NBL25 Round 13 Predictions & Tips

December 24th 2024, 2:04pm, By: Jake Smit

NBL25 Betting Tips

Round 13 in NBL25 is the start of an onslaught of Aussie hoops, with games on all but three days from December 20th – January 26th. It’s a great time of the year for fans of the NBL as well as those who like to try their luck with a bet or two. It was a tough week to predict in Round 12 but we’re still up 10.03 Units for the season, and we have you covered with our best bets for all Round 13 games below! 

And if you're looking for a new site to bet on basketball this season, then look no further than SlamBet. They live and breathe basketball at SlamBet! Click on the banner below to join today!

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NBL25 Round 13 Preview & Betting Tips

New Zealand Breakers vs Sydney Kings

Friday 5:30pm AEDT (Dec 20), Spark Arena

Click here for our full game preview and best bet!

 

Brisbane Bullets vs Cairns Taipans 

Friday 7:30pm AEDT (Dec 20), Brisbane Entertainment Centre

The Bullets finally came back down to earth last outing when their fire was extinguished by the highly-talented Kings in an 81-93 defeat. The Bullets were at their best in the first half and led by four at the main break, but couldn’t buy a bucket after that as they scored just 27 points en route to defeat. Despite the loss, it’s been a terrific couple of weeks for the Bullets who have won four of their past six games – a stretch that has earned them a lot of respect from the rest of the competition.

In contrast, the Taipans have been nothing short of disappointing since their first four games of the season where they began 3-1. Fast forward to now and they’re entering Round 13 on a whopping 12-game losing streak. Most of the Snakes losses during this stretch have been close ones, with seven of them being by single-figure margins; however, they were absolutely blown out of the park by Bryce Cotton and the Wildcats last start where they suffered a 36-point defeat.

Injuries have plagued the Snakes this season and there’s no letup this round with Sam Waardenburg set to miss once again with a hand injury, as per the official NBL injury list. He’s absolutely crucial for the club on both sides of the ball, and it was evident last weekend in their drubbing. With Sam out, coupled with their horrible form, I expect the Bullets to comfortably take care of business on their home deck.

Bullets -7.5

$1.93 (1 Unit)

 

South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Adelaide 36ers

Saturday 8:00pm AEDT (Dec 21), John Cain Arena

Click here for our full game preview and best bet!

 

Illawarra Hawks vs Perth Wildcats

Sunday 2:30pm AEDT (Dec 22), WIN Entertainment Centre

The standalone Sunday game in Round 13 should be an absolute ripper, with the ladder-leading Illawarra Hawks playing host to Bryce Cotton and the Perth Wildcats. The Hawks have enjoyed an excellent regular season to date and enter this clash with four wins from their past five games, with the last two coming on the road against the Wildcats and United. In fact, the Hawks have only played at home twice from their last eight outings and they won on both occasions.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats have also won four of their last five games with their last two coming on the road. Bryce Cotton has been in otherworldly form, posting scoring totals of 59, 40, 49, and 44 in his last four games – the best such four-game stretch in over 30 years. His individual brilliance has helped catapult the Wildcats into fourth spot on the ladder and only one game behind second.

These clubs met just two weeks ago in Perth and it was the Hawks who came away with an ultra-impressive 10-point road win (121-111). Cotton went off for 40 in that one but it still wasn’t enough to get the job done against the more well-rounded and potent Hawks. And now with home court on the Hawks side, coupled with injuries to Tai Webster and Kristian Doolittle for the Wildcats, I expect another relatively comfortable win for the Hawks.

Hawks -5.5

$1.87 (2 Units)

 

Melbourne United vs Tasmania JackJumpers

Monday 7:30pm AEDT (Dec 23), John Cain Arena

Click here for our full game preview and best bet!

