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NOW order and common sense has been restored and the farce that was the "Trial of Jesse Wagstaff" - longtime Perth villain but this time an innocent - is in the rearview mirror, NBL Round 4 presents several marquee matchups and already desperate times for some, notably Brisbane coach James Duncan.

JD is staring down the barrel and facing the bullet after starting this season 0-4 on top of his debut last year that finished 10-18 and eighth spot.

At 10-22 during his tenure, the pressure is building because expectations of this team grew exponentially the moment multiple-Olympian and NBA champion Aron Baynes signed on for 2022-23.

Now Duncan and forward DJ Mitchell - son of former Gold Coast and North Melbourne import Mike - have had a falling out at practice and he has been suspended by the club for "not adhering to team standards following an incident at training on Tuesday".

Do the Bullets fire up over that on the road to South East Melbourne, or will it be another wound for Duncan to try heal if there's much time left?

   ROUND 4 - BRING ON OLD RIVALRIES

HOME again for only the second time this season, the Breakers are on a roll while South East continues struggling to find its new identity. Gary Browne's playmaking return from an injury sustained at the Blitz will help. But not enough. New Zealand had the Phoenix covered last round in Melbourne and grew in confidence after humiliating the Hawks.

IF you can beat the champion on its home court, there is no reason to believe you cannot best a lesser team on its hardwood. Cairns will be feeling good heading into Melbourne, which produced a Jekyll-and-Hyde Round 3 by losing to Tasmania after beating Perth in Perth. This one might have to be a little "wind-assisted" for United to cross the line first.

SO many people get riled up by the comments of Kings owner Paul Smith yet most everyone now retrospectively loves PT Barnum. If you don't get the reference, don't worry about it. The 36ers won't be worrying about his comments either. But what they should worry about is their defence. No question their offence, if rolling, is scary. But Sydney does play both ends most of the time.

THE odds of South East Melbourne doing any damage this season are growing longer but it has a chance to stall the skid at Brisbane's expense. The Bullets won't be fully loaded and even a couple locked into the chamber are hobbled and haven't been shooting straight. With a few more contributors, Phoenix can snatch this one and leave Brizzy in the doldrums.

POSSIBLY the match of the round pits routinely under-rated Tasmania against perennial powerhouse Perth, but in Hobart's "House of Pain" for incoming vanities. Wagstaff being cleared to play will buoy the boys but the JackJumpers have to be respected for their commitment to defence. And last time we saw the Wildcats, they were far too dependent on Bryce Cotton.

FOLKS outside of this rivalry often overlook that Cairns and visiting New Zealand have contested two separate Grand Final championship series and enjoy a historic healthy disdain for one another. Both teams are in wicked form, with the Taipans conscious of rewarding their home faithful after producing a dud against Perth. Very little in this.

TALKING of established rivalries, is there a more historic one than Melbourne and Sydney? This is a dislike that transcends basketball, though in this instance, United desperately needs to show something after the manner in which the Kings manhandled it a fortnight back. Retired, then un-retired, now starter Dave Barlow is giving everything but at 38, he really needs to be LeBron.

ROUND 4 closes with Brisbane at Illawarra - the clash between the only two clubs still standing from the NBL's first tip-off in 1979, even though the Bullets did have a hiatus. As far as "oldest" NBL rivalries go, this takes the cake. The Hawks could've won in Adelaide, then were slapped by NZ. It may be time for Brisbane to shine. Either that or it may be goodbye James.

QUOTE of the WEEK

"Nothing's a fluke man." - NZ Breakers head coach Mody Maor when asked if it was a coincidence Izayah Le'afa and the man he defended, Tyler Harvey, both played exactly 30:46?