There’s a huge round 15 of NBL action set to kick off shortly, with eight games scheduled to play out from Wednesday through to Monday. As usual, we’ve looked into each and every match-up thoroughly to find some value markets to make a play on. So without further ado, here’s our best betting tips for NBL Round 15! Good luck to everyone following.
NBL Round 15 Betting Tips
Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks (Wednesday 7:50pm AEDT)
First up in a really busy round we’ve got Melbourne United hosting the Illawarra Hawks at Melbourne Arena on Wednesday night. There’s sure to be a fantastic buzz in the air with the Australian Open quarter finals taking place next door to what was formerly known as Hisense Arena.
Melbourne United comes into this clash in some disappointing form. They’ve lost three of their last four games and have slipped into the danger zone in the standings. They may still be in second place, but they’re only percentage inside the top four.
The Illawarra Hawks have won their last two games and three of their last four. Their most recent win came against the Breakers at home, where they put in a really nice offensive effort to win 107-96. Their season remains alive, but they’re going to have to finish strong if they’re to feature in the finals.
The Hawks may have the better form of the two sides here, but United have had a really tough draw of late. They’ve played three consecutive road games, but now get to return their home venue, which has been a fortress over the last couple of seasons. We expect the home side to win this rather comfortably.
Melbourne United -4.5
$1.87
New Zealand Breakers vs Cairns Taipans (Thursday 5:50pm AEDT)
The second game of the round features the New Zealand Breakers hosting the Cairns Taipans. This is the fourth and final time these teams will meet this season. The Breakers currently lead the series 2-1, although the Taipans won their most recent encounter on Monday.
The Breakers have lost three crucial games on the spin, making this an absolute must win for the home side. Their recent struggles has seen them slip to second last in the standings with an 8-12 record, meaning they must win nearly all games from here on in to make the playoffs.
On the other hand, the Taipans have won three of their last six contests, but are simply playing for pride at this point after such a horrific start to the season. They’re glued to last spot on the ladder and face a difficult task on Thursday night.
The Taipans may have won against the Breakers on Monday night, but the Breakers are a much better side at home. We expect them to put on a really dominant and desperate display in this absolute must win game.
New Zealand Breakers -5.5
$1.93
Brisbane Bullets vs Sydney Kings (Friday 7:43pm AEDT)
First up in our Friday double-header we’ve got the Brisbane Bullets hosting the Sydney Kings. This Is the second of four meetings between these teams this season. The Kings won the first at home by seven points (75-68).
The Bullets have been in great form of late, winning each of their last three and four of their last five. It’s been a timely stretch from the Brisbane based ball club, who have now jumped up to fourth spot in the standings with a 12-9 record.
On the contrary, the Kings have won just two of their past five contests and have slipped to second on the ladder. With how close the playoff race is this season, the Kings will need to turn their form around sooner rather than later, or risk missing the playoffs completely.
This is a really tough match to predict, there’s no two ways about it. The form says the Bullets have the edge, but the Kings won the first encounter and will be desperate to get back on the winners list after consecutive losses. For this reason, we’ve strayed from the head-to-head markets and have looked elsewhere for value. We believe that this will be a defensive contest, just like the first meeting where it finished 75-68 (143 total points). We expect each team to be locked in early on and make this a grind, especially in the first half.
First Half Points U/86.5
$1.94
Perth Wildcats vs Adelaide 36ers (Friday 9:53pm AEDT)
The second of two Friday night games will see the Perth Wildcats host the Adelaide 36ers. This is the third of our meetings between these teams this season. The series is currently tied at one a piece with both games 3 and 4 set to be played on the Wildcats home deck.
The Wildcats are in a serious funk at the moment, losing eight of their last nine games. They did, however, win their latest game against United, but they too have had their struggles. The Wildcats are currently in third spot in the standings at 13-9.
The 36ers have found some nice touch of late, winning seven of their last nine, simultaneously putting themselves back in the playoffs mix. Their last two wins have come against fellow contenders in the Kings and the Wildcats. The Sixers are currently in fifth spot, but can make the jump into the top four with a win on the road here.
Considering how both teams are playing at the moment, coupled with the fact the 36ers beat the Wildcats comfortably only a few days prior, we see the 36ers as great value here. We were tempted to make a play on the moneyline, but we’re going a bit safer and taking them with 3 and a half points to work with.
Adelaide 36ers +3.5
$1.89
New Zealand Breakers vs Brisbane Bullets (Sunday 12:20pm AEDT)
The first of two lunch time games on Sunday comes from the New Zealand Breakers vs Brisbane Bullets match-up. Brisbane have won both games between these teams this season, taking at win at both home and away.
The Breakers come into this off a win against the Taipans on Thursday night. It was a much needed victory that keeps their finals hopes alive, but only just. They're now 9-10 for the season and are still three games outside the top four.
Meanwhile, the Bullets lost their Friday night fixture against the Kings at home, and now face the difficult task of travelling abroad to take on the Breakers just two days later. They'll need to get back to winning for sooner rather than later, or risk dropping outside the top four.
The travel and quick turnaround factors in play here make us lean towards the Breakers. They’ve been a lot more consistent at home than on the road, and we feel they’re over the odds in this one.
New Zealand Breakers Win
$1.91
Sydney Kings vs Perth Wildcats (Sunday 2:50pm AEDT)
Second up on Sunday we have a blockbuster clash between the Sydney Kings and the Perth Wildcats. The Kings currently lead the four game season series 2-0 thanks to a five point win at home and a one point win on the road.
The Kings won a very important game on Friday night against the Bullets, which keeps them inside in an auspicious position in the top four. They’re currently on top of the mountain with an overall record of 14-8 and a home record of 6-4.
On the other hand, the Wildcats were able to win their first game of Round 15, simultaneously stringing two wins together for the first in over a month. They’re now at 14-9 for the season and are in third spot in the standings.
We agree with the bookies that the Kings should go in favourites here, but we believe they should be a lot shorter than they are. They’re in much better form than their opponents here and match-up really well with the Wildcats star players. We foresee a comfortable win for the home side here.
*All other NBL Round 15 betting tips will be uploaded a few hours prior to tip-off*
