Round 11 in NBL25 continues on Friday night with another double-header for us to dive into. Second up on the night is a battle out West, with the Perth Wildcats set to play host to the Illawarra Hawks in a heavyweight showdown. There’s plenty of stars in action in this one, and we’ve provided 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.
NBL25 Round 11 Preview & Betting Tips
Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks
Friday 9:30pm AEDT, RAC Arena
The Perth Wildcats were firing on all cylinders in Round 10 where they posted a combined 240 points across their two games. That resulted in easy wins against both the Bullets and the Breakers at RAC Arena, making it six straight wins in the Jungle. The Wildcats are now sitting in fifth spot in the standings and can finish the night as high as third with a win.
It was simply the Bryce Cotton show in the final game of Round 10, with the four-time League MVP pouring in a record-breaking 59 points against the Breakers. He’s well and truly over the rib injury that forced him out of multiple game weeks earlier in the season; however, the bad news on the injury front is Keanu Pinder missed last start with illness and his return date is still to be confirmed.
The Illawarra Hawks had mixed results in their double game week in Round 10. They returned from the FIBA break with an emphatic 38-point win at home against the Breakers, but couldn’t back it up on the road a couple of days later when falling to the Phoenix by three points. Still, the Hawks are sitting pretty in second spot on the ladder with an 8-5 record.
Tyler Harvey was in ripping form again in Round 10 and almost single-handedly pulled hi side across the line against the Phoenix. He’s scored in double-figures in every game this season and has displayed the desired consistency that has been lacking in years gone by.
For the most part, the Hawks have had a blessed run with health in NBL25 and that’s a key reason for their success to date. Role player, Dan Grida is the only name on the official NBL injury list but he could be back as early as next weekend.
Game Prediction: This is a high calibre matchup we have on our hand to cap off Friday night’s double-header, and it’s one I’m really looking forward to. The Wildcats have been in irresistible form on their home deck for a while now, and have won each of their past six games in front of their home fans. However, the Hawks have had great success in this matchup with wins in three of their past four meetings, one of which was in Perth.
I’m a big fan of Justin Tatum’s coaching prowess, particularly on the defensive end. He’s one of few coaches in the league that has had tremendous success limiting Cotton’s impact. His side has kept the little superstar to an average of 13 points across their past three contests in which he’s played, all of which resulted in wins for the Hawks. If Tatum and his crew can keep Cotton relatively quiet once again here, then they should have enough firepower to snap their home winning streak.
Hawks to Win
$2.14 (1 Unit)
