assists. Adelaide has a very fantasy friendly schedule, so we are looking for 36ers players to consider. We wouldn’t recommend Cadee at this point, but if we see starters minutes in the next Blitz game, we would be more encouraged; noting that Trey Kell is another hoping to return to this line-up for round 1.
NZ Breakers 85 v Tasmania JackJumpers 92
Jordon Crawford $277k (G)
I suspect that you could have written your own ticket to predict that Crawford would be the equal leader in rebounding for the JackJumpers in this game. Those five boards, 18 points and six assists resulted in a game-leading 36 SuperCoach points. Crawford’s first quarter was short lived, having been sent to the bench with early foul trouble. It was pleasing to see that he was able to adjust to this and only had one more foul for the remainder of the game. Nobody was able to stay in front of Crawford who got to the basket at will, resulting in eight free throw attempts in addition to dishing the ball out for assists. Crawford is a genuine contender as the top round 2 trade target at the guard position.
Jack McVeigh $262.3k (G/F)
McVeigh was solid but not spectacular with his 23 SuperCoach performance. He still managed to score a team-high 19 points along with his five rebounds. What did spark my interest was that not only did he score the most points, he played the most minutes, totalling over 30 minutes of court time. For some perspective, McVeigh had a streak of 14 consecutive games last season where he played fewer than 30 minutes. If this is something that Jack can maintain, he could improve on last season’s output. If this eventuates, we will all have been grateful for having put McVeigh in our sides.
Marcus Lee $288.7k (C)
Leading into the season, we had flagged Lee as a potential value option having played as a back-up for Melbourne United at times last season. When he was given the opportunity to play starters minutes, he was one of the more dominant fantasy NBL players last year. In his first games in the JackJumpers system he has produced SuperCoach scores of 15 and 19 at under one SuperCoach point per minute. Lee is priced at around 25 SuperCoach points per game, so he will need to build on his output so far if we want to consider him early in the season.
Cameron Gliddon 104k (G)
For schedule reasons, we don’t suggest starting any New Zealand Breakers players. Earlier we discussed Jackson Parker-Cartwright and Zylan Cheatham; and once again they impressed. Another that impressed on Monday night was Cam Gliddon with 31 SuperCoach points. Priced at around nine SuperCoach points, Gliddon’s performances in the Blitz of 23 and 31 look really impressive. I would be surprised if Gliddon maintains such a prominent role when we are looking to select our Breakers players when they return from America. Nonetheless, it is great to see the veteran hitting some great form.
Sydney Kings 86 v SEM Phoenix 93
Denzel Valentine $277k (G/F)
The first outing for the Sydney Kings and our first look at their new import Denzel Valentine. After a quiet first half, he flicked the switch in the second to finish with an impressive first up 32 SuperCoach points in almost 30 minutes of play. His 11 rebound haul heavily contributed to his score, but so did his eight turnovers that resulted in a loss of 16 SuperCoach points from his tally. He averaged eight rebounds a game in the g-league last season, so it is likely we will see more of the same, but it will be interesting to see how his team-high 13 shot attempts and fantasy output is affected once Jaylen Adams and DJ Hogg join the squad.
Jaylin Galloway $123.6k (F)
With no DJ Hogg, Jaylin got the start for the Kings and took full advantage, stuffing the stat sheet to produce a team-high 38 SuperCoach points. Considering he is priced at around 11 points, there is plenty to like. You get the feeling there is one starting role available between Galloway, Toohey and Glover, and despite Toohey’s impressive first appearance, Jaylin got the points on Monday night as he showed he is ready to go to the next level, finishing with a team high 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Tyler Cook $277k (F/C)
Cook looked explosive in his second outing for the Phoenix, racking up 48 SuperCoach points from 29 points and nine rebounds, just missing the elusive double-double bonus. Following on from his 39 points against the JackJumpers, Cook is bound to see a spike in ownership that currently sits at 5 per cent. Off the back of two impressive performances, he not only comes into contention for our round 1 squads, where Phoenix start with back to back doubles, but he also provides flexibility where he can switch between the forward and centre position. A promising team-high 27 minutes played despite early foul trouble, he is not only replacing Alan Williams at SEM, but is firming to replace him in our SuperCoach squads as well.
