Starting 5: The key talking points from Round 18

Round 18 saw Sydney and South East Melbourne continue to surge, while the reigning champions kept their Finals hopes alive.

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

1 – MVP battle in the spotlight

Just a few weeks ago, many people believed Bryce Cotton was well on his way to claiming his sixth MVP trophy and deservedly so. The Adelaide 36ers superstar has been sensational and is arguably having his most damaging season to date. While Cotton stepped up in New Zealand to give fans a vintage clutch performance once again, his counterpart, Kendric Davis, has made it known that he’s right in the mix for the MVP. Davis began Round 18 with a career high 40 points in a win over Tasmania, before backing that up with a 20-point, 14-assist outing against the 36ers. As the end of the regular season nears, this MVP battle is about to heat up.

2 – Sydney sending a message

The Sydney Kings have battled through key injuries in recent weeks and yet still find themselves poised to strike at the top two. Led by Davis and new signing Torrey Craig, this Kings team may just be the hottest team in the competition. With Xavier Cooks back in the lineup, there are weapons all over the floor for Brian Goorjian’s team, and the way they are collectively getting it done on the defensive end is a scary proposition for the rest of the league. If you needed any more proof of what they’re capable of, it was the first half against Adelaide that really sent a message, as they held Cotton scoreless to go along with five turnovers.

3- Phoenix showing their depth

The South East Melbourne Phoenix have won six of their last seven games and have scored over 110 points in five of those wins. What’s most impressive about the way they’re going about their business is that they have multiple weapons that can each turn on in any game. Whether that’s their MVP candidate, Nathan Sobey, or Wes Iwundu, who has found his form, or perhaps their bench sparks in Angus Glover and Ian Clark. Josh King has found a way to have his entire team buy into his style, and the results are taking care of themselves.

4 – Edwards has found his groove

Melbourne United have now won three straight games, and it’s no surprise that they’ve been able to do that on the back of Jesse Edwards’ outstanding performances. The Dutch big man was sensational against the Wildcats, dropping 18 points and ripping down 17 rebounds, as he managed to deal with early foul trouble. While the scoring would make Dean Vickerman happy, the stats highlight that whenever he’s controlling the glass, United are in a good position to win.

5 - Hawks keep door open

The Illawarra Hawks have been quietly sitting back and watching the brutal injury news to the two teams above them this past week. It began with Tasmania and then compounded for New Zealand, and that means the door is ajar for the Hawks to push for an unlikely play-in berth. Justin Tatum’s team has arguably the toughest schedule remaining and may need to win five of their last seven games to give themselves a chance. After they dismantled the Brisbane Bullets, Tatum’s message would be clear to his group, and that is that they can only control their own performances and try to keep ticking off wins.