Basketball On The Internet.

THIS was arguably the toughest round from which to separate two outstanding performances to determine our NBL Team of the Week. Tasmania also was exceptional in its demolition of Melbourne but both Adelaide and Perth had two matches to negotiate in Round 16 and both came through unscathed.

Working strongly in the 36ers' favour was the fact both of their wins were grafted on the road, the first a Kyrin Galloway-inspired 110-85 embarrassment of South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Adelaide enjoyed a 68-40 halftime lead and was fun to watch as it dismantled the Phoenix.

Continuing on to Wollongong, the Sixers then caught out Illawarra in a thriller, 96-89, Trey Kell and Isaac Humphries guiding Adelaide past the winner's post, but Nick Marshall, Galloway again, Dejan Vasiljevic and Alex Starling all contributing.

In any other round, this may have been enough. But Adelaide's Doomsday Double brothers out west also had a say. 

Perth hosted a surging Brisbane Bullets team and with a 31-13 first quarter paced by stars Bryce Cotton, Tai Webster, Keanu Pinder and Hyrum Harris, humiliated the team in arguably the best form outside league-leading Melbourne and the Wildcats.

(OK, Melbourne is currently in an away slump but it is down two key players so is anyone really fretting?)

After demolishing the Bullets 118-86, Perth travelled on to Sydney to face a Kings team very much in the Final Four hunt and desperate to claim a major scalp.

But all they got for their trouble was another withering 34-20 first quarter from the Wildcats, Cotton, Webster and Jordan Usher leading the way.

Sydney absolutely made a game of it and Cotton's duel with Jaylen Adams in itself made for great viewing. Ultimately though, Perth maintained the upper hand to run out six-point winners, Cotton in the process breaking the 5,000-point barrier, only the third player in the CURRENT 40-minute era to achieve the feat.

And in the end, the fact the Wildcats negotiated two serious playoff contenders while Adelaide negotiated two play-in contenders, narrowly tipped the scale west. Perth again is our Team of the Week, now for the third time.

Hate to kick a team when it's down and missing two regular starters. But South East Melbourne Phoenix don't get our Team of the Weak as Pi$$ award this round because we're in a mean mood.

They get it because losing is one thing but losing without heart, without urgency, without desperation and without cohesion is just embarrassing for all concerned. Surely they can show some fight and/or desire and maybe try working together? Playing hard surely should be non-negotiable.  

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 16 Perth Wildcats
Round 15 Brisbane Bullets
Round 14 Adelaide 36ers
Round 13 Sydney Kings
Round 12 New Zealand Breakers
Round 11 New Zealand Breakers
Round 10 Illawarra Hawks
Round  9 Perth Wildcats
Round  8 Adelaide 36ers
Round  7 Melbourne United
Round  6 Perth Wildcats
Round  5 Brisbane Bullets
Round  4 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round  3 Melbourne United
Round  2 Tasmania JackJumpers
Round  1 Sydney Kings

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEAK AS PI$$
Round 16 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 15 Tasmania JackJumpers
Round 14 Sydney Kings
Round 13 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 12 Brisbane Bullets
Round 11 South East Melbourne Phoenix
Round 10 Sydney Kings
Round  9 Adelaide 36ers
Round  8 Brisbane Bullets
Round  7 New Zealand Breakers
Round  6 Adelaide 36ers
Round  5 No Nominees
Round  4 Perth Wildcats
Round  3 Illawarra Hawks
Round  2 No Nominees
Round  1 No Nominees