Round 1 of the brand new NBL25 season is here! Action gets underway on Thursday night with a Grand Final rematch between Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers. Will United get revenge, or can the JackJumpers inflict further pain? We bring you our full game preview and best bet below!
Also, we’re providing previews and expert betting tips for every game of the NBL25 season, so make sure to head over to our NBL Tips page regularly to keep up to date with all of our content.
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NBL25 Round 1 Preview & Betting Tips
Melbourne United vs Tasmania JackJumpers
Thursday 8:30pm AEST, September 19th, RAC Arena (Perth)
Melbourne United enter this season with a bitter taste in their mouth after coming devastatingly close to winning the NBL24 championship. They finished on top in the regular season and were favourites to lift the trophy, but came up two points short in the deciding game of the championship series.
The bring back a similar core for NBL25 with the likes of Chris Goulding, Matthew Dellavedova, Shea Ili, and Ian Clark all tasked with playing a big role in their title tilt once again, while the sparingly used Flynn Cameron should see an uptick in minutes after showing plenty of promise.
United did lose a couple of gun players in the offseason, including big man duo Ariel Hukporti and Jo Lual-Acuil, as well as the versatile Luke Travers. Coming in to fill the void in the paint is Marcus Lee who returns to Melbourne after playing with the JackJumpers last season. Jack White also returns after spending the last couple of seasons with the Nuggets in the NBA.
United showed some solid form in the NBL Blitz where they won 2/3 of their games. Ili was the standout performer for the team and led the Blitz in assists, while also showcasing the defensive instincts that saw him take home the Defensive Player of the Year award last season.
Meanwhile, the Tasmania JackJumpers enter NBL25 with a target on their back as the reigning champions. They’ve gone from the hunter to the hunted and are a team all the other nine coaches would’ve scouted heavily in the offseason.
Going back-to-back is already a tough feat in such a competitive league, but that task becomes even tougher when you lose your best player, which is exactly what happened to the JackJumpers with Jack McVeigh’s departure.
New import Craig Sword was recruited to fill the void and while he should be a great addition, he’ll be missing on Thursday night after entering concussion protocols. In more bad news, Scott McDonald hurt his ankle last week and is set to miss the next three months.
Indeed, the JackJumpers are up against it to start the season, although they still have plenty of talent available with the likes of Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford, and Will Magnay running in back in the 2024-25 season.
Game Prediction: United are currently priced as the very short favourites to get their revenge in the opening game of the season, and they’re giving up a 7.5 point start in the handicap market. However, I think that line is 2-3 points too high even with the JackJumpers injuries. The JackJumpers still have plenty of talent ready to suit up and I’m not entirely sold on the roster United have put together this season.
I’m also keen to have something on the unders in this clash as it’s the first game of the season and the cobwebs will need to be blown out. On top of that, United lost a lot of scoring power in the offseason with Travers and JLA departing, and the incoming White isn’t known for putting up big numbers on offence. Likewise, the JackJumpers lost their best scorer in McVeigh and will be without their best three-point shooter in McDonald. Both of these clubs were in the top tier in defensive rankings last season, and I’m expecting that to transfer over into NBL25.
Also Backing: Under 172.5 Points $1.86 (0.5 Units)
Tasmania JackJumpers +7.5
$1.80 (0.5 Units)
