We're getting closer to finals time as the 2022-23 NBL season kicks off Round 16 with the Tasmania JackJumpers hosting the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Launceston on Wednesday night.
The JackJumpers are in the top four and looking to hold their spot while the Phoenix are struggling on a five-game losing streak. Can they turn things around in the Silverdome?
Greg Davis is crashing the rims with his preview and NBL betting tips for the JackJumpers and Phoenix below.
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Tasmania JackJumpers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix Betting Tips
Silverdome, Launceston, Wednesday 7.30pm (AEDT)
Memo to the DJ looking after the music for Wednesday’s crunch match between Tasmania and South East Melbourne.
Do your JackJumpers a favour and get inside the heads of the visitors by playing Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’”. Often.
Because it perfectly sums up how the Phoenix are travelling right now.
South East Melbourne appeared to be on track for a top four berth with their star Mitch Creek in the frame for MVP honours.
However, things have taken a turn for the worst with the Phoenix now on a five-game losing streak to be in seventh place on the ladder with the 84-79 loss to the Brisbane Bullets on Monday night the new rock bottom for the men in lime.
South East Melbourne hit just four of 24 from three-point land as the second-worst team in the competition – that lost by 49 to Sydney less than a week earlier – kept the Phoenix to just 16 points in the last quarter.
The Bullets scored just 13 points themselves in the third term but still found a way to beat the home side who were playing in front of a sellout crowd at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne.
The loss also allowed cross-town rival Melbourne United to sneak into the top six to add salt to the already gaping wounds at the Phoenix.
If you cannot beat Brisbane, do you deserve to play finals basketball? Probably not. And at this stage, they probably won't, given they have title aspirants Tasmania, Perth, Cairns and Sydney waiting for them in the run home.
All four of those teams are above them on the ladder and will smell the blood in the water as Phoenix’s offence is clunkier than a second-hand lawnmower with their defence flimsier than a wet paper bag.
Tasmania have a little momentum with a two-game winning streak, the last victory a 98-82 thumping of Adelaide with silky smooth import Milton Doyle pouring in 28 points for the Jackies who are still in the hunt for a top four spot.
It is hard to see how the Phoenix – who have a terrible 3-9 road record – can turn things around in the space of 48 hours against a JackJumpers outfit that is starting to warm up.
Basketball can be a funny old game but not that funny. South East Melbourne look so devoid of confidence and any sort of fluency as their campaign crashes and burns.
If Tasmania are serious about making an impact in the play-offs again this season, they should take care of business here just like they pumped the Phoenix 99-74 on New Year’s Day in Hobart.
JackJumpers Win By 11+
$3.00
