Starting 5: The key talking points from Round 12

Round 12 saw the once championship favourite Melbourne United drop to their fourth straight loss, while the Sydney Kings continue to play some great basketball and start to climb the ladder. As the 36ers sit on top of the ladder, they may just very well be on their way to their first championship series since 2018.

Pete Hooley looks at some key talking points from the round just gone.

1 – The team to beat‍

The Adelaide 36ers sit top of the standings through 12 rounds and look every bit the team to beat for the NBL26 title. It's not just the fact that they're the best team in the competition, with the best player, it's the way they have been able to respond in big moments that will have a big impact on them in the long run. Whether it was being down 20 points in the fourth quarter in Perth and coming back to win, or digging deep in overtime against Melbourne, this Adelaide team is tough. No matter what transpires in the coming weeks, there's one constant that Mike Wells will always have to help him in any situation and that is Bryce Cotton.

‍2 – Kendric leading from the front

The Sydney Kings had an impressive Round 12, winning two big games on the road against quality opposition and it was Kendric Davis who did the damage. While there were many guys who stepped up, including Bul Kuol defensively, Davis was simply incredible across the weekend for Sydney. His 38 points against Perth were the most by Kings player at RAC Arena, as the dynamic guard just picked the Wildcats apart. It was the biggest win the Kings have had over the Wildcats in Perth. Davis then followed up his big performance with a gutsy overtime display in Melbourne to send United to their fourth straight loss.

3- We've seen this Tasmania story before

It's been a rollercoaster of a season to this point for the JackJumpers, but two impressive wins in Round 12 might just be what they need to build their momentum. They finally have a majority of their roster healthy and they're beginning to click on both ends of the floor. Bryce Hamilton is one of the superstars of the competition and now that David Johnson in back, this Tasmania team has some serious weapons. If there is any team who knows how important it is to finish the season strong, rather than worry about how you started, it's Tasmania.

4 – What's the United issue?

Melbourne United sunk to their fourth straight loss on Sunday and Dean Vickerman will be trying to figure out where it is all going wrong. On one hand he will be pleased that they were in a position to win both games in Round 12, but their issues in the clutch have become magnified. Whether it is poor decision-making or miscommunication on the defensive end, these mistakes are compounding across multiple games and it's costing them wins. Having said that, United were missing a key piece due to injury in each of their games against Adelaide and Sydney, but they're late game execution needed to be better.

5 – Career best form for Sobey‍

If the South East Melbourne Phoenix are to make their first Championship Series in the franchise's history, it will be on the back of their superstar veteran Nathan Sobey. The Phoenix's leading man was outstanding against New Zealand, dropping a career-high seven threes on his way to 36 points and securing a big bounce back win for his team. Defensively we know that this team is always going to play hard and force turnovers and when you combine that with Sobey's play, there is no reason not to believe they can give this thing a crack.

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