Five rounds of the NBL25 season have now been played which means we have a decent sample size to assess team’s performances. Last round we nailed 4/6 of our plays for +1.7U, taking us to 25-14 and +7.13U for the season.
We now turn our attention to Round 6 of NBL25 which is absolutely jam-packed with games. We get double-headers on all four days between Thursday-Sunday and of course, we have you covered with our free previews and tips for each clash!
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!
NBL25 Round 6 Preview & Betting Tips
New Zealand Breakers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
Thursday 5:30pm AEDT, Wolfbrook Arena
The Breakers returned to NBL action last round after spending a fortnight in America as part of the NBLxNBA series. It was a mixed bag for the Breakers in their return, as they kicked things off with an 11-point loss against the Bullets before bouncing back with a four-point win against the Cotton-less Wildcats. The Breakers are now second on the ladder at 3-1, but have played between 1-3 games less than all other teams.
The Phoenix parted ways with coach Mike Kelly prior to Round 5 and it paid immediate dividends, as interim coach Sam Mackinnon led the Phoenix to a win over United in the Throwdown. With that, the Phoenix now have the monkey off their back in NBL25 and will welcome new permanent head coach Josh King to town this week.
Although the ladder says this is 2nd vs 10th, I feel these clubs are a lot closer together than that, and I would argue the Phoenix actually have a more talented roster – it’s just about them formulating the right game plan, which is what coach King is now tasked with doing.
I’m not sold on the Breakers form just yet, as their three wins have been by a combined 10 points and they haven’t played any of the top contenders yet. I see this as a fantastic opportunity for the Phoenix to string rare wins together, and I expect them to at least be covering the spread here.
Phoenix +5.5
$1.90 (1 Unit)
Illawarra Hawks vs Melbourne United
Thursday 7:50pm AEDT, WIN Entertainment Centre
Click here for our full game preview and best bet!
Adelaide 36ers vs Cairns Taipans
Friday 7:30pm AEDT, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
The 36ers had a minor lapse against United in the backend of Round 4, but made amends with a gritty four-point win against the JackJumpers last weekend to make it four wins from their past five games. Montrezl Harrell was enormous once again last outing, and Jarell Martin returned to the floor after missing the start of the season with injury.
The Taipans have had their injury worries in NBL25 and that’s impacted their performance substantially in recent weeks. They’ve lost their last three games by a combined 41 points and two of those defeats came on their home floor. Star guard Taran Armstrong will miss again this weekend, while there’s still no update on Tanner Groves.
These clubs met in Cairns in Round 2 and it was the Snakes who came away with the chocolates with a four-point win (101-97). Rob Edwards was huge for the winners with 31 points, while DJ Vasiljevic had 24 points for the 36ers.
A lot has transpired in the three weeks since that clash and it’s the 36ers who are the deserving short-priced favourites this time around. They now have a fully healthy roster and are littered with talent and on current form, I expect them to be too good for the Snakes on Friday night.
36ers -5.5
$1.83 (1.5 Units)
Perth Wildcats vs Sydney Kings
Friday 9:30pm AEDT, RAC Arena
Click here for our full game preview and best bet!
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Illawarra Hawks
Saturday 5:30pm AEDT, John Cain Arena
The Phoenix remained perfect under interim head coach Sam Mackinnon with a dominant win against the Breakers in New Zealand on Thursday night. Despite being without star point guard Derrick Walton Jr., the Phoenix ran away 26-point winners to make it back-to-back wins after starting the season 0-5. Mackinnon will remain in charge for Saturday night’s game before new head coach Josh King takes over next weekend.
The Hawks took on a Melbourne United team on Thursday night that was without both Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova, yet still couldn’t get the chocolates as they lost by five points. That put an end to their mini two-game win streak, although they remain on top of the ladder with their 5-2 record. Unfortunately, MVP candidate Trey Kell picked up a back injury against United and won’t play on Saturday.
The Phoenix were ultra-impressive against the Breakers and now get the opportunity to make it three wins in a row, and their chances of doing that improve dramatically with Kell on the sidelines. I expected the odds to be closer to 50/50 for this contest, and am happy to be with the Phoenix to cover the handicap as a result.
Phoenix +4.5
$1.91 (1 Unit)
Brisbane Bullets vs Tasmania JackJumpers
Saturday 8:00pm AEDT, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
The Bullets began their campaign with three straight losses but have found their footing in NBL25 with back-to-back wins. They took care of the Phoenix in Round 4 and backed it up in Round 5 with an 11-point win against the Breakers. The Bullets are now knocking on the door of the top six and a win on Saturday night could see them climb to as high as fifth by round’s end.
The JackJumpers suffered their third straight defeat last weekend when they went down by four points against the 36ers. Their offensive struggles continued as they put up only 73 points, and they’ve now reached 80+ just once in regulation this campaign. The JackJumpers are now 2-5 and sit last in the standings.
The JackJumpers are in a rut right now but they still have plenty of quality, and I believe they have a significant talent advantage over the Bullets. I’m still not sold the Bullets are the real deal despite recent wins, an I’m happy to oppose them and back in the reigning champs.
JackJumpers to Win
$2.20 (1.5 Units)
Sydney Kings vs New Zealand Breakers
Sunday 2:30pm AEDT, Qudos Bank Arena
The Kings came up short in their opening game of Round 6, losing to the Cotton-less Wildcats by three points. Xavier Cooks was excellent with a 22/11/6 stat line but the rest of the Kings starters combined for just six points. The Kings are now 5-3 on the season and sit in third spot on the ladder. Jaylen Adams missed Friday’s game with a back injury but is expected to suit up on Sunday.
The Breakers dished up their worst performance of the young season on Thursday when they were destroyed at home by the Phoenix to the tune of 26 points. Parker Jackson-Cartwright did as he always does and led the way with 19 points and six assists, but the rest of his squad struggled mightily. The Breakers have also been hit hard by the injury bug but still have a healthy 3-2 record.
In my opinion, the Breakers have the least talented squad in the NBL this season and with injuries also mounting up, this is a very tough ask on Sunday. With Adams also expected to return for the Kings, I have them winning easily at home.
Kings -8.5
$1.85 (1 Unit)
Melbourne United vs Cairns Taipans
Sunday 4:30pm AEDT, John Cain Arena
Down a number of key troops and up against the league-leading Hawks on Thursday, Melbourne United were able to defy the odds and come away with a gritty five-point win on the road. Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova were both sidelined with injury, although the latter is a chance to return on Sunday and is currently listed as a game-time decision. Regardless, United have plenty of depth to cover injuries as we saw on Thursday night.
The Taipans, on the other hand, don’t quite have the luxury of depth as their upcoming opponents. They’ve been hit hard by injuries this season and will be without Taran Armstrong, Tanner Groves, and potentially even Pedro Bradshaw on Sunday. The Snakes lost in overtime against the 36ers in their opening game of Round 6, making it four straight losses on the season.
The Snakes have had the wood over United in recent seasons but they’re a few too many key troops down on Sunday to get the chocolates this time around. I expect United to right some wrongs with a big win at JCA.
Melbourne United -7.5
$1.90 (1 Unit)
