After seven weeks the 2016-17 NBL season is starting to heat up as teams jostle for position in the race for glory. Yet again the latest action starts on Thursday night, so make sure not to miss our NBL Round 8 preview and betting tips!
NBL Round 8 Betting Tips
Brisbane Bullets Vs Adelaide 36ers (Thursday, November 24th at 6:30pm)
Torrey Craig is lighting it up for the Bullets. He is averaging 16 points per game and 9 rebounds. Last week during Brisbane’s 105-87 victory against the 36ers, Craig elevated once again with a bone shattering 34 points and 11 boards. Offensively his impact can’t be missed, but it was his defensive efforts that sealed the deal for the Bullets.
Adelaide, meanwhile, got off on the wrong foot. last week. They were out played in the first, trailing by 12 points at the break. Jerome Randle had minimal impact with a devastatingly low 7 points. Randle was the leading scorer in the league, but a recent lack of form has followed the downturn of the 36ers.
A lack of depth is costing the 36ers dearly. Sure they have Nathan Sobey and Daniel Johnson who scored 24 and 20 respectively. But inefficient players like Anthony Drmic are costing the 36ers, while the spiraling form of Jerome Randle means the 36ers are unlikely to overthrow any team.
Tip: Brisbane Bullets at the line (-7.5) - $1.97 at CrownBet
Melbourne United Vs Sydney Kings (Saturday, November 26th at 7:30pm)
Where to start - the return of Chris Goulding, or the spectacular debut of Casper Ware. After more that a month off the court, Goulding had a blinder on Friday night. He was dropping them from everywhere, scoring 30 points in just over 30 minutes combined with 5 boards. Ware, meanwhile, is the newly minted Melbourne United guard who was brought into replace Cedrick Jackson. Ware dropped 12 points and 6 assists. Watching Ware and Goulding play off each other and its clear Melbourne United’s season is far from over. CJ wasn't a big shooter, so opposition defenders knew they didn't have to guard him, meaning Goulding was often double teamed. Ware, however, has a pretty solid jumper which means Goulding is freed up and able to attack.
Sydney is still leading the league and is not hard to see why. No other team spreads the workload like the Kings. Kevin Lisch, Brad Newley and Greg Whittington are all having great seasons, but credit can also go to the bench players like Josh Powell and Steve Blake who combined for 21 points 6 boards and 4 assists during the Kings 9 point victory over the Wildcats 83-72.
This one should be a tight, interesting contest.
Tip: Either team by less than 7 - $2.18 at CrownBet
Cairns Taipans Vs New Zealand Breakers (Sunday, November 27th at 2:00pm)
The Breakers are coming off a double last week against the Illawarra Hawks. During game one, the Breakers looked as clinical as ever with Kirk Penney scoring 19 points to lead them to a 15-point victory. It was game two where things got interesting. The Hawks have been relatively relevant this season and a quick lineup change saw the Breakers exposed and unable to reset. This isn't a flawing their game style as much as a lack of preparedness. We aren't writing them off just yet.
The Taipans were out-played by Melbourne last week. A big third quarter was the only reason this game wasn't a blowout. Nathan Jawai and Mark Worthington kept Cairns in the hunt, but ultimately another poor start cost them the game.
At this critical stage of the competition, NZ will be looking to send a message to the rest of the league. Unfortunately for Cairns fans, they will have to watch as their team go down to the Breakers.
Tip: New Zealand Breakers by 7+ - $2.60 at CrownBet
Perth Wildcats Vs Illawarra Hawks (Sunday, November 27th at 7:00pm)
This season is going from bad to worse for the Wildcats. Matt Knight has been added to the long list of injured players which includes captain Damian Martin. While other teams are pushing for mid-season runs, the Wildcats are just trying to hold on. Jarrod Kenny’s return last week, meanwhile, was less than spectacular. Kenny managed only 3 points in his 27 minutes, along with 5 assists and a disappointing 4 turn overs.
The Hawks reshuffle seemed to work magic against the Breakers last weekend. Kevin White and Cody Ellis were elevated to starters with Rotnei Clarke and Nick Kay being pushed to the pine. The bench didn't deter Clarke who shot 22 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Overall the Hawks began to produce and were able to race away from the Breakers 109-78.
This one is interesting. If these two teams play the same game as last week, the Hawks will win convincingly. Let’s hope last week wasn't just a flash in the pan.
Tip: Illawarra Hawks Hd to Hd - $2.44 at CrownBet
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