Gary Browne $325.5k (G)
Gary exploded in the second half for the Phoenix to bring them back from a 21 point deficit, a performance that included 17 points in the third quarter alone. He finished the night shooting 6 of 11 from deep to tally 34 SuperCoach points and provides for a point of difference, sitting at just 2 per cent ownership. The first game for the Phoenix saw Cummings provide the offensive spark to finish with 31 SuperCoach points, while Browne trailed with just 16. On Monday night, it was a role reversal, so the question has to be asked. Can either be a fantasy commodity? Or will they negate each other on any given night? Gary’s price could also be a tough buy, when considering the price of Travers ($276k) and Dellavedova ($255k) who are also available as guards.
Melbourne United 85 v Illawara Hawks 71
Matthew Dellavedova $255.3k (G)
This is the second time we have discussed Dellavedova in the Blitz; and that’s because it is the second time in a row that he has had the top SuperCoach score (34). This is also back-to-back Blitz games, where Delly has had the most field goal attempts for United, having put up 13 attempts on Monday night after 15 the game prior. Quite remarkably, Delly was scoreless in the second half of this game. Given the trend of the pre-season so far, we think this scoreless half was an outlier. He should be in consideration for your starting side.
Ariel Hukporti $172.1k (C)
Check this game off as another 20 minutes banked for Hukporti on his road back from his achilles injury. Personally, I thought this was his most impressive performance of the pre-season. Hukporti had 22 SuperCoach points tonight in an excellent big man battle with Sam Froling. Both NBA scouts and those considering Hukporti for their SuperCoach line-ups would have been very happy with his defensive stats (two steals, three blocks). While he is yet to put together a monster score, he continues to do enough to make us think he will pay off his starting price. With United’s excellent schedule, you should consider him in your side.
Luke Travers $276.3k (G/F)
This was another solid outing for Travers, who did nothing to dissuade the 40 per cent of coaches who currently have him in their line-up. Travers managed to score 25 SuperCoach points in just 20 minutes. His shot wasn’t dropping tonight, but once again his rebounds, assists, steals and blocks continue to ensure he posts solid NBL SuperCoach scores. Considering he shot at over 40 per cent from three-point range last season, those occasions where he can add some buckets to his overall stat-stuffing games should not be too far away.
Sam Froling $319.5k (F/C)
Froling led the Hawks in SuperCoach scoring with 26 points; and this is something that we expect to happen in the majority of games this season. Froling played only 21 minutes in this contest and we expect that he will push 30 minutes per game this season. Froling is a genuine chance to lead the league in rebounding this season and his 10 boards were indicative of that tonight. The Hawks have one of the poorer schedules to start the NBL season so we don’t recommend starting with Froling, but he will be someone that we all target when his schedule improves.
South East Melbourne Phoenix 84 v Tasmania JackJumpers 97
Tyler Cook $277k (F/C)
Coming into the Blitz, one of the big questions we had was would we see Tyler Cook? In his first court time since being signed as an injury replacement for Alan ‘Big Sauce’ Williams a week ago, Cook lived up to his hype, topscoring for the Phoenix. He did a little bit of everything with 18 points, 11 boards, four assists and three blocks contributing to his 39 SuperCoach points. In what can be looked at as a positive going forward, this score was reduced by his six turnovers (negative 18 SuperCoach points). We expect that as he plays more games with his new teammates and gets accustomed to the style of play, those turnover numbers should go down. He looks to have all the ingredients of a solid SuperCoach option; including the appealing Phoenix schedule. Look for his ownership to rise.
