A curveball has been thrown at the Sydney Kings who now find themselves in a do or die situation against the Cairns Taipans on Sunday. The drama never stops in NBL23 and this game will be one you better not miss!
Jake Smit previews the elimination game and provides his analysis and best bet below. And be sure to check out our NBL Tips page regularly to find our best bets for every finals game in NBL23!
Sydney Kings vs Cairns Taipans Preview & Betting Tips
Sunday Feb 19, 2pm AEDT, Qudos Bank Arena
There was drama aplenty in Game 2 between the Cairns Taipans and the Sydney Kings on Friday night. It was a game jam-packed with injuries, ejections, and cheeseburgers, but it was the Taipans who finished the night with smiles on their faces.
The Taipans were the better team from start to finish and thoroughly deserved their 11-point win (93-82). The wire-to-wire victory kept their season alive and has set up a single elimination game on Sunday, with the winner progressing to the Championship series.
There was a lot to dissect from a Kings perspective post-game. Coach Chase Buford copped two separate fines for some of his antics that saw him thrown from the game in the fourth quarter. However, he’s free to coach on Sunday after escaping suspension.
Recent MVP winner Xavier Cooks missed most of the second half due to an ankle injury. He looked in agony when he rolled it at the start of the third quarter and was put on ice late in the fourth. The feeling is that if the game had of been closer he would’ve returned, so you can expect he’ll be suiting up for Sunday’s decider.
Speaking of injuries, Taipans captain Tahjere McCall made a successful return from his on Friday night. He finished with a line of 20/4/7 and even laced two triples. More importantly, he got through the game unscathed and will be fit for Game 3.
DJ Hogg continued his stellar form with another Player of the Game. He had a line of 25/8/4 and was their focal point on offence right from the opening tip.
With Cooks limited to 20 minutes and only scoring five points, others had to step up for the Kings. Derick Walton Jr. tried his best to fill the void with 22 points and six assists, while Justin Simon had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite securing the win in Game 2 and taking their season record against the Kings to 3-2, the Taipans are set to start as the big underdogs in their upcoming clash at Qudos Bank Arena.
And while I agree the Kings should be the favourites in the head-to-head market on their home deck, I don’t believe they should be starting 6.5-point favourites.
With that said, I’m keen to back the underdogs to cover the spread in what should be a cracking game.
Cairns Taipans +6.5
$1.86 (1 Unit)
