All teams had the week off last week due to international competitions, which means most players will be well rested and ready to give it their all this weekend. There are plenty of exciting games coming up so join us here as we showcase our NBL betting tips for Round 8!
2017-18 NBL Round 8 Preview & Betting Tips
Sydney Kings Vs Cairns Taipans (Thursday, 30th November 7:30pm AEST)
Every game now falls under the must-win category for the 2-and-9 Kings. They currently hold the worst record in the league and will be desperate to get back on the winners list against a lacklustre Taipans outfit on Thursday. Coach Andrew Gaze will be hoping that the week off will allow his players to come into this one with a fresh mindset and more continuity with their new imports. New signing and reigning league MVP Jerome Randle has poured in 28 and 18 points in his first two games, while big-man Jeremy Tyler has been frustrating in his three outings, struggling to stay focussed and out of foul trouble.
The Taipans (5-6) will be coming into this match expecting to get a win and level up their record at 6-6. They’ve had a mediocre season to date and will be banking on a big second half of the season to claim a position in the post-season. The Taipans will be without their star player Michael Carrera (14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds) until January after injuring his ankle before the break. Although they managed to beat the Taipans by 21-points in their latest match without him, there is no doubt that covering his contributions will prove to be a difficult task over the next couple of weeks.
Simply put, after having the week off to get things right at training and with the addition of Jerome Randle we are expecting the Kings to take care of business at home.
TIP: Sydney Kings at the line (-5.5) - $1.92 at CrownBet
Adelaide 36ers Vs Brisbane Bullets (Friday, 1st December 7:30pm AEST)
The 36ers (5-5) bounced back from a three game losing streak to get an important win before the international break. New import Josh Childress has looked more comfortable playing as the sixth-man in recent games, providing them with a scoring option off the bench. Reigning sixth-man of the year Nathan Sobey will be hoping to have a strong second half of the season after an inconsistent opening ten games. If the 36ers can get their transition game back to where it was at the start of the season they’re a big chance of making some noise in the playoffs.
The Brisbane Bullets (3-6) can count themselves lucky that the Sydney Kings are in the league. Just how poor the Bullets have been seems to have gone under the radar because of the Kings horrendous start. They have lost three of their past four games, but perhaps the most alarming stat is that they are still yet to win a game away from home. They are one of the only teams that are without a true star on their roster who can take control in crunch time.
We are expecting big things from the 36ers in the second half of the season, starting with a big win at home against the Bullets on Friday Night.
TIP: Adelaide 36ers at the line (-7.5) - $1.90 at Sportsbet
Melbourne United Vs Illawarra Hawks (Monday, 4th December 7:30pm AEST)
Melbourne United (5-4) continue to tease us with the flashes of brilliance that we expected their roster to deliver at the beginning of the season. Although their winning record shows that they haven’t been terrible, it’s fair to say that they definitely haven’t lived up to the hype… Yet. They were embarrassed at home against the Wildcats in their latest match, getting thumped from the outset to eventually go down by 32 points. However, United boast a deep roster of experienced and proud players that will be desperate to bounce back here.
The Hawks (5-6) found a bit of form before the break, claiming four wins on the trot before dropping their last match to the Taipans by 21 points. Rotnei Clarke (19 points per game) has seen his MVP odds drop significantly after a string of impressive performances, while AJ Ogilvy (12.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) has been more than handy down low. It’ll be a big test for the Hawks on Monday and either result could go a long way in shaping their season.
We are expecting Melbourne United to have too much fire power for the Hawks on Monday, where they should win comfortably at home.
TIP: Melbourne United at the line (-5.5) – 1.90 at Ladbrokes
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