It's been hard to guess what's going to happen next during the 2016-17 NBL season which certainly keeps it interesting! Hopefully we can snag a few winners with our Round 14 betting tips.
NBL Round 14 Betting Tips
Adelaide 36ers Vs Illawarra Hawks (Thursday, January 5th at 7pm AEDT)
Ladder leaders the Adelaide 36ers are set to take on the third-placed Illawarra Hawks. However, the 36ers suffered a shocking 31-point loss to Melbourne United last week. Jerome Randle had 21 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds. The Issues came from a lack of discipline and concentration with 21 turnovers resulting in Melbourne scoring 31 points - the exact winning margin. We have to assume this was just a blip in their radar and not a true representation of their season so far.
The Hawks, meanwhile, have slowly been building and building on their season. They did suffer a set-back last weekend, going down to the Perth Wildcats by 8 points. Captain Oscar Forman (pictured) again elevated his game dropping 20 points, including six 3-pointers, in his 19 minutes.
This one will be worth the watch. The 36ers should bounce back with a win, while we think the Hawks are good enough to keep it a tight contest.
Tip: 36ers / Hawks - Either By Less Than 7 - $2.46 at CrownBet
Cairns Taipans Vs New Zealand Breakers (Friday, January 6 at 6:30pm AEDT)
The Breakers have suffered another setback with guard Corey Webster being ruled out for the season. Webster is just another in a long line of Breakers' players who are currently injured. The Breakers have brought in former NBA D league Paul Carter. He will hopefully add some stability for this now young side. During the Breakers 5-point loss the the Kings last week, Carter in his first NBL appearance contributed 14 points, 5 boards and 3 assists.
A couple of quick losses last weekend and the Taipans have slipped back into 8th position. Their results saw a last minute one-point loss to Melbourne United quickly followed by a 17-point loss to the Brisbane Bullets. With only Travis Trice as a consistent shooter, it looks like the losses will continue.
Tip: New Zealand Breakers to win - $2.36 at CrownBet
Illawarra Hawks Vs Melbourne United (Saturday, January 7 at 5:30pm AEDT)
Another 30 points for Casper, 20 for Goulding and 9 for Boone. Melbourne were certainly firing on all cylinders on Monday night. They took advantage of every opportunity on their way to a striking 31-point victory against the Adelaide 36ers. With this current lineup, most teams will struggle to defend against Melbourne's scoring prowess.
Coming off what will likely be a tight clash against the 36ers, the Hawks shouldn't be too much trouble for United. There is a chance this one plays out as a one-sided affair.
Tip: Melbourne United at the line (-2.5) - $1.91 at CrownBet
Sydney Kings Vs Perth Wildcats (Saturday, 7 January 7:30pm AEDT)
After a string of losses, the Sydney Kings were finally able to break through with a win against the Breakers . During the 85-80 victory, Josh Cadee was the standout for the Kings. He shot 22 points 3 boards and 2 steals. The most surprising aspect of the game was Kevin Lisch who shot 1-14 from the field. Lisch luckily made up for it nailing six free throws in the dying minute.
Working with a depleted roster, the Perth Wildcats seemed to have solved the puzzle against the Hawks. Dexter Kernich-Drew and Jesse Wagstaff scored a combined 33 points off the bench which took some of the pressure off Casey Prather who had a relatively slow night scoring 19 points and 2 rebounds.
Kevin Lisch is potentially the hardest working player in the NBL. We can not imagine him having another down game. we’re expecting Lisch to come out firing and lead Sydney to back-to-back victories.
Tip: Sydney Kings at the line (-3.5) - $1.85 at CrownBet
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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!