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"It's fixed enough so he can breathe." Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth on Dakota Mathias, who told him: "I'm not missing games." Benny gets one more week out as a precaution, having not played five-on-five with the group. If all goes well, "he should be ready."

Brisbane guard Raul Neto hasn't played in two to three months and trained alone, but says travel and the time difference may hit his body more than his game: "I've had enough experience in my career to not need so much practice and not need so much game to be able to perform."

Tyrell Harrison is out with an ankle injury and day by day, Brisbane Bullets coach Will Weaver said. Arnas Velicka is out; he, Jacob Holt, Sam McDaniel and Taine Murray are in return-to-play. New signing Raul Neto is being tested and Weaver wouldn't commit to a debut.

Chris Goulding: no return timeline from Melbourne United coach Jacob Chance. "Chris has been out for a while now." Asked if new bodies explain the inconsistency, Chance said "we've been pretty consistent with our rotation," and those in it have played well lately.

No timeline for Parker Jackson-Cartwright or Josiah-Jordan James, both out for the New Zealand Breakers. Gordon Herbert: "hopefully we get James and Parker back at some time." With Jackson-Cartwright out, "we're asking a lot" of Sam Mennenga: "Sam's a workhorse."

Matthew Dellavedova is ruled out of the Sydney Kings' game against the Hawks with a lower leg injury and has no return date. Brian Goorjian says he will not be rushed back: "No, no, definitely not."

Kristian Doolittle sat out Perth's loss after a late scan changed the picture, but John Rillie said: "I'm confident that he'll be available for the next game." With Jo Lual-Acuil Jr also out, others got extra minutes. "There's your opportunity. Go do it," Rillie said.

Nathan Sobey played for South East Melbourne Phoenix despite last game's knee-on-knee knock or cork. Coach Josh King: "he did a really good job getting rehab." Angus Glover on cramping after a layup: "I couldn't really get the cramp out. But nah, I'm all good."

Shaun Bruce needs managing, Cairns Taipans coach Adam Forde said, so 17-year-old Luke Paul faces "an increased expectation" to run point. About half a dozen players have nagging issues Forde called nothing major, which he wants to stop turning into "big things".

Jack McVeigh and Keanu Pinder are "very ill" and being isolated from the group, Cairns coach Adam Forde said. Neither got out of bed for 48 hours, yet both played about 20 minutes. He said they "shouldn't have played." Illness has also hit Forde and the team manager.

Brisbane's Arnas Velicka sat out. Mitch Norton: "there's not one person that's going to step up and fill his shoes. It needs to be a group job." Will Weaver said Sam McDaniel and Taine Murray missed earlier games, and players manned spots "they've never played before."

Perth's Jo Lual-Acuil Jr is out, and John Rillie called him "a huge piece of it" when he plays. Kristian Doolittle went down in the scrimmage but "should be fine to play," he said, calling it precautionary. Jaron Rillie returns but is "still on like his minute restriction."

Bul Kuol is on track for a return around Christmas, "tracking really well," Adelaide 36ers coach Trevor Gleeson said. Flynn Cameron is "starting to shoot now" and assessed week to week; Gleeson would love him back the following week but did not commit. No update on Isaac.

Gordon Herbert says the New Zealand Breakers have lost both point guards and their secondary ball handler: Parker Jackson-Cartwright is out, Preston Le Gassick "gone", two imports missing, James hurt preseason. "It's like being out in a rowboat without oars."

Brandon Knight played his first game since around July in Puerto Rico, and Perth Wildcats coach John Rillie isn't worried by his 5 turnovers: "we're just drip-feeding him." Knight will be better for playing, he said. Dylan Windler said Perth is still without Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

Sam Waardenburg is "back to the best version of him right now," Melbourne United coach Jacob Chance said on 10 October. A preseason injury slowed Waardenburg's start to the season, but Chance feels that is now behind him.

Shea Ili sat the second half under his management plan. "He didn't get injured, which is pleasing," said Melbourne United coach Jacob Chance. A couple of others are on plans; two days off "will be big" for them. Asked if one half was always the plan: "I won't disclose that."

Dakota Mathias went to hospital for x-rays and Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth gave no status on him: "It's not even his nose. I think it's his cheek." Majok Deng is out with no timeline; Roth said Ben Gold will be used "heavily, especially while Majok Deng is out."

Adelaide are "down limited bodies," Trevor Gleeson said, after getting "outworked at home." He wants scoring beyond Bryce Cotton and Nick Rakocevic, and on Zylan Cheatham, who rarely looked at the rim: "I don't care if he's open for a 3, shoot the goddamn ball."

Isaac Humphries won't need knee surgery, Adelaide's Matt Weston said. He is being eased off before being built back up, with a return weeks away. "It's angry at the moment on him," Weston said; the knee hurts on court and at home, even on stairs.

Flynn Cameron is out for Adelaide, and coach Trevor Gleeson gave no timeline. Keanu Rasmussen has done a good job covering the role, Gleeson said, and he wants Rasmussen and Jacob Rigoni to bring "hustle, deflections, offensive glass."

Cairns Taipans were without Shaun Bruce; Adam Forde gave no timeline. Jaylon Brown, Reyne Smith and Malique Lewis covered point guard. Luke Paul is "penciled in for the 8th" but building confidence in his ankle; Forde hopes for 5-8 minutes, depending on Bruce's timeline.

Josh Bannan is back after about four weeks out. Tasmania's Scott Roth said he fouled out in his return against United, started shaky in this one, then settled the team by attacking the rim. Short of players for 5-on-5 practice for four weeks, they now have "a complete roster."

Will Magnay is sure Dakota Mathias will be fine for Brisbane. Scott Roth called the nose injury "more of a bloody nose and a little bit of a laceration"; Mathias returned to finish the game. Roth said Tasmania had its first normal full practice in about four weeks.