NBL27 Round 2 Predictions & Tips

The 2026/27 NBL season moves into Round 2 this week, with seven games across five days as we begin to get a clearer picture of how the competition is shaping up.

The opening round has already provided plenty to work with. Adelaide edged Melbourne United 97-95 in a thriller, South East Melbourne made an early statement with a 100-79 win in Perth, the New Zealand Breakers opened with an impressive 95-81 victory over Illawarra, while defending champions Sydney started strongly with a 111-90 win over Cairns.

We'll have full betting previews for four games across Round 2: Cairns Taipans v Tasmania JackJumpers, the Melbourne Throwdown between United and the Phoenix, Perth Wildcats v New Zealand Breakers and the NSW derby between Sydney Kings and Illawarra Hawks. Our analysis and best bets for the remaining three games can be found right here, with this page updated throughout the round as markets, team news and betting opportunities develop.

NBL27 Round 2 Predictions & Tips

Here's our game-by-game look at Round 2 of NBL27. We'll publish separate betting previews for four games, while our selections and analysis for the remaining three matchups will be available directly on this page.

Cairns return home looking to respond after a difficult opening assignment against the defending champion Sydney Kings. The Taipans were handed a 111-90 defeat in Sydney and will be looking for a much better defensive performance in their first home game of NBL27.

Tasmania also enter Round 2 with an early-season turnaround to manage. The trip north to Cairns is rarely straightforward, making home-court advantage and how both sides handle the opening week of the season important factors in this matchup. They will be buoyed by their controversial win on Monday night after coming back from a 14-point half time deficit against the Phoenix.

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The first Throwdown of NBL27 arrives early in the season as Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix meet at John Cain Arena on Thursday night.

The Phoenix made an immediate statement with their 100-79 victory over Perth in Round 1, while United were edged 97-95 by Adelaide in a high-quality season opener. With plenty of offensive talent on both rosters and the usual rivalry between these two clubs, this shapes as one of the standout games of Round 2.

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The Perth Wildcats return to RAC Arena desperately seeking answers after an uninspiring 100-79 thrashing by South East Melbourne. Perth remains rudderless in the backcourt with star import Brandon Knight still out of the country, leaving a playmaking void that proved fatal in Round 1. Adding to the drama, Adelaide arrives with Wildcats icon Bryce Cotton and three-time championship coach Trevor Gleeson teaming up against their former club.

The 36ers carry injury concerns of their own, with Isaac Humphries and Flynn Cameron ruled out, while John Jenkins remains a game-time decision. Even shorthanded, Adelaide looked sharp in their thrilling opening win over Melbourne United, and Cotton will relish torching his old home deck. Without a recognised floor general to steady the ship under pressure, Perth will struggle to match Adelaide’s late-game execution. Back the 36ers to edge a tight battle on the road.

Adelaide 36ers -1.5

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The Brisbane Bullets host the Illawarra Hawks this Friday night in a fascinating Round 2 clash. The Bullets enter the matchup full of confidence after taking down the New Zealand Breakers 88-85 in their opener. That victory was driven by a spectacular debut from point guard Arnas Velicka, who stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points and 14 assists while sparking a game-changing third-quarter run.

The Hawks are desperate to bounce back after dropping their own opening fixture to those exact same Breakers, falling 95-81. Travelling to Brisbane presents a tough assignment for Illawarra, especially with Velicka and the Bullets' offence already clicking.

Predicting early-season form is always tricky. Given we only have a one-round sample size, it is wise to keep stakes conservative. However, Brisbane's impressive opening performance and home-court advantage make them the sensible play to cover a small line.

Brisbane Bullets -2.5

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Saturday night's matchup between Perth and New Zealand is our third full match preview of Round 2.

The Breakers made an excellent start to the Gordon Herbert era with a 95-81 victory over Illawarra, with Sam Mennenga, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and DJ Vasiljevic leading an impressive offensive performance.

There will be plenty more information available before this game arrives. New Zealand face Brisbane on Tuesday, while Perth host Adelaide on Thursday, giving us another opportunity to assess both teams before Saturday night.

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The Adelaide 36ers will be desperate to bounce back on Sunday afternoon after suffering a heartbreaking 98-97 loss to Perth on Wednesday night. Despite a massive 37-point performance from Bryce Cotton against his former side, Adelaide was sunk by a buzzer-beater and will be eager to take out their frustration on the Cairns Taipans.

Cairns makes the trip south facing a tough assignment in trying to contain a 36ers outfit that has already shown serious offensive firepower. With Cotton in blistering form and Adelaide holding the home-court advantage, the hosts should be able to dictate the tempo.

Recovering from a tight mid-week loss is always a test early in the season, but the 36ers have the top-end talent to put this game to bed. Expect them to control the contest and cover the line.

Adelaide 36ers -7.5

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Round 2 concludes with the first NSW derby of NBL27 as the Sydney Kings host the Illawarra Hawks.

Sydney couldn't have asked for a much better start to their championship defence, producing a dominant 111-90 victory over Cairns. The Kings entered the season with one of the deepest rosters in the competition and immediately demonstrated their offensive firepower.

Illawarra have a considerably busier opening schedule and will be backing up from Friday night's trip to Brisbane. Sydney, meanwhile, have an entire week between games, creating an interesting rest differential heading into Sunday's derby.

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NBL27 Betting Tips

We'll continue updating our NBL27 Round 2 predictions and betting tips as markets move and team news becomes available. The three quick previews above will be updated with our final selections, while separate match previews will provide more detailed analysis for Cairns v Tasmania, United v Phoenix, Wildcats v Breakers and Kings v Hawks.

You can find our latest individual game previews, NBL betting analysis and best bets throughout the season in our NBL betting tips section.