The 2016-17 NBL season has reached the Semi-Finals! We have the Adelaide 36ers vs Illawarra Hawks tipping off on Thursday night, while Cairns Taipans vs Perth Wildcats begins Friday night! The teams will play-off in a best-of-three series, with the winners heading to the Grand Final!
2017 NBL Semi-Finals Betting Tips
Adelaide 36ers Vs Illawarra Hawks (Best of 3 Beginning Thursday, September 16th)
In the first NBL Semi-Finals series of 2017 we have the 36ers taking on the Hawks.
Since the halfway point of the season, the 36ers have been dominating the league. shooting themselves to the top of the ladder and securing the minor premiership. That doesn't tell the entire story however. You see, Adelaide hasn't won a game since Round 16. Coming into this series on a four-game losing streak, including a thrilling 3-point loss to the Hawks wont be easy.
Earlier in the week Adelaide star Jerome Randle was named the league MVP and it was a surprise to absolutely noone. Randle played every game this season, notched up an impressive 21 points and 5.32 assists per game with a shooting percentage of 51.4%. We’re expecting Randle to shake off the recent losses and really fire during the post-season. We also can’t forget the huge impact both Nathan Sobey and Daniel Johnson have had. Both averaged above 15 points per game this season. Daniel Johnson also dominated under the rim for Adelaide, averaging 7.27 boards per game.
Illawarra have arguably been the most underrated team this season. Despite being in the top four since Round 8, the Hawks haven't been given the credit they deserve. Rotnei Clark is been a star He’s not the most flashy player, but he comes off the bench strong every game, putting up impressive 6th man numbers and leading the Hawks scoring with 17.36ppg. He will be one of the biggest hurdles the 36ers will have to face this series.
These two teams have played four times this season with the Hawks holding a 3-1 lead. Finishing on top of the ladder has given the 36ers a significant advantage with the 1st and 3rd games of the three-game series being played in Adelaide. The 36ers are 1-1 against the Hawks in Adelaide, but do have a history of losing on their home court.
This one is especially interesting, because both these teams love to score, but are questionable when it comes to defense. We’re expecting this one to go to 3 games, with the Hawks edging out the 36ers in an absolute nail biter. With history on their side and the 36ers current losing streak, we are happy to take the under dogs.
Tip: Illawarra Hawks to win the series 2-1 - $7.50 at Crownbet
Cairns Taipans Vs Perth Wildcats (Best of 3 Beginning Friday, September 17th)
In a pure results sense, the Perth Wildcats are the most successful sporting franchise of all time. They are built on a culture of winning and are currently in familiar waters. Despite having a rocky middle of the season with injuries to key players like Damian Martin, Perth have managed to fight their way into the finals for yet another year extending their post season streak to 31 appearances in a row.
Casey Prather is possibly the best player in the competition. While he only averaged 19.3 points per game, he has the ability to put up some ridiculous numbers. Prather finished the season strong, scoring 55 point across two games. Prather isn't alone when it come to the Wildcats scoring potential, however. Bryce Cotton was a mid-season pickup for the Wildcats and hasn't he paid off, leading the league with a scoring average of 22.09 points per game. Pair those two with the defensive pressure of Damian Martin and you've got yourself a pretty competitive ball team.
Cairns have been on a roller coaster this season. Without sounding to harsh, the Taipans are very lucky to have made it this far. Their season hasn't been to the level of the other semi finalists yet here they are. Travis Trice is their best player and that isn't saying much. Trice averages just 14 points per game and that’s about it. His advantage on the court is and has always been his speed. He moves around the court about as good as anyone. Aside from Trice, the Taipans don't really have much to offer. Nate Jawai is a solid defender, but coming up against his former team we can expect Perth to zone in on his strengths and weaknesses. Perth on the other hand has everything riding for them, plenty of history and with a full strength team we can expect to be seeing them in yet another NBL Final.
Tip: Perth Wildcats to win the series 2-0 - $3.25 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!
