It's been an exciting start to the 2022-23 NBL season with the reigning champions, the Sydney Kings, sitting atop the NBL ladder after three rounds. The Perth Wildcats have started strong, while the New Zealand Breakers and Cairns Taipans have been the surprise packets of the season so far with just one loss apiece. At the other end of the ladder, the Brisbane Bullets are under pressure as the only team yet to record a win so far this season.
Round 4 looks another good one, highlighted by the Friday night prime time clash beeen the Sydney Kings and the Adelaide 36ers.
Greg Davis is ready to roll with his preview and NBL betting tips for this contest below!
Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers Preview & Betting Tips
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Friday, October 21st, 7.30pm (AEDT)
The Sydney Kings may not be giving away free tacos this Friday night.
But the clash with the Adelaide 36ers at Qudos Bank Arena promises to be one spicy enchilada.
Sydney owner Paul Smith lit the fuse for what was already a highly anticipated NBL blockbuster by sounding off at the 36ers who stunned the basketball world when they beat NBA team Phoenix in the US earlier this month in a pre-season hit out.
“Those Adelaide 36ers…they dead-set think they’re the Golden State Warriors. They’re talking themselves up so hard,’’ Smith said on Sydney radio this week.
“I’m glad we’ve seen them recover a bit from their trip to the States because I’d have hated to have played them and kicked their (butts) and them say they’re jetlagged or whatever. It’s going to be great."
Not content with that broadside, he added sarcastically, “I can assure you we’re scared. We’re frightened, I can’t sleep I’m that nervous”.
Call Smith’s comments what you like - over-confident, cocky, arrogant.
But the Kings have made a habit of walking the walk after Smith has talked the talk in recent times.
The reigning champions are on top of the NBL ladder after three rounds with a 4-1 record after they split their games against the Queensland clubs last weekend.
After a shock loss to Cairns at home, they out-hustled and out-muscled the winless Brisbane who were not physically or mentally up for the fight at either end of the floor.
Import Justin Simon was the star against the last-placed Bullets but the thing with the Kings is that any number of players – Xavier Cooks, Derrick Walton Jnr and DJ Vasiljevic to name a few – can be the match-winner on any given night.
Kings head coach Chase Buford challenged his team to be mentally and physically tougher against the Bullets and they responded emphatically. But he still wants more attention to detail when it comes to rebounding so they can be “monsters’ in transition.
So, you know the Kings will be up for this.
After suffering a 97-72 loss to Tasmania just days after arriving back from the US, the 36ers found their land legs and claimed a 10-point win over Illawarra.
Adelaide got serious in the off-season and recruited top-line US imports Antonius Cleveland, Craig Randall II and Robert Franks to join A-grade Aussie talent such as Mitch McCarron and Daniel Johnson.
So, expectations are high for the CJ Bruton-coached 36ers in the 2022-23 season. You expect them to be there or thereabouts when the whips are cracking given the talent at their disposal.
But the Kings may be a little too tough for them at home right now after getting back into their regal groove against the Bullets.
Alternative bet: Under 175.5 total points - $1.90 at TAB
Sydney Kings to win 11+ points
$3.15
