NBL Round 5 – Selected Fixtures and Betting Tips

The following are previews with betting tips for Round 5 of the 2021 NBL season.

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Wednesday, February 10

Illawarra Hawks vs Melbourne United Win Entertainment Centre 7:30pm AEDT

The Hawks are currently flying high and are 2^nd on the ladder. They’ve won a very impressive 4/5 so far to start the campaign. However last time out, they went down 98-82 to the Phoenix at the State Basketball Centre. Q3 was a significant blow to Illawarra’s chances of getting anything out of the clash, as they lost 35-22. Of their starters, Harvey had 13PTS, Jessup 9 and Froling and Simon 7 each. While of the bench, Adel produced a BIG 17PTS, Bairstow 15 and Deng 8. Adel shot 50% from the floor, as he also had 2REB, 3AS and 1ST. Bairstow also shot 50% from the court, as he also got 6REB, 1AS and 1BL. Deng had 5REB and 2AS. Whilst going back to the MVP-worthy Harvey, he ended up with a pair of 3’s, in addition to 2REB and 1ST. Shoutout to Froling who also pulled in 11 boards.

As for United, they are currently perfect up in 1^st place, with a 5 and 0 record. They’re simply on fire at the moment! And their last game was partly won due to a rare Cotton turnover in the final stages of the game. But it doesn’t really matter how they got their ultimately, as the final score was 75-71 in their favour. That was played at the Bendigo Basketball Stadium, where the key Q was the 4^th, where they pulled away ever so slightly to win the period 19-15. Landale poured in 16PTS, McCarron 13, Hopson 9 and White 7. And coming of the pine, Baba had an influential 14. Landale shot a near perfect 5/7, as he also had 6REB, 3AS and 1BL. Baba went 6/9, as his other stats included 2REB, 2AS, 2ST and 2BL. McCarron also had 2REB, 1AS and 1ST. And Hopson also dished out 6 dimes among his other stats.

This should be such an exciting clash, as 2^nd place hosts 1^st, in what will be the Hawks first game at the ‘Gong’ all season long. Expect it to be as packed out as it can possibly be (when also factoring in the COVID guidelines). Not only that, but the Hawks were also beaten quite soundly last week, while Melbourne showed some major weaknesses against Perth. So, as if their wasn’t already enough motivation for each team to try and win this clash, that right there just adds some fuel to the fire. But what this game should come down to is the Guards who want to put up 5-star performances after their shocking outings during their last clashes. Harvey had just 13 points, while Goulding was 2/6. With both players such key parts to their two teams strong starts to the year, I have no doubt in my mind that this will be the battle that heavily defines the eventual outcome of this should be simply thrilling clash of Basketball.

Betting tips- Pick the Hawks to win at $1.99 (Sportsbet)

Also pick them to win Q1 at $1.94 (UniBet)

 

Thursday, February 11

South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Perth Wildcats State Basketball Centre 7:30pm AEDT

S.E.M are proving to be no push overs as of late. Currently they occupy a finals spot (4^th position), as they hold a 3-3 record to start the new campaign of with. And their latest clash at the State Basketball Centre saw them topple the previously 4 and 0 Hawks, 98-82. They won by a MASSIVE 16 points! Q3 was quite influential for them in the overall outcome of the game, as they won that period by 13 points, 35-22. Five players all scored exactly 15 points for S.E.M! How wild! They were Creek, Gliddon, Skyes, Adnam and Moore. Wetzell also had 9 and Te Rangi and Stephens 7 each. Creek also had 7REB, 3AS, 1ST and 1BL. Gliddon got 1REB, 1AS and 1ST. Skyes also had 6REB, 7AS, 1ST and 1BL. Adnam got 2 boards and a swipe. While Moore pulled in a BIG 14 boards and also had 2AS, 1ST and 3BL to his name.

