The following are previews with betting tips for Round 15 of the 2018/19 NBL season.
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Wednesday, January 23
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Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks7:50pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
For United, they went down by five points in a tight affair against the Wildcats. They only scored 14 points in Q1. However, they proceeded to win the next two quarters by scoring 25 and 23 points. However they lost the last quarter, 19-17, thus resulting in the tight defeat.
Illawarra last round ended up with a strong 11 point win over NZ to keep their faint finals hopes alive. They couldn’t win any of the first three quarters as they put up 22, 25 and 26 points, while the Breakers themselves scored 33 in the third. However, the Hawks absolutely exploded in the final quarter to crush NZ 34-11 and claim the commanding win.
Last match- The leaders
McCarron led the way for Melbourne with 21 points. He also had nine boards and five dimes. While Ware scored 15 to go along with his three rebounds and six assists. Boone also had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and both Goulding and Barlow had 11 points each.
The starters for the Hawks had a huge impact as Conklin hit 10/13 shots en route to 20 points. He also had five boards, five dimes and one steal. Blanchfield was hot from deep as he had four from there, good for 27 points. He also had three rebounds and one assist. While Andersen also scored 10.
Betting tip: Pick Melbourne to win at $1.47 (PalmerBet, BlueBet)
Thursday, January 24
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New Zealand Breakers v Cairns Taipans5:50pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
The Breakers went down by 11 to the Hawks in their last round. They actually won two of the first three quarters 27-22, 25-25, then 33-26. However, they imploded in the final and fourth quarter getting pummeled 34-11 and in the process giving a massive leg up to one of the teams they’re in a dog-fight with for a finals spot.
Unfortunately for the Taipans their recent run of rich form evaporated as they went down to Brisbane, 99-68. Cairns couldn’t win a single quarter as they scored 19 in the first and 23 in the fourth. However, the middle two quarters were the most disappointing for them as they put up only 15 and 11 points respectively.
Last match- The leaders
Abercrombie scored 20 and Long 17. While of the bench, Weeks had 22 and Richard 14. Abercrombie also had seven boards and four dimes. Long also had three rebounds. While Richard’s key stats included eight rebounds and Weeks a steal and a block each.
Melo scored 23 and Loe 19 as no other Taipans scored in double-digits. Melo also had three rebounds, one assist and two steals. While for Loe those numbers were seven boards, one dime and a steal and a block each. DJ also had eight points.
Betting tip: Pick the Breakers to win at $1.65 (PalmerBet, Neds)
Friday, January 25
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Brisbane Bullets v Sydney Kings7:43pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
Brisbane last round thrashed the Taipans to the tune of 31 points. They put up 19 points in the first quarter. Then in the second they still won it despite only scoring 19 points. In the third they won 23-11 and the fourth 26-23.
The ladder-leading Kings put in a simply abysmal performance last round as Adelaide put them to the sword winning 199-99. They couldn’t win a single quarter. They lost 27-22 in the first. 27-25 In the second. 33-24 In the third. And 32-28 in the fourth in what was a high-scoring affair.
Last match- The leaders
Cadee scored 18 as he hit four from deep. While Gibson had 17. Cadee also had two boards, two dimes and three steals. And Gibson’s were three rebounds, three assists and two steals. While Hodgson did his thing with eight points, seven rebounds, one assist and two steals.
He certainly wasn’t a leader, but Ray Turner most definitely had an interesting debut for the Kings as the most notable thing he did all game was fouling out! And while several starters scored in double-digits their bench had a nice impact. Kickert had 11 points, two dimes and one swat. While Adnam had 10 points as he hit two threes to go along with a steal. And Bowen also scored eight points.
Betting tip: Pick the Kings to win at $2.17 (PalmerBet)
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Perth Wildcats v Adelaide 36ers9:53pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
Perth came away with the close W over Melbourne as they eventually prevailed 84-79. They won the first and last quarters, 27-14 and 19-17 respectively. While they lost the middle two 19-25 and 19-23. The much-needed victory sees them in third place but still with a lot of work needed to be done to be competitive and legitimate come finals time.
Adelaide beat the Kings with ease last round as they humiliated them in front of their home fans by 20 points. Their wasn’t a quarter that they didn’t win as they constantly scored at will. 27-22, 27-25, 33-24 and 32-28 were all the quarter by quarter scores in the 36ers favour.
Last match- The leaders
Cotton led the way with 27 huuuuge points! While Kay backed him up with 18. Cotton also had two boards, six dimes and two steals. While Kay had a big 14 rebounds, as well as an assist + three steals and a swat. Vague and Wagstaff led the bench with five points each.
For the 36ers every starter scored in double-figures. Wiley led the way with 21 points. Sobey was second as he hit 6/11 shots for 16 points. Conger had 15 and Johnson 14. That while Drmic had 11. Wiley also had four boards, two dimes and a steal. While Sobey had five rebounds, eight assists and a steal and a block each. Froling also posted 14 points of the bench.
Betting tip: Pick Perth to win at $1.56 (PalmerBet)
Saturday, January 26
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Illawarra Hawks v Cairns Taipans2:50pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
107-96 was the score when the Hawks beat the Breakers. And 34-11 was the fourth quarter score when they stormed back to snatch the unexpected victory of NZ. That was as previously Illawarra had lost all their three other quarters, 27-22, 25-25 and 33-26 respectively. However, they are still two wins of a finals berth.
