Duke has a four-to-six-week injury, and Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth leans to the long end: "It's probably closer to 6 weeks. So I don't know if we'll see him until mid-November."
"It's fixed enough so he can breathe." Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth on Dakota Mathias, who told him: "I'm not missing games." Benny gets one more week out as a precaution, having not played five-on-five with the group. If all goes well, "he should be ready."
Ben Gold's role is growing. Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth spoke of "the luxury of Ben Gold continuing to increase his minutes." With three games in six days coming, Roth said "this will be about us and our approach."
Brisbane guard Raul Neto hasn't played in two to three months and trained alone, but says travel and the time difference may hit his body more than his game: "I've had enough experience in my career to not need so much practice and not need so much game to be able to perform."
Tyrell Harrison is out with an ankle injury and day by day, Brisbane Bullets coach Will Weaver said. Arnas Velicka is out; he, Jacob Holt, Sam McDaniel and Taine Murray are in return-to-play. New signing Raul Neto is being tested and Weaver wouldn't commit to a debut.
Nate Hinton is now the Brisbane Bullets' primary ball handler, a role coach Will Weaver said he wasn't recruited for: "and here he is." Max Mackinnon was involved in 35 pick and rolls in a recent game, also a bigger role with the ball than the club signed him for.
"When you're 2-5, everybody starts being evaluated. So it was an evaluation day for everybody." Josh King on why he was still fired up late in South East Melbourne Phoenix's 32-point win over Cairns, Skylar Mays included. The lead had reached 41, and he didn't like the finish.
Daniel Foster was back for South East Melbourne Phoenix and got more minutes off the bench in the 32-point win over Cairns. Nathan Sobey said Foster set the tone for the group to start the game: "it was great to have him back out there for some more minutes."
Chris Goulding: no return timeline from Melbourne United coach Jacob Chance. "Chris has been out for a while now." Asked if new bodies explain the inconsistency, Chance said "we've been pretty consistent with our rotation," and those in it have played well lately.
"You guys are in Illawarra's ass all week, getting after them on an 8-day break. Not good enough, 1-6. They read all that, they're fueled." Melbourne United coach Jacob Chance after losing by two to the Hawks, the third time they've lost after a shot at the buzzer to win.