Wednesday night NBL27 Ignite Cup action sees the Adelaide 36ers host Melbourne United at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, with both sides looking to get their seasons back on track.
The 36ers are looking out of sorts at the moment, with five-time championship-winning coach Trevor Gleeson dealing with a growing injury list. Flynn Cameron, Isaac Humphries and Bul Kuol are all missing, leaving players who spent much of last season warming the bench to take on bigger roles. Bryce Cotton has also been asked to step back offensively, making this an interesting test for both Cotton and Gleeson as they try to work out how this team is going to play moving forward.
Melbourne United are also searching for consistency under young coach Jacob Chance. They have plenty of talent across the roster, and Cole Anthony is coming off a huge performance, but can Chance get all of those pieces working together and take control of this team?
With both sides looking for answers, this shapes as a fascinating matchup at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Adelaide 36ers vs Melbourne United Prediction, Wednesday October 6th 2026.
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Adelaide 36ers vs Melbourne United
Venue – Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Tip Off – 6.30pm EST
Season Record
| Team | W-L | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 2-3 | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Melbourne | 1-3 | 0-2 | 1-1 |
Season Scoring
| Team | PPG | Opp PPG | Game Total Ave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 88.2 | 92.8 | 181 |
| Melbourne | 89.5 | 87.3 | 176.8 |
Quick Player Facts – Adelaide 36ers
- Bryce Cotton has gone cold. The superstar guard is averaging just 17 points and 4 turnovers across his last two games, while his -41 plus/minus tells the real story. Adelaide needs its biggest weapon firing again.
- Zylan Cheatham is averaging just 2.5 rebounds over his last two games, a worrying dip for a player Adelaide needs to contribute at both ends of the floor.
- Nick Rakocevic exploded for 29 points and 16 rebounds against the New Zealand Breakers, continuing his impressive start to an expanded role with the 36ers.
Quick Player Facts – Melbourne United
- Josh Oduro is averaging 17 points and 8.3 rebounds to start the season, giving Melbourne a big presence in the paint and a reliable source of production.
- Cole Anthony went nuclear. The former NBA guard exploded for 40 points against Cairns, including 16 points in the third quarter. It was the highest individual scoring performance in the NBL so far this season — although Melbourne still somehow walked away with the loss.
- Joe Ingles finished with a -19 plus/minus in the loss to Cairns. The veteran will need to be far more influential if United are to knock off Adelaide on the road.
Prediction
It is hard to be overly confident about picking a winner between these two sides. The battle between Bryce Cotton and Cole Anthony will be one to watch, but this game could also come down to coaching, with experienced coach Trevor Gleeson going up against young and inexperienced coach Jacob Chance.
Bryce Cotton rarely produces three poor games in a row, and you would expect the six-time MVP to come out firing in this clash. Melbourne have plenty of talent across the roster, but the big question remains whether they can finally put it all together for 40 minutes.
If Cotton gets hot, the 36ers should have enough to get the job done on their home floor.