Round 5 in NBL27 continues on Thursday night with an important game between the Brisbane Bullets and the South East Melbourne Phoenix. The Bullets will be without their lead guard in Arnas Velicka due to injury, which means the Bullets will start as the big underdogs on their home floor.
Check out our Bullets vs Phoenix preview below and head to our NBL tips page for tips for every match this season!
Brisbane Bullets vs SE Melbourne Phoenix Prediction and Betting Tips: NBL27 Round 5
Brisbane Bullets Searching for a Home Spark
Brisbane return to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre looking to stop a three-game slide after their promising start under Will Weaver. The Bullets won their opening two matches but have slipped to 2–3 following defeats to Sydney, Tasmania and Cairns, most recently going down 97–91 against the Taipans. Losing Arnas Velicka is a significant setback, particularly with replacement signing Raul Neto not yet available. Captain Mitch Norton’s 400th NBL appearance adds some extra significance to Thursday night, but Brisbane need more than an emotional lift. Finding a way to keep their offence flowing without their import point guard is the immediate challenge.
Phoenix Looking to Finish the Job
South East Melbourne have their own frustration to channel after surrendering a 15-point lead against Melbourne United, leaving Josh King’s side at 2–4. There were encouraging signs from D’Shawn Schwartz, who contributed 19 points, three rebounds and three assists, but the Phoenix need to turn those promising stretches into complete performances. Their frontcourt is stretched for this trip, with Jordan Hunter unavailable following the birth of his son and Hunter Goodrick still sidelined with knee pain. That makes containing Tyrell Harrison a tougher assignment, although Daniel Foster’s return from back soreness provides a welcome boost to the rotation.
Bullets vs Phoenix Tip: Back South East Melbourne to Respond
The Phoenix’s depleted frontcourt gives Brisbane an opening through Harrison, so this is no straightforward assignment. However, Velicka’s absence leaves the Bullets with a major playmaking gap, and Neto’s arrival will not solve it in time for Thursday. South East Melbourne showed against United that they can build a sizeable lead; the challenge now is maintaining their composure when the opposition responds. I expect Brisbane to compete hard on Norton’s milestone night, but the visitors should have enough offensive options to make the hosts chase the game. I’m backing the Phoenix to finish stronger and cover the line.
SEM Phoenix -7.5
$1.94 (1.5 Units)
Bullets vs Phoenix Dabble Pick‘Em
We’ve put together a 3-Leg Dabble Pick’Em for the Bullets vs Phoenix clash that you can follow via the link below! You can also learn more about Dabble’s Pick’Em feature here.
Nate Hinton - Over 20.5 Points
Nathan Sobey - Over 20.5 Points
Skylar Mays - Over 4.5 Assists
Dabble Pick‘Em Odds Multiplier: 6.5x ($10 to win $65) - Click here to get involved!
Bullets vs Phoenix Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Thursday, October 15th, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Location: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, QLD
Odds: Bullets $3.17 vs Phoenix $1.36
Line: -7.5
Points: 188.5
Where to Watch Bullets vs Phoenix
You can watch the Bullets vs Phoenix live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
Back In our NBL27 Tips at Dabble!
Not familiar with Dabble and want to learn more about what they offer? Check out our full Dabble review here, or by clicking the banner below.