 

Adelaide 36ers vs Brisbane Bullets

Tuesday 5:30pm AEDT (Dec 24), Adelaide Entertainment Centre

The 36ers had a disastrous opening game in Round 13 where they suffered a 20-point defeat away against the Phoenix. That loss was their fifth from their past six games and has them sliding down to eighth spot on the ladder. The 36ers have also now lost five in a row on the round, so they’ll be pleased to be returning to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Tuesday where they hold a 6-3 record in NBL25.

The Bullets looked on their way to consecutive defeats when they trailed by double-digits at home against the Snakes last outing, but managed to dig deep to come away with an important three-point win. The Bullets have now won five of their last seven games and have clawed themselves back to an even 8-8 record – currently good enough for seventh spot in the standings.

The Bullets have had the wood over the 36ers in recent times, winning four of their past five matchups, including their most recent clash by a comfortable 19 points in Brisbane. However, home court advantage is on the 36ers side this time around, and that’s been key to their success so far this campaign. Regardless, I’ve been less than impressed with the intensity the 36ers have been playing with in recent games, and they’ll need to be fully locked in to match it with the in-form Bullets in this one. With that said, I’m happy to take the value in the away side to come out on top.

Bullets to Win

$2.40 (1 Unit)

 

Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers

Wednesday 6:00pm AEDT (Dec 25), MyState Bank Arena

The JackJumpers continued their impressive form with a statement six-point win against United on Monday night at John Cain Arena. That’s now six straight wins for the reigning champs which is double the tally they recorded in their first 11 games of the season. The JackJumpers held up extremely well on the defensive end against United despite being without Will Magnay, while they also put up 90+ points on the other end for the third straight game.

The Breakers season continues to go from bad to worse as they enter Christmas on a whopping seven-game losing streak – the second worst such streak by a team in NBL25. They were at least competitive against the Kings last outing and threatened to come away with the win, but were ultimately outgunned in the final frame. It’s the defensive end which continues to be a huge issue for the Breakers, as they’ve now conceded 90+ points in seven straight outings.

These teams enter Christmas with complete contrasting form lines, with the JackJumpers on a 6W streak and the Breakers a 7L streak. Adding further separation is the JackJumpers also having home court advantage at play. The JackJumpers are also 2-0 against the Breakers this season with wins by 19 and 24 points, and another comfortable win is on the cards here.

JackJumpers -8.5

$1.96 (2 Units)

 

Sydney Kings vs Illawarra Hawks

Wednesday 8:30pm AEDT, (Dec 25), Qudos Bank Arena

The Kings have returned to form at the perfect time as they enter Christmas on a three-game win streak while also victorious in six of their past eight. This return to form has seen them rise all the way into second spot on the ladder and only two games behind first. Last outing the Kings had to dig deep against the Breakers to pull out an eight-point win on the road, and they now return home to QBA where they’ve won each of their last three contests.

The Hawks have emerged as the team to beat in NBL25 on the back of an impeccable 11-5 record which has them two games clear in the standings. They’ve also won each of their last three games as well as five of their past six, meaning they too are in excellent form coming into another edition of the Freeway Series. Perhaps one of their best wins of the season came last outing against the Wildcats whom they destroyed by 32 points, while also limiting the scorching-hot Bryce Cotton to just 13 points on 16 shots.

This is clearly the main course on your Christmas night, with first taking on second in what promises to be an epic showdown. After years of dominance in this matchup for the Kings, it’s been the Hawks who have had the wood over them in the past two seasons. They’ve now won four straight against the Kings including two this season – both of which were seven-point margins. The Hawks have also won three straight at QBA, and it would take a brave human to back against them in this one.

Hawks -1.5

$1.90 (1.5 Units)

Based on the South-West coast of Victoria, Jake has been an avid sports fanatic since he could walk. Aussie Rules, basketball, and soccer are his main three loves, but he's also got a soft spot for countless other sports.

Besides being a major contributor to our sports and fantasy content since 2017, Jake is our Content Manager & Editor and helps to plan and coordinate our team of writers every week. He's also one of the unlucky ones that is a keen Port Adelaide and Phoenix Suns fan, so go easy on him.

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