Round 9 in NBL25 is a bit of a quieter round with only six games on the schedule, with action taking place across three days (Friday-Sunday). Nevertheless, there are still plenty of games to get excited about and some money to be made. We went 5-2 for +5 units last weekend, taking us to 37025 and +7.9 units for the season. We bring you our best bets for Round 9 below!
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NBL25 Round 9 Preview & Betting Tips
Tasmania JackJumpers vs Brisbane Bullets
Friday 7:30pm AEDT, MyState Bank Arena
Coming off their best win of the season, the JackJumpers will be eyeing off consecutive wins for the first time in NBL25 when they take to the court on Friday night. The JackJumpers took down the then ladder-leading Breakers by 19 points at home last weekend, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process. They did so without Will Magnay and Sean McDonald, both of whom are a realistic chance to return in Round 9.
The Bullets had their pants pulled down on their home floor against United last outing, conceding a whopping 120 points en route to a 17-point defeat. They simply could not get a stop on defensive and conceded 24+ points in all four quarters, which is something you just don’t see very often at this level. Prior to that defeat the Bullets were in some decent form with three wins from their previous four games. The Bullets also have some injury issues to contend with, and currently have three players listed on the official NBL injury list.
Besides backing the unders in all JackJumpers games this season, they’ve been a tough team to bet on due to their inconsistencies on the offensive end. However, the potential return of Sean McDonald is huge for their offence, as he can both shoot the lights out and put it on the deck and create for others. However, even if he’s unavailable, I still fancy the JackJumpers on their home deck. They were fantastic against the Breakers last week and surely they can go on with it here against a mediocre Bullets outfit.
JackJumpers -4.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Perth Wildcats vs South East Melbourne Phoenix
Friday 9:30pm AEDT, RAC Arena
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Cairns Taipans vs New Zealand Breakers
Saturday 5:30pm AEDT, Cairns Convention Centre
The Taipans have had an injury riddled season so far but finally get almost back to full strength for Round 9, with Rob Edwards re-joining the squad after missing last weekend due to suspension. Taran Armstrong and Tanner Groves both returned last weekend but could do little to help their team avoid a cheap defeat on the road against the Phoenix. The Taipans have now lost seven straight games since they began the year with three wins from their first four games.
The Breakers have been the big surprise packet in the first half of the season and won six of their first eight games. However, they came crashing back down to earth in Round 8 when they were handed a 19-point defeat by the JackJumpers. In interesting news, import Freddie Gillespie looks set to depart after being chased by one of the euro league teams. This could lead to Tacko Fall joining the team after the FIBA break next week.
The Breakers have obviously had the far better results so far this season, but I still don’t think they deserve to be starting as the clear favourites on the road against the now healthy Taipans. The Taipans showed early in the season that when they have all their troops they’re more than capable of matching it with anyone. I expect them to be in this up to their eyeballs.
Taipans to Win
$2.59 (1 Unit)
Illawarra Hawks vs Sydney Kings
Saturday 8:00pm AEDT, WIN Entertainment Centre
The Hawks had a rare off game against the rampaging 36ers last weekend as they failed to win a quarter en route to a 14-point road defeat. That made it back-to-back losses for the Hawks while giving up 103 points per contest. The Hawks have had no problem scoring the ball in NBL25 but have experienced difficulty on the defensive end, and come into this contest having given up 82+ points in four straight games.
The Kings have recorded back-to-back wins as they enter Round 9, which has eased tensions for the championship favourites who experienced a three-game skid between Rounds 6-7. Most recently the Kings had to dig themselves out of a double-digit deficit against the Phoenix, which they ended up winning at home by five points. However, the Kings now hit the road where they’ve lost two in a row and three of their past four games.
This should be a cracking contest in the prime-time Saturday night time slot between two legitimate championship contenders. The Hawks have enjoyed recent success in this matchup, winning each of their last three contests, with all three coming at Qudos Bank Arena. Now, finally, the Hawks get their chance to play host which only boosts their chances of more success. With that said, I’m keen to be with the Hawks to make it four in a row against their rival.
Hawks to Win
$1.86 (1.5 Units)
Melbourne United vs Adelaide 36ers
Sunday 2:30pm AEDT, John Cain Arena
It’s a blockbuster clash to open up Sunday’s double-header in the NBL, with two genuine contenders set to lock horns. Melbourne United enter this clash in excellent form having won two in a row and five of their past six games, and this has them sitting second on the ladder and only marginally behind the Breakers. United most recently took care of business on their home deck against the Wildcats, almost entirely thanks to an offensive explosion by Chris Goulding who finished with 46 points.
The Adelaide 36ers have also been in excellent form recently with wins in six of their past eight games, which comes after they started the season 0-2. The import pairing of Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell has been enormous for the 36ers, and is a large part why they’re a lot of people’s championship front runners. The 36ers were winners in their last start against the fancied Hawks, taking them down by 14 points at home.
This is a mouth-watering battle between two of the league’s heavyweights, and I expect it to be highly entertaining and a high-scoring contest. For me, the 36ers represent genuine value in the betting markets, as I feel they’ve been the best team in the competition recently and certainly have the firepower to match it with United here. I’m happy to back them in to at least cover the spread.
36ers +4.5
$1.95 (1.5 Units)
Brisbane Bullets vs Perth Wildcats
Sunday 4:30pm AEDT, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Fresh off a heartbreaking defeat against the JackJumpers on Friday night, the Bullets will be desperate to get back onto the winners list on Sunday when they play host to the Wildcats. The Bullets’ season is beginning to slip away after three defeats from their past four games, and defence continues to be their biggest issue. They’re currently giving up a league high 93.7 points per contest, and that number has only been increasing after recent efforts.
The Wildcats welcomed superstar guard Bryce Cotton back from a five-game absence last outing, and the 4x league MVP came out firing with 33 points in their big win against the in-form Phoenix on Friday night. That made it four straight wins at RAC Arena for the Wildcats, but they must now head on the road where they’ve lost three in a row. The good news for the Wildcats is they’re now fully healthy and are ready to produce their best.
Despite recent struggles away from home, I expected the Wildcats to be shorter in the H2H market here. They are by far the more talented team in this contest and now have all of their big guns firing. The Bullets will need to shoot the ball extremely well to hang with the Wildcats here, although I can’t see them causing the upset.
Wildcats -2.5
$1.95 (1.5 Units)
