The 2016-17 NBL season has been interesting so far and there is certainly more interesting match-ups this week as we preview and offer our NBL Round 5 betting tips.
NBL Round 5 Betting Tips
Melbourne United Vs New Zealand Breakers (Friday, November 4th at 7:30pm)
What we have seen from Melbourne United so far this season has been simply tragic. They were once looking like the team to beat. They have Goulding, Jackson, Andersen and Wesley - all the makings of an all-star line up. I will concede Goulding is injured, but they have no other excuses. Jackson was one of the Breakers' leading scorers last season, while NBA and international basketball journey man David Andersen was supposed to be the go-to scorer, yet is only averaging 10 points per game. With recent loses to the Perth Wildcats and the Cairns Taipans, things just aren't looking good for united.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have experienced the performance drop we all expected after the loss of both Jacksons, but it hasn't been a complete disaster. They enjoyed a 26-point win against the Adelaide 36ers last week with Corey Webster and Kirk Penney on fire as they scored a combined 49 points, 5 assists and 8 boards.
Neither team have been overly spectacular so far this season, but the Breakers are looking like they are finding a rhythm. Tom Abercrombie and Akil Mitchell are beginning to present as a dominant force and should be able to contain Melbourne on Friday night.
Tip: New Zealand Breakers at the line (+4.5) - $1.87 at CrownBet
+ Breakers Hd-Hd using CrownBet Special as below
Cairns Taipans Vs Sydney Kings (Saturday, November 5th at 8:30pm)
The Taipans went from zero to hero last weekend.
After being held winless for their first three games, in the blink of an eye they have snatched victories from Melbourne United and the Illawarra Hawks. Mark Worthington was arguablt the spark that lit the Taipans fire, having a huge impact on his team's victories. Unfortunately, I think this quick turn around is going to be short and sweet for the Taipans as they face the Kings on Saturday night.
Sydney are the team to fear this season. After dropping their first game, the Kings are now on a 5-game streak and they aren't finished yet. Steve Blake signed with the Kings last week and didn't waste time making his presence known, aiding in another big victory last week.
We simply can’t look past the Kings. These two team will again face off on Monday the 7th of November and we are expecting the same result - just watch to see if anything major happens during Saturday game that would change how we look at this game. It's going to be a tough weekend for Cairns.
Tip: Sydney Kings -2.5 - $1.88 at CrownBet
+ (depending on Saturday game) Sydney Kings at the line (Monday night)
Perth Wildcats Vs Adelaide 36ers (Sunday, 6 November at 12:30am)
The Wildcats have managed so much success over the years and the majority was on the back of players like Jesse Wagstaff, Matt Knight and Wildcats' captain Damian Martin. So what happens when you take away the 5-time defensive player of the year and his backup Jarrod Kenny? Well it seems they will lose, but only by a slight margins. Martin and Kenny will be out for the next couple of weeks and the Wildcats will have to adapt if they want stay in familiar territory.
Over the in Adelaide camp, meanwhile, Jerome Randle is making a claim for this season's MVP. He currently averages 23 points per game and he doesn't look to be slowing down soon. Nathan Sobey isn't far behind, however, with 18 points per game. Sobey dominated in the 36ers loss to United last week, scoring 32 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals. These two players will be key factors in Adelaide's success this week
With the Wildcats outs, the 36ers should pounce.
Tip: Adelaide 36ers Hd-Hd - $2.40 Using MadBookie 3/4 Time Special
New Zealand Breakers Vs Brisbane Bullets (Sunday, November 6th at 1:00pm)
Off the back of a 3-3 start to the season, the Brisbane Bullets are sitting 3rd on the ladder. They could just as easily be 4-2, however, after a tough loss to the Kings last weekend isn't exactly as clean cut as it appears. While the Kings won 87-78, the Bullets lead at quarter time and were well and truly in it after the 3rd, but faltered in the dying moments. Imports Torrey Craig and Jermaine Beal are really starting to make an impact. Craig dropped 22 against the Kings and is averaging a league best 10 boards per game.
Last time these two teams faced of, the Bullets were victorious. This time around, however, the short turn around for the Breakers will play a huge role. We are expecting the Breakers to fire with the home court advantage, but perhaps some jet lag will take its toll which should see us watching a tight contest.
Tip: Either Team By Less Than 7 Points - $2.28 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!