Jack McVeigh $262.3k (G/F)
McVeigh was the topscorer for the JackJumpers with 31 SuperCoach points. McVeigh’s energy generally leads to him being involved in a lot of action; and this once again led to him putting up stats across the board with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and even a block. This continues a nice run of pre-season form for jumping Jack McVeigh, who was in the top five for SuperCoach points per minute in the pre-season games leading up to the Blitz. He is putting himself in contention as a nice round 2 trade target.
Will Cummings $277k (G)
Cummings Was running hot early, scoring 15 of the Phoenix’s first 19 points before cooling off quite dramatically. Cummings finished with 17 points, five boards, three assists and a steal, which was good for 31 SuperCoach points. If he can average 31 in the season proper this will see his price appreciate but a question does remain about how much of an impact a returning Mitch Creek will have on Cummings’ offensive opportunities.
Reuben Te Rangi $111.5k (G/F)
While Reuben didn’t start for the Phoenix as they went with Moller and Vague in Creek’s absence, Te Rangi still played the most minutes for the team on Saturday. His tally of 21 SuperCoach points is roughly double what he is priced at. If he maintains his aggressive play that he exhibited in the recent world cup and we get a little more of FIBA Te Rangi, he could be a nice cash cow.
Brisbane Bullets 92 v Melbourne United 96
Matthew Dellavedova $255.3k (G)
Delly did come off the bench but that didn’t stop him being the best SuperCoach scorer for Melbourne United with 32 SuperCoach points in just 19 minutes. Players with good shooting volume will likely be rewarded in SuperCoach NBL; and Delly led United with 15 field goal attempts and 11 free throw attempts resulting in his 28 points scored. His price comes in cheaper than the new imports and is based on his NBL 22 performance for United. We have been reading reports that Delly is in better shape than ever; and if he keeps performing like this, he is going to be hard to leave out of your SuperCoach side with Melbourne United’s awesome schedule to start the season.
Chris Smith $277k (G/F)
This is the second awesome shooting performance we have seen from Chris Smith. He was the topscorer for Brisbane with 26 SuperCoach points, having put up 21 points including going five of seven from deep. This follows his earlier pre-season performance where we went at seven from eight beyond the arc. From a SuperCoach perspective, we would like to see him get some more of the other stats before we feel comfortable selecting him. You won’t want to own him on one of those nights where the shots don’t drop, but so far, we are yet to see a game where that has happened.
Chris Goulding $262.1k (G/F)
Moving on from the Chris Smith discussion I now present you an example of when the shots aren’t dropping. Goulding shot 0-8 from the field including 0-7 from three-point range. Goulding was actually sitting with a negative SuperCoach NBL score at halftime, eventually ending on two points from his 27 minutes player. We suspect he just needs to shake off the cobwebs, and that’s what the 18 per cent of SuperCoach teams that currently have CG43 in their side will be hoping.
Josh Bannan $69k (F)
A lot of people already had Josh on their SuperCoach watchlist for the NBL Blitz, but based on Saturday night’s performance, we expect this will only grow. Bannan finished with 24 SuperCoach points in only 17 minutes played. He started the game for the Bullets and his minutes were cut short by a knee knock/corkie. With the additional court time Bannan should prove to be a double-double threat, having collected 10 rebounds. He does not look out of place in the Brisbane starting line-up; and he should also look very nice on your SuperCoach NBL benches.
Adelaide 36ers 75 v New Zealand Breakers 101
Parker Jackson-Cartwright $277k (G)
With his hyphenated backcourt partner Will McDowell-White out of action with injury, Jackson-Cartwright has produced his second consecutive elite SuperCoach score of the pre-season. Coming into the Blitz, Jackson-Cartwright had the second highest average of the pre-season games (38) and was top five in SuperCoach points per minute. Having topped that earlier pre-season score with a 40 in this game, we should all be monitoring him as a trade-in target after round 3 when the Breakers return from their NBLxNBA game.