31 Points was the margin when Cairns played away to Brisbane. They scored 19 in the first quarter, but gave up 31 points. And in the second they managed to only put up 15. It got worse in the third as they scored only 11. And the fourth got a tiny bit better for them, but they still went down 26-23.
Last match- The leaders
Of the bench for the Hawks, both Jett and Ogilvy had 14 points each. Jett hit 6/10 shots to go along with two boards, three dimes and a steal. Ogilvy also had five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Coenraad also contributed with eight points, two boards and three dimes.
Hall shot 0/6, Jawai only took three shots, Newbill had only eight points, Kenny 0/5, Kenrich-Drew 0/4, Kuany 1/4 and Loughton only took two shots the entire game. Nothing here is right! And Brisbane made them pay for it. Had things been done a bit differently by the Taipans then who knows? Maybe the score would’ve been a hell of a lot more respectable.
Betting tip: Pick the Hawks to win at $1.56 (PalmerBet)
Sunday, January 27
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New Zealand Breakers v Brisbane Bullets12:20pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
For the Breakers, their finals hopes took a monumental blow after they gave up their strong lead in an 11 point loss to the Hawks. They won the first 27-22 and drew the second 25-all. In the third they went off and were on fire for 33 points. However in the fourth and last quarter the opposition came back strong winning 34-11! And claiming the W. NZ as it stands are currently second last on the ladder.
The Bullets currently occupy a finals spot after their huge 31 point win over the Taipans, further condemning their rivals to a pretty poor campaign. Brisbane scored 31 in the first, 19 in the second, 23 in the third and 26 in the fourth as they won every quarter.
Last match- The leaders
The bench for NZ produced some real stand-outs in their defeat. Weeks hit 9/12 shots en route to 22 points. While he also had one board, three dimes and a steal and a block each. Richard was another one with 14 points. Next to his name he also had right rebounds, four assists and two steals. Of the pine, Delany also scored seven points while Moore pulled in seven rebounds.
Patterson had a double-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds. He also had five assists and two steals as he’s become Brisbane’s NO.1 man. Gliddon also hit 4/7 shots as he scored 10 points. He also had three boards, three dimes and two steals. Bairstow also scored eight points and had five rebounds + two huge swats. And Te Rangi had a nice eight points.
Betting tip: Pick Brisbane to win at $2.17 (PalmerBet)
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Sydney Kings v Perth Wildcats2:50pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
They might still be on top on the NBL, but the Kings suffered their second blowout defeat in as many round as they were defeated by Adelaide by a margin of 20 points! Playing at Qudos, the Kings put up an absolutely garbage performance. They lost every single quarter as they (in a high-scoring affair) put up 22, 25, 24 and 28 points in each quarter respectively.
The Wildcats got back to their winning ways after they eventually claimed a tight 84-79 victory over United. They kept Melbourne to only 14 points in the first as they scored 27 themselves. In the second they lost 25-19. The third they also lost 23-19. However in the fourth it was another quarter and actual victory for them as they won by two, 19-17.
Last match- The leaders
Randle scored 23 points and Wear 14. Lisch also had 11 and Newley nine. Randle also had two boards and four dimes next to his name. While Wear shot 60% to go along with his four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Lisch also had two dimes and a steal. While it was a disappointing effort from Andrew Bogut who among his other stats, had only six points and fouled out. However, he did have two blocks.
White scored nine points as he also pulled in four boards and dished out two dimes. He also had two steals. And Brandt shot 50% for eight points to go along with six rebounds and two assists. And Martin had a solid effort as well with six points, seven rebounds and two assists. That while Norton shot a poor 1/5 from the court.
Betting tip: Pick Sydney to win at $1.58 (Bet365)
Monday, January 28
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Adelaide 36ers v Melbourne United7:50pm AEDT |
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Last match- Quarter by quarter
119-99 was the score as the 36ers put on a real Basketball clinic against the Kings as they taught the ladder-leaders a few things in the 20 point victory. Adelaide scored 27 points in the games opening two quarters. And in the third and fourth they really turned it on for 33 and 32 points each. They are currently fighting hard and strong for the last finals spot, one that is currently occupied by Brisbane.
United couldn’t quite get it done as they fell to Perth by five points. However Melbourne still hold second spot on the ladder. United could only muster up 14 points in the first quarter. However they scored 25 and 23 points in the next two. That was before they lost the last quarter, 19-17.
Last match- The leaders
Conger shot 75% as he scored 15 points. That was in addition to his seven rebounds, one assist and one steal. While in addition to Johnson’s 14 points, he also had three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Drmic had 11 points as well as two boards, four dimes and a steal. And as for Frolling besides his 14 points he also had nine rebounds and two assists.
Barlow as well as 11 points had one rebound and a steal as he hit three from beyond the arc. Goulding also had four boards, one dime and a steal. However he shot 3/16 in what was a disgraceful game from the Boomer. Pledger also had seven points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal of the bench. While Kennedy had eight boards of the bench also.
Betting tip: Pick Melbourne to win at $2.02 (Bet365)
Best Bet of the Round
My favourite/best bet of the round is for Sydney to win at $1.58 (Bet365), vs Perth, as they have to bounce back into form ASAP or risk losing top spot and being at home should help them do just that!