The following are previews with betting tips for selected fixtures in Round 12 of the 2021/22 NBL season.
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Melbourne United vs South East Melbourne PhoenixThursday Feb 17, 7:30pm |
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What a scintillatingly exciting way to help round off the work week, as we have Melbourne United facing off against the South East Melbourne Phoenix, in a Victorian derby between two fierce and talented teams. United are currently first, while the Phoenix are third on the ladder, with 9-4 and 8-4 records respectively. Only adding to the intensity surrounding this game is that each side are coming off victories against top-tier sides, with Melbourne having toppled Perth 93-87 and South East having triumphed 83-71 against Tasmania, both at the John Cain Arena. As if that wasn’t enough, their last three meetings have been decided by only a mere 10-points or less! Strap yourselves in because we’re in for some talented and heated Basketball right here!
When these two sides last met earlier this season at the John Cain Arena, the Phoenix prevailed by just 8-points in a game that truly signified just how close the two franchises are to one another this campaign. A Q4 24-17 win to South East was how they scraped the game over the line and in their favour. And a big part of all of that came down to the play of Mitch Creek. The former Minnesota Timberwolve and Brooklyn Net turned in a big performance of 16PTS, 7REB, 5AST and 1STL. Of particular note, he hit 4-shots inside the arc and pulled in 7-defensive boards. His inside game needs to be on point here against a team that features lethal scoring threats such as Chris Goulding, Jo Lual-Acuil and Caleb Agada. While the latter two are huge threats when it comes to rebounding the ball as well. Simply put United are stacked, so he’ll need to ‘stack’ up the stats in order to help his team compete in this affair.
Betting tips: Look for the Phoenix to etch out a win at $2.20 (Bet365)
However, you can back Melbourne United to produce the highest scoring quarter at $1.91 (Bet365)
Also look for the total match points scored to be over 169 at $1.88 (Unibet)
And back for there to be over 42 total points scored in Q4 at 1.83 (Unibet)
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Illawarra Hawks vs Cairns TaipansFriday Feb 18, 7:30pm |
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As Illawarra prepare to host Cairns at the WIN Entertainment Centre, they do so having beaten the Taipans just last round at the very same venue, having prevailed 87-81. And it was stars Duop Reath and Justinian Jessup who stole the show with 18PTS a piece, on 53.8% and 55.6% shooting respectively. Reath also had 10REB, 2STL and 2BLK. While Jessup chimed in with 4-boards to his name. While Tyler Harvey poured in 12PTS, Xavier Rathan-Mayes 9 off the bench and Sam Froling also had 9 as he shot 4/5 from the floor, as well as having bagged 9REB, 1AST and 2BLK. As for the visitors, Tajhere McCall snagged 17PTS, along with Scott Machado who scored 16 off the pine. It was an intense conquest last time and you can expect exactly the same this time around as well.
The Taipans have lost 24 of their past 30-games as the club have maddingly struggled over recent times. And while they’ve fought their very hardest this season, lacking former LA Laker Machado for the opening part of the campaign certainly did them no good, ditto for Cameron Oliver’s departure longer ago from the club. However, they are still extremely fun to watch and are realistically speaking everybody’s ‘second favourite’ team in the league. Part of that fun-factor can be attributed to South Sudanese-born Forward Majok Deng, who is averaging 15.4PPG, 1.2APG and 5.4RPG on the season. He has increased his scoring every season since entering the NBL and has posted some awesome highlight-reel stuff too. Now he’s a crucial part of a somewhat ‘rebuilding’ Taipans team and his 14-points vs the Hawks and 21 last time out vs New Zealand exemplify exactly that. So, expect him to have a great game in an attempt to keep Cairns floating against Illawarra.
Betting tips: Bet on the Hawks to win, as well as them triumphing in both the 1st & 3rd periods of the match + for the total match points to reach 169 or over.
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Sydney Kings vs Perth WildcatsSaturday Feb 19, 8:00pm |
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The last time the Kings and the Wildcats went head-to-head, Sydney spanked them in a 15-point victory. While it was an extremely testy matchup as well, with Matt Hodgson only featuring in just over 11-minutes of play due to his shoving of Dejan Vasiljevic in what was an unwavering war between the two competitors. Only further juicing up the storyline for this rivalry is the likely debut of former NBA Champion Ian Clark, up against fellow esteemed Guard Bryce Cotton, a battle between to former NBA heads who either will be or are doing great things for the NBL. Oh, and Sydney’s win over Perth was their first triumph over them in eight attempts and since early 2020! So much to break down, so much to take in and such a ‘killer’ game to be played! Basketball in this country always goes up a level or TEN when these two squads are going at it.
Surely with all the scrutiny he’s been put under lately, Hodgson is bound to have a ‘shackles off’ type of game! In that ill-fated Qudos Bank Arena match he still posted 4PTS, 2REB, 1AST, 2STL and 1BLK as the centre did a bit of everything. Imagine what he can do with a ‘full’ match under his belt! While Jaylen Adams is the King who should also bounce high, as his highlight slam dunk in the dying stages of Sydney’s win helped deliver them the craziest of two-point victories over the Bullets in Homebush. Then after was Jarell Martin’s game winning layup, fashioned courtesy of Adams himself. As he produced 15PTS, 6REB and 4AST, despite going just 1/7 from deep. There’s so much to compress within all of this, but that’s just the beautifully hectic competition that is our very own National Basketball League!
‘Stone Cold’ Adams can be viewed right here!
Betting tips: Bet on Sydney to win the match at $1.85 (bet365), prevail in Q1 at $1.85 (bet365) and for Perth to fashion the encounters highest scoring quarter at $2.15 (bet365).
Best Bets of the Round:
Look for the Phoenix to etch out a win at $2.20 (Bet365)
However, you can back Melbourne United to produce the highest scoring quarter at $1.91 (Bet365)
Also look for the total match points scored to be over 169 at $1.88 (Unibet)
And back for there to be over 42 total points scored in Q4 at 1.83 (Unibet)