The NBL issued 10 players and staff across four teams with a 'please explain' in what proved a spiteful rivalry round featuring the league's two fiercest local derbies.

Former Hawk Angus Glover was ejected from Saturday's clash after 'stepping over' Froling despite the Hawks big-man having sent his attempted lay-up into the third row of the stands with a huge block.

Jessup and Illawarra product Xavier Cooks played bodyguard for the respective teammates in the ensuing scuffle. The quartet were all charged with engaging in a melee/brawl and slapped with $500 fines that were subsequently reduced to $375 with early guilty pleas.

Melbourne United big Mason Peatling was ultimately the only player hit with a suspension for his shoulder charge that flattened South East Melbourne star Mitch Creek and sparked a melee in a fiery Throwdown in Melbourne.

Peatling took exception to Creek standing over United guard Matthew Dellevadova following a rim-rattling dunk that's been dubbed one of the most explosive slams in league history.

The NBL initally slapped Peatling with a two-game suspension and $500 fine, with the sanctions reduced to one game and $375 respectively with an early guilty plea.

Creek and Phoenix teammates Izayah Le'afa and Kyle Adnam were hit with $500 fines, reduced to $375 with an early plea, for engaing in a melee/brawl, as was Melbourne United's Dave Barlow (bench clearing).

Read more: Hawks vow not to take a backward step as NBL cites pair

Additionally, United assistant coach Justin Schueller is $375 worse off after pleading guilty to a charge of unsporstmanlike behaviour.

The sanctions come despite the NBL heavily promoting both incidents on its social media channels.

It will leave the Hawks at full strength and flying high at 2-0 ahead of Friday's home-opener against New Zealand in Wollongong.

It's in stark contrast to the Breakers fortunes, with the New Zealand club wrestling with a host of disruptions from parting ways with marquee man Tai Webster prior to season tip-off, to injuries to imports Peyton Siva and Jeremiah Martin.

Coach Dan Shamir missed the club's season-opener with complications from the COVID-19 outbreak that hit the Breakers in the preseason and saw the cancellation of a scheduled NBL Blitz clash with the Hawks in Wollongong

Martin is tipped to return from an ankle injury against the Hawks, as is veteran Tom Abercrombie, as the Breakers look to arrest and 0-3 run heading into Friday's showdown.

It follows an equally testing 2020/21 campaign for the New Zealand club, but Hawks import Antonius Cleveland says the coaching staff has warned against complacency.

"They're a good team, even though they're 0-3," Cleveland said.

"They're going to come in fighting and we've got to be prepared and not come out underestimating them because of their record.

"That's been the emphasis, we need to be ready to answer the call from the tip to the end."

That has not been a problem for Cleveland thus far, with the Memphis native averaging 12 points and five rebounds over his opening two games.

It's included some highlight reel plays, though the 27-year-old admits he's still finding his feet.

"I feel like I can play a little better, I'm still finding my way in the league, how the game's officiated, the pace, the physicality, all that," Cleveland said.

"I've been in foul trouble the last couple of first quarters so I've got to figure out what I can do more physically. I've got a lot more room for improvement as an individual.

"I feel like I'm on pace right now, I think I'm coing into my own. If I can improve my game and step it up a notch, as long as I make the team better, I feel like we can go to another level when I take my game to another level.

"It's been a minute since I've played in front of a [home] crowd. Hopefully it's a nice turnout and everyone comes out and watches us compete."

The Illawarra Mercury news app is now officially live on both iOS and Android devices. It is available for download in the Apple Store and Google Play.