Preview: NBL26 R11 Away v Adelaide 36ers

Following the Brisbane Bullets having several players involved representing their countries during the FIBA break, their NBL26 campaign resumes this Friday night on the road to the Adelaide 36ers.

During the break for the FIBA international window where the first round of matches were played for the qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, Alex Ducas represented the Australian Boomers while Taine Murray, Tohi Smith-Milner and Tyrell Harrison both played for the New Zealand Tall Blacks.

The Bullets are now back in action for the resumption of the NBL season on Friday night against the 36ers at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with the game tipping off at 6:30pm Queensland time.

Coming into the FIBA break and the Bullets were sitting on a 5-10 record and having played the equal most numbers of games of any team this season almost at the halfway point with 18 matches remaining.

The break did come at the ideal time following the season-ending injury to Casey Prather along with the release of Jaylen Adams with Sam McDaniel still sidelined with injury and Tohi Smith-Milner having only just returned.

Things have moved quickly now over the break with the announcement that initial import forward Javon Freeman-Liberty would be returning having played the first two matches of the season, looking exciting and then ending up departing following an ankle injury.

However, once the news broke of Prather and Adams, and with him back in a better frame of mind, he initiated for a return to the Bullets and the club was only too happy to welcome him back.

Then there is the replacement for Prather and while he is impossible to replace, NBA experienced power forward Terry Taylor does arrive as much of a like-for-like replacement as you can get with him being strong enough to battle with the bigs despite being 6'4, but also nimble enough to move well.

So Taylor will be on board for the Bullets as they take on the 36ers on Friday night although Freeman-Liberty has been ruled out with a viral illness.

McDaniel is on track to make his return from an ankle injury he suffered in the second game of the season – in Cairns back on September 26.

The Bullets come up against a 36ers team currently sitting in second position on the NBL standings with an 11-3 record and having won their past four matches leading into the break.

While they possess five-time MVP Bryce Cotton who is delivering 27.1 points and 7.0 assists a game again this season, it's far from a one man team that the Bullets need to be mindful.

Big men Isaac Humphries and Nick Rakocevic will have a fascinating battle with Tyrell Harrison while the first up challenge for Taylor is taking on Adelaide weapon Zylan Cheatham.

There's also Flynn Cameron, DJ Vasiljevic, new import Troy Brown Jr and former Bullets Matt Kenyon and Isaac White on that Adelaide team which Brisbane will be looking to overcome on Friday night.

It has been a big week for Bullets rookie Taine Murray who was rewarded for his outstanding first half of the season in the NBL by being added to the Tall Blacks squad to play against the Boomers in the two matches in the FIBA window.

Now Murray turns his attention back to the job at hand with the Bullets against the 36ers in Adelaide on Friday night and he's looking forward to the challenge.

"Obviously the nice thing is we've already played them before which makes it easier with knowing their guys and different things, and obviously Bryce Cotton will always be a big focal point," Murray told SENQ Breakfast.

"So just trying to contain him and Isaac Humphries has been playing really well so just trying to control those two will be a big focus."

Coming out of the FIBA break and with the Bullets having 18 games to go and with the arrival of Taylor and return of Freeman-Liberty, Murray is excited for what the team is going to still be capable of.

"Obviously we've had a little bit of adversity, but credit to all of the guys and we've managed to stay together through it all," Murray said.

"I think the core led by Mitch Norton and our older guys has been awesome especially for us older guys, and keeping us ready to go and focused on the right things.

"It's a credit to our leadership for allowing us to get through it and I think we're in a space where we attack the second part of the season really strong."

GAME INFO

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers

Tip off: 6:30pm (AEST), Friday 5 December, 2025

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel, Disney+, Kayo and Fetch