The New Zealand Breakers announced themselves as true championship contenders in Round 6, defeating the reigning champion Perth Wildcats twice! There are plenty more exciting games coming up this weekend, so join us here as we look forward to the upcoming games and preview our NBL betting tips for Round 7!
2017-18 NBL Round 7 Preview & Betting Tips
Illawarra Hawks Vs Sydney Kings (Thursday, 16th November 7:30pm AEST)
The Illawarra Hawks (4-5) are one of the hottest teams in the competition at the moment and have won their last 3 games by big margins. They secured perhaps their best win of the season in Round 6 when they defeated the 36ers 96-87 on the road. Rotnei Clarke continued his scorching hot form by dropping 24 points along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists, while fellow import Demetrius Conger had his best game for the Hawks since arriving, finishing with a game high 26 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Sydney Kings (2-7) had another disappointing result in Round 7, losing by 18 points to Melbourne United, while allowing them to score a whopping 108 points. The loss to United made it 3 defeats in a row for Andrew Gaze’s men, who will be hoping to get last season’s MVP Jerome Randle suited up for the trip to Illawarra. There’s no doubt that Randle will pose a huge threat for opposition teams on offense, however, the main issues for the Kings revolve around their defence, or lack thereof. Mid-season recruit Jeremy Tyler gave the Kings some decent minutes off the bench last week, but will be hoping to have a bigger influence in this week’s games.
Although the Hawks lost to the Kings in their match earlier in the season, there’s no doubting that the Hawks are a different outfit now and are oozing with confidence. If they can keep up their hot form they should blow the Kings out of the water in this one.
Tip: Illawarra Hawks at the line (-2.5) - $1.91 at CrownBet
Adelaide 36ers Vs Sydney Kings (Saturday, 18th November 5:30pm AEST)
The Adelaide 36ers (4-5) are facing some of their own struggles and have lost their last 3 games to sit in 4th place in the standings. After starting the season at 4-2 they have struggled to get their transition offense working to full effect, as coaches around the league are aware that stopping them on fast breaks is the key to success. Last season’s Most Improved Player Nathan Sobey is currently in a form slump, which has seen him tossed out of the starting line-up by Coach Joey Wright on occasions. The 76ers Achilles heel has long been their defence, however, in recent games it has been deplorable, allowing 90+ points in their last 3 games. Despite all the negatives, Coach Wright’s men will come up against a team that is in a worse position than them and will see this game as a must win in front of their home fans.
As mentioned above, the Sydney Kings (2-7) have been struggling to get consistent stops on the defensive end this season. They have conceded 90+ points in every game except one (conceding 87) and are coming off a dismal 108-90 loss on the weekend. Although Coach Gaze will be putting plans in place to address their deficiencies, this will be an ongoing process and not one that can be fixed overnight.
With both teams struggling on the defensive end we can see this one being a high-scoring affair. You would be a brave man to back Sydney away from home, even with their new recruits. We expect Adelaide to bounce back and secure a comfortable win at home here.
Tip: Adelaide 36ers at the line (-3.5) - $1.90 at Sportsbet
Melbourne United Vs Perth Wildcats (Sunday, 19th November 3:00pm AEST)
Melbourne United (5-4) had a mixed bag in Round 6, losing away to the Taipans by 23 points on Thursday and bouncing back to defeat the Kings by 18 points at home on Saturday. Inconsistency is becoming a regular theme for United, who haven’t been able to string together more than two wins yet this season, despite showing glimpses of the dominant force that everyone thought they would be in the 2017-18 season. As disappointing as they have been they’re still 3rd in the standings and will see this game against the reigning champions as a chance to kick-start their season.
The Perth Wildcats (5-3) are coming off a very disappointing week where they lost twice to the New Zealand Breakers. Bryce Cotton (17.8 points per game) and JP Tokoto (17.3) have been their only reliable options on offense so far this season and didn’t get enough help from their role players in Round 6. Although they’re coming off consecutive losses, they are still the reigning champions and pose a threat on any given night. They managed to claim a narrow victory over United in Perth earlier this season, however, facing them on their own turf is a greater challenge.
Although Melbourne United have been inconsistent, we feel that they will have the edge over the Wildcats at home on Sunday. The Wildcats travelled to New Zealand and back in Round 6 and now have to travel all the way to Melbourne, which would give even the most conditioned athletes some form of fatigue. We expect United to cover the line here.
Tip: Melbourne United at the line (-2.5) - $1.90 at Sportsbet
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