The following are previews with betting tips for selected fixtures in Round 7 of the 2024/25 NBL season.
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South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Perth WildcatsSunday November 03, 2:30pm |
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As Perth prepare to travel to John Cain Arena, they do so having won five of their last seven clashes against South East Melbourne. They are a team who they traditionally dominate and with everything that’s been going on both on and off the floor lately for the hosts, they’ll have one hell of a job trying to overturn that. And it was only earlier this season when Keanu Pinder & Bryce Cotton combined for 55PTS, 10REB and 5AST in what was a truly scintillating 106-98 victory over their rivals. However with no Cotton this game due to a long injury layoff and the scoring punch that the ‘Green side of Melbourne’ pack, does that give them a fighters chance here? You’ll have to tune in to find out.
With no Cotton, a perennial MVP award winner and a coaching change for the Phoenix it’s very difficult to get a grasp on how this tasty encounter may potentially play out.
However there are three very real and obvious scenarios, one of which will more than likely occur.
A; A high-scoring win to South East Melbourne.
B; A low-scoring dub to Perth.
Or C; The Wildcats tear the Phoenix to absolute shreds.
Two games ago the ‘Green Machine’ flew high against New Zealand winning 88-62 and prior to that stunned United in the Melbourne Derby winning 93-84. Against the Breakers Matt Hurt was his usual reliable self with 19PTS, however the likes of Angus Glover and Ben Ayre each stood up to the task with 13PTS as they shared the scoring load around. And I think with Cotton gone and the Wildcats coming into this game after what will undoubtedly be a hard-hitting matchup against the Hawks, that might just give South East Melbourne the edge in this one. They are maddeningly inconsistent. They can entertain or they can make you pull out your hair out, but South East Melbourne make you damn well interested in Basketball!
Betting tips: Back South East Melbourne to take out this affair at $1.01 (BetFair)
You can also back there to be over 173.5 points scored at $1.43 (bet365)
And for the first half look for there to be over 90.5 points scored at $1.80 (bet365)
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Melbourne United vs New Zealand BreakersMonday November 04, 7:30pm |
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For the second game in two days at John Cain Arena we get to see the famous Monday night Basketball rightfully return as 2nd placed Melbourne United take on the 3rd placed New Zealand Breakers. Melbourne have won six of their last eight matches played on their home floor and are less then a week removed from their 43-point shellacking of Cairns. They had five players reach double-figure points and they kept the ‘venomless’ Taipans to just 12PTS in Q1 and 14PTS in Q4. Whilst both sides most recent results were tightly contested four-point wins over the Sydney Kings. With this game expected to be another ‘packed’ encounter you can bet your bottom dollar that clutch superstars such as Chris Goulding & Jack White for the hosts and Pierre Jackson-Cartwright & Matt Mooney for the visitors will have their moments down the stretch. Which chaos causing duo will prevail? Either way this game is set to be an absolute treat.
Jack White is the player to look out for here. In his sides most recent 87-83 home dub versus the Kings he was scorching from beyond the arc, going 3/5 from deep en route to 14PTS + 11REB + 2AST + 2STL + 1BLK. He did everything right as the ex-Nuggets Forward hit some match clinching shots down the stretch. He played his part in Melbourne shooting a very respectable 13/34 from deep which will undoubtedly push the Breakers to their limits, likewise how it did to Sydney. This also means that traditionally slower players such as Sam Mennenga and Jonah Bolden will have to be a lot quicker to close out Melbourne’s fast break looks. However United themselves will have a lot of work to do to stop Matt Mooney. The ex-Knicks and Cavaliers Guard had 24PTS and four threes against Sydney and is one of many capable scoring threats that the Breakers posses. Despite both sides having high level defences I expect this to be an incredibly free-flowing and high-scoring affair with it being anybody’s to take out. What a way to start the new week!
Betting tips: Odds for this game will be updated when they become available.
Melbourne to win Q1/ New Zealand to win Q4/ New Zealand to win the match.