THE weekend is approaching at a rapid rate which means the sixth round of the National Basketball League (NBL) is just around the corner. Unfortunately, the competition is becoming a victim of COVID-related issues on a weekly basis, which came to a head in Round 5, where there were only two games. However, these still proved entertaining for fans, despite the lower volume. This should ramp up excitement for the upcoming round, where there are five clashes despite continuing interruptions.

In the new opener to the round following necessary schedule adjustments, the Cairns Taipans will take on the Sydney Kings at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night.

The Taipans gave it their all when they faced off against one of the championship favourites in the Perth Wildcats in Round 5, but they still fell agonisingly short of claiming an upset win. However, they will be pleased with how many of their players were able to fire on the night, with three of their starters scoring 12 or more points in what was an encouraging display. They face a tough task in their matchup against the Kings, who are battle-proven, but showed last week that they can take it right up to the best teams in the competition, so it would be remiss to rule this side out before the match has even taken place, given their potential.

The Kings also found themselves bested by Melbourne United in their last outing, which was way back on Boxing Day. Their biggest enemy in this clash will be potential rust, given the significant gap between their matches. However, this side certainly has the coaching and roster personnel to emerge victorious here, so if they can find their mojo early in this clash, then there is every chance they will put this game to bed early.

In another change to the schedule, the Illawarra Hawks will host the Adelaide 36ers when the two sides lock horns at WIN Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The Illawarra Hawks suffered their first loss of the season when the Brisbane Bullets got the better of them in round 3. Yet again, the gap between games for this side is significant (21 days to be exact), so it will be interesting to see how the Hawks come out in one of their biggest clashes this season. Behind coach Brian Goorjian, Illawarra have found a winning game style and smart recruiting has also seen them build an impressive roster. However, if they want to keep up with the teams at the top of the table, then they will need to keep this winning ways rolling and it starts this weekend.

The Adelaide 36ers have been unable to start their season in ideal fashion so far, losing three of their first five games. While a two-game winning streak provided hope in recent weeks, a brutal loss to the Taipans in round 3 saw them tumble back down again. They face a tough assignment in the reigning champions this week, but thankfully for them, upsets happen. If firey guard Dusty Hannahs can continue to explode on the offensive end, it will go a long towards securing the win.

The final Sunday match of the round will see the Brisbane Bullets welcome the New Zealand Breakers to Nissan Arena when the two sides open their Round 6 account.

The Brisbane Bullets have impressed at times throughout their 2021/22 campaign, but have also lacked consistency and have been unable to string together a winning streak in this time. They will be looking to change this in their efforts to back up their impressive round 3 victory over the Illawarra Hawks. They have shown that they can take down any side in the competition, and face an opponent that has struggled to start the season. Keep an eye on the efforts of Robert Franks, who has been terrific to start the year and is quietly putting together an MVP campaign.

In what can only be described as a difficult season, the Breakers are still searching for their first win of the NBL22 season. However, there are no other sides experiencing the same circumstances as this team, given they are currently stationed away from home, with no immediate return date inside. This will be driving them towards their first win, and they would be looking forward to another opportunity to achieve this goal. French youngster Hugo Besson has been exciting all season and is one to watch in this match.

In what should be a thrilling matchup, the Brisbane Bullets will travel to the Cairns Convention Centre to take on the Cainrs Taipans on Tuesday night, which will be the second match of the round for these two teams.

The final match of the round will see the Adelaide 36ers play host to the Perth Wildcats when the two sides do battle at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Wednesday night in what should be a ripping way to close out this week’s action. This will be Adelaide’s second match of the round.

The Wildcats have well and truly planted themselves in ideal position to have a crack at another championship that eluded them last season. With a record of five wins and one loss from their first six games this season, they have remained the powerhouse team of this competition. They take on a struggling Adelaide side this week, and will be looking to boost their record with a win this week. One of the biggest questions entering this match is whether the 36ers can contain the dynamic duo of Bryce Cotton and Victor Law, who have proven match-winning for much of the season.