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Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers NBL26 Round 15 Tips - Cotton goes large against the Bullets

jeremy-darke
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Last updated: Sat 03 Jan 2026 08:50

The upcoming NBL Round 15 clash features the Brisbane Bullets against league leaders Adelaide 36ers. With Adelaide riding high after a significant victory against Sydney Kings, they are expected to cover a 16.5-point spread. Bryce Cotton is projected to score anywhere between 20-40 points, while Zylan Cheatham is anticipated to dominate the boards with over 10 rebounds. Despite the Bullets’ struggles, notably without Tyrell Harrison, they have shown potential in certain game stages. However, Adelaide's strategic depth and recent form predict a concrete victory.

Jeremy Darke 03 Jan 2026
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  • Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers expert predictions for Sunday’s Round 15 NBL matchup
  • Tip-off is at 4:30 PM AEDT at Brisbane Entertainment Centre
  • Bryce Cotton aims for 20-40 points, and Zylan Cheatham is set to dominate rebounds.
  • Brisbane continues to struggle, missing Tyrell Harrison and coming off two big losses.
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Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers NBL26 Round 15 Tips
Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers NBL26 Round 15 Tips

Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers NBL25 Round 15 Expert Tips


It is going to be another tough day at the office for Brisbane when league leaders Adelaide come into town and cover the 16.5 points as the away favourite.

Brisbane are starring down the wooden spoon barrel with Queensland counterparts the Cairns Taipans and will now have to find a way to stay off the bottom of the ladder without Tyrell Harrison.

Adelaide are at the other end of the spectrum, humming at the top of the table and are full of confidence after a huge win against the in-form Kings, getting their first win over Sydney this season 85-79 on Friday night. 

The line here is hefty at 16.5 points, however it is reasonable considering the Bullets come into this one on the back of two 20+ point losses to Perth and Sydney. 

I expect Adelaide to put the hammer down here and Bryce Cotton to thrive in the open space that he will get from the sluggish Bullets defence. Cotton ladders is a good play here anywhere from 20-40 points, while taking the 36ers to have a team total over 93.5.

With Harrison out, Zylan Cheatham will dominate the boards and tally 10+.

  • Brisbane have 2 consecutive losses of 20+ points.
  • Bryce Cotton averages 31.66 points in his last 3 games against Brisbane.
  • Brisbane allows 95.3 points per game this season.
  • Zylan Cheatham has averaged 10.2 rebounds in his last 5 matches.

Head to Head 


Last 5 Match Results
DateHome TeamScoreLineTotal Points
05/12/2025ADEADE 90-65ADE -9.5U 186.5
28/09/2025ADEADE 87-80PushU 186.5
31/01/2025ADEBRI 92-89BRI +13.0U 195.5
24/12/2024ADEBRI 111-90BRI +3.0O 196.0
06/12/2024BRIBRI 102-83BRI -9.5O 180.5

Offensive & Defensive Rankings
BRI OffRankStatRankADE Def
84.99PPG285.7
39.59RPG341.1
44.9%4FG%443.9%
29.5%93P%230.1%
14.910TOV810.6

BRI DefRankStatRankADE Off
95.38PPG492.9
42.16RPG542.4
46.8%10FG%245.9%
30.8%43P%135.4%
11.55TOV210

Brisbane Bullets Form & Team News


Brisbane’s coaching change hasn’t had the instant effect on their results as maybe they would have hoped with Darryl Mcdonald starting his NBL coaching career in the river city with a 1-4 record and now two consecutive losses of 20+ points against Sydney and Perth.

A strong second quarter where they outscored Perth 28-15 shows that there is potential in the Bullets squad, just as we saw in the third quarter against Melbourne a few matches ago, however, it isn’t enough in the this league to play in patches, especially when the lows are far deeper and more frequent than the highs.

Offensively there are sparks but defensively there are deep issues that will not be fixed in the short term. The Bullets often rely on impatience and inaccuracy from their opponents to allow them to claw back into matches.

Making matters worse center Tyrell Harrison will now miss the next few matches through injury.

Adelaide 36ers Form & Team News


Adelaide made another statement on Friday night in their 85-79 victory over the Sydney Kings at the Entertainment Centre. Trailing by as much as 11 points in the third quarter, the 36ers returned the favour to the Kings after giving away an 18-point lead last time they met, taking over in the final quarter on the back of a career-best performance by an untouchable Flynn Cameron.

Cameron went 9 from 10 from the field and 6 from 7 from the three-point line on his way to 25 points in the match. The former United guard was pinpoint when it mattered for Adelaide and Dejan Vasiljevic also fed off it putting the final nail in the coffin from the K-Mart sign with 6 seconds left. 

Zylan Cheatham was once again irreplaceable in the paint, competing physically with 13 rebounds, while Isaac Humphries also impressed with 15 points. 

Adelaide are now 3 wins clear of Melbourne at the top of the NBL ladder.

Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers start?

Tip-off between Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers is at 4:30 PM AEDT, Sunday, January 4

What channel is Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers on?

You can watch Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel.

Verdict

Adelaide will cover the 16.5 points as the favourite going over their team total of 93.5 points. Bryce Cotton will snag at least 30 points and Zylan Cheatham will also lock in 10+ rebounds.
Best Bet1: Adelaide -16.5 Handicap/Line $1.90 at Pandabet - 2 Units
Best Bet2: Adelaide Over 93.5 Team Total $1.89 at Playup - 3 Units
Best Bet3: Bryce Cotton 30+ Player Points $3.20 at betr - 1 Unit
Best Bet4: Zylan Cheatham 10+ Rebounds $1.87 at betr - 2 Units
Adelaide -16.5
Handicap/Line
$1.90 - 2 Units
Pandabet
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Bet at Pandabet
Adelaide Over 93.5
Team Total
$1.89 - 3 Units
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Bryce Cotton
30+ Player Points
$3.20 - 1 Unit
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Zylan Cheatham
10+ Rebounds
$1.87 - 2 Units
The GOAT.
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