The Wildcats are uncharacteristically 7^th at the moment. This as they have a 1-2 record to start the new season. A large factor in their latest defeat was a rare Cotton turnover in one of the last few plays of the match. It mattered a fair bit as they went down 75-71 to Melbourne United at the Bendigo Basketball Stadium. Q4 was a big one for them, as they lost it 19-15 and the game-margin was also just 4 points, :0. Cotton poured in 24PTS, Mooney 15 and Norton 11. That while Steindl also had 7 of the bench. Cotton hit a pair of 3’s, as he also had 7REB, 6AS and 3ST. For Mooney, he went 5/6 from the FT line, as he also got 7REB, 4AS, 3ST and 1BL. Norton was 4/4 from the FT line, along with 3REB and 2AS. As for Steindl, some of his other stats included 2 boards.

Will it be Skyes and Creek who prevail, the G & F combination, or that same combo for the Wildcats in the form of Cotton and Mooney? Either way we are set for one hell of a clash right here! These one-two punch duos are each among the NBL’s most elite at the moment and each will have a certain point to prove. For S.E.M’s combo, they’ll want to prove that their earlier season 1-point win over Perth was no fluke. While for the Wildcats dudes, they gotta let the rest of the league know that they’re still the team to beat and that they’re still the team to fear this season. There’s NBA experience on both sides, as there is MVP-calibre talent. Oh boy howdy, this’ll be great to watch!

Betting tips- Pick Perth to win at $2.25 (Bet365)

Also pick them to be victorious in Q1 at $2.10 (UniBet)

 

Friday, February 12

Sydney Kings vs New Zealand Breakers Qudos Bank Arena 7:30pm AEDT

The Kings are now starting to pick it up a bit. Despite having no Didi, Cooks, Kickert or Glover, they’re in 5^th spot at the moment. And they have 2 wins and 3 losses so far to their name, with 5 games played. Last time out at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, they simply thrashed the home side, winning 94-75. This game was one-sided from the start right through to the finish! Sydney won every Q, 21-18, 27-21, 17-12 and 29-24! Ware led the way with 27PTS, Martin 23 and Vasiljevic 15. While both Moller and Newley had 9 each of the bench. A bench which had just 4 players total on it. It cannot be said enough how big of a W this was for Sydney!!! Ware channelled his inner Steph Curry from deep, hitting 6 3’s! He also had 3REB, 2AS, 2ST and 1BL. Martin also shot a neat 52.9% from the floor as he also got 4REB, 1AS and 1BL. And Vasiljevic hit 3 3’s from beyond the arc, as he ended up with a nice 4REB, 5AS, 2ST and 1BL. Newley also had 6 boards and Moller 4.

The Breakers are pretty scratchy to say the least as they start this new campaign of with. Currently in 9^th and last spot, they have won just 1 game and lost quite a significant 3 already. And in their latest encounter at the Cairns Pop Up Arena, they were battered quite heavily. This as they lost 84-69. The key Q for them was the 1^st as they lost 22-16. This left them with a bit of a bad deficit and so early on in the game as well. Most of the Breakers players shot under 50% in this one, which hurt them quite badly in the end. Abercrombie was 3/7, Bach 2/5, T. Webster 5/17, Iverson 0/2, Patterson 2/6, C. Webster 3/9, and Weeks 1/5. Fair play however to Delany who had 11PTS on 5/8 shooting and Loe who had 10PTS on 4/8 shooting.

It’s the first game at Qudos Bank Arena this season for the Kings, so with COVID rules applying, the venue will no doubt be as packed as it can possibly be. That combined with the Breakers being in a real bad slump at the moment, should see them cruise through this match with a relatively easy W. And another two reasons the Kings got this, well they go by the names of Capser Ware and Jarell Martin! The former 76er’s man hit 6 from deep last match against ADL. While former Grizzlie Martin hit 6/11 inside the arc for the Kings. They are quickly forming a deadly combination for the Kings and will make life hell for NZ, both outside the arc and within it. There are just so many reasons why it’s incredibly difficult for the Breakers to come away with this one. Sydney got it in the bag pretty much.

Betting tips- Pick Sydney to win at $1.55 (Unibet)

Also pick them to win Q4 at $1.81 (Unibet)

 

Best Bets of the Round

Pick the Hawks to be the first to 20 points vs MEL at $1.85 (Bet365)

Also pick Perth to reach 20 points first against S.E.M at odds of $1.85 or more when they become available

And linking back to ILL vs MEL, pick MEL to win Q3 at $1.98 (UniBet)