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CAIRNS smacked NBL leading United in Melbourne but it has been on a roller-coaster ride since while the Taipans' victim has been growing in stature. Casey Prather debuts for Brisbane, Mitch Creek returns for South East Melbourne. Round 13 is going to be unlucky for some.

The 36ers, fresh off Scott Ninnis' first win as coach host Perth before travelling to Wollongong where Illawarra is responding big-time to its new coach Justin Tatum.

Sydney and Cairns are both in-and-out of the doldrums, the pressure in the Harbour City building on Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah.

That's likely to warm the heart of former Kings coach and Taipans mentor Adam Forde who just needs his team to show discipline down the stretch of games to have a better shot at coming out the right side of them.

What difference can Prather make in Brisbane if coach Justin Schueller has another "he did something good, let's sub him out" night?

Creek's return to a South East which should be feeling good after going into Hobart completely undermanned, yet winning, Abdel Nader steadily finding his way, is going to be big.

Maybe Nader should just let the game come to him a bit more than forcing the issue because he has all the tools.

Melbourne has lost three times this season but Cairns was the only outfit which pulled United's pants down.

Don't think United coach Dean Vickerman didn't check the schedule to see when the rematch would take place and it is coming up in Round 13.

Cairns will be playing its second game of the round, which also favours Melbourne.

Tasmania and New Zealand close the round in what should be a ripper, the JackJumpers needing to bounce back after losing three of their past four games, the Breakers improving with every outing.

ROUND 13 TIPS
The classic Adelaide-Perth rivalry rekindled but the Wildcats must win this.
Sydney under all sorts of scrutiny again but Cairns is struggling to finish.
Brisbane may fall off the pace completely but South East will have no sympathy.
Illawarra at home to Adelaide spells trouble for the 36ers on the road.
Season is slipping for Cairns which has surprised Melbourne, but not twice.
Tasmania is in something of a funk, not good when facing emerging New Zealand. 

NBL RANKINGS – WEEK 11
This          Last
Week       Week   Club
  1               1        Melbourne (14-3) Depth, talent, myriad options - the benchmark.
  2               2        Perth (10-7) Look United's most likely nemesis, can't lose to 36ers.
  3               7        New Zealand (7-9) Roster healthier. Look out, cause here they come.
  4               4        Tasmania (10-8) Have time to prepare properly for NZ. Need to win.
  5               6        Illawarra (6-9) Lachy Olbrich another loss to make Adelaide unhappy.
  6               5        Cairns (8-10) Loss column in double digits now. Round is challenging.
  7               9        South East (9-9) Coming off a great win, can blanket Bullets next.
  8               3        Sydney (9-8) Near enough just isn't good enough, as the drop shows.
  9              10       Adelaide (5-11) Make-or-break round, home-and-away. Maybe a split.
10               8        Brisbane (7-11) Should be contending but too busy pretending.