Zylan Cheatham $277k (F)
The other new NZ Breakers import to put on a show was Cheatham. Unfortunately, you don’t get bonus SuperCoach points for highlight dunks, but if any dunk was worthy of such a bonus, Zylan Cheatham’s throw down in this game would be the one. Having put together another solid SuperCoach score of 25, he is also rising in our expectations as a trade-in candidate when the Breakers return from the USA.
Isaac Humphries $251,200 (C)
Whilst the 36ers couldn’t get over the hump in this game, it was at no fault of their starting center. Isaac Humphries, still only 25 years old, was unquestionably Adelaide’s best with 22 points and seven rebounds resulting in 34 SuperCoach points. Those of us who played fantasy NBL remember the dominant player Hump was when he played alongside this year’s SuperCoach ambassador Josh Giddey. If Isaac can stay on the court without a minute’s restriction, he is a viable option for your round 1 side.
Trentyn Flowers $115,000 (G)
One in three SuperCoach teams currently feature Trentyn Flowers. The sniff of a starting point guard role for the next star has coaches quite rightly considering Flowers in their guard rotation. This was the second consecutive game where Flowers struggled to bring the ball over half court, having been pressed by Mitch Norton in the prior pre-season clash. This will be something on the scouting reports of all coaches going forward. Unfortunately for Flowers, in this game those turnovers resulted in him having zero SuperCoach points. Will Adelaide work out a way to involve Flowers as a playmaker without the responsibility of bringing the ball up in the next Blitz games?
Cairns Taipans 95 v Perth Wildcats 102
Bryce Cotton 466.3k (G)
The decision to start Bryce Cotton in your NBL SuperCoach round 1 side is arguably the biggest structural decision you have to make in your initial line-up. Bryce followed up his 64 SuperCoach point performance against the G-League Ignite with a 53 SuperCoach point performance in his opening game of the NBL Blitz. There are going to be two distinct camps in NBL SuperCoach this season – those who have Cotton as their captain in round 1; and those who are fading him altogether. For those considering not selecting Cotton in their opening side, he started last season hot with a line that would have resulted in 62 SuperCoach points to open the NBL23 season.
Alex Sarr 115k (F/C)
Currently the most owner player in all of NBL SuperCoach and still significantly under owned, Sarr should be started by all that hope to have a successful SuperCoach season. The Wildcats do have an import roster spot available; and Keanu Pinder was on a minute’s restriction this game. Regardless, Alex Sarr is undeniable. He posted 36 SuperCoach points in his first NBL Blitz outing and at $115k is priced at an average of 10 SuperCoach points. The question should not be: do I have Alex Saar in my side? The question now is do I start Sarr on my bench or on my starting court?
Bobi Klintman 115k (F)
Bobo Klintman certainly passed the eye test in his fist NBL Blitz performance. He topped the Taipans in SuperCoach points with 24 which included 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Klintman’s versatility was on display, leaving us feeling secure that he will see minutes when McCall and Kuol come back into the rotation. The Taipans miss both rounds 3 and 4 of the NBL season, so if you are looking at starting Klintman, you will need to consider a trade plan as having $115k of your salary sitting on your bench for zero points is inadvisable. He is certainly on the radar upon their return in round 5.
Taran Armstrong 69k (G)
One Cairns player that you may consider starting with is Taran Armstrong. Currently, he is the fourth-highest owned guard with 27 per cent ownership. His passing brilliance is going to shine through in Coach Forde’s system, which was demonstrated by the seven assists that contributed to his 23 SuperCoach points. It was excellent to see that he started alongside Patrick Miller; and it will be interesting to see if that continues when McCall and Kuol return to the line-up. Whereas it was hard to promote holding Klintman through rounds 3 and 4, at $69k, there is a genuine argument to start and hold Taran through that period. You will want to ensure that you are maximizing your on-court points with those extra salary cap dollars that come as a result of such a move. At a minimum, he is an early candidate for a trade boost to get him in your side in round 5.
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