Christmas Eve is the beginning of Round 14 of the NBL26 season and it features the ladder-leading Adelaide 36ers against the struggling Cairns Taipans. The 36ers are the heavy favourites for this one but we have seen plenty of Christmas miracles in the past. We bring you our full preview and betting tips for the clash below!
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Adelaide 36ers vs Cairns Taipans Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Round 14
Adeliade are Clear Championship Favourites
The Adelaide 36ers return home for this Round 14 clash sitting comfortably on top of the NBL26 ladder at 15–4, and they come into Christmas Eve with momentum back on their side. Their most recent outing was an impressive eight-point victory, a result that mattered more than just the win itself. It marked a strong response after their dramatic overtime loss to the Kings, a defeat that snapped a seven-game winning streak. Rather than letting that loss linger, Adelaide showed composure and depth to steady the ship, reinforcing why they have been the most consistent side in the competition. At home, the 36ers have been ruthless this season, combining pace, physicality and scoreboard pressure to overwhelm visiting teams, particularly those struggling at the bottom end of the table.
What are the Full Strength Taipans Capable Of?
Cairns, by contrast, arrive in Adelaide in a far more precarious position. The Taipans sit last on the ladder at 5–14 and are coming off one of their worst performances of the season, a crushing 42-point loss to the Kings. That result was a stark comedown after a spirited four-point win against the Breakers, where Cairns showed what they are capable of when things click. The Taipans are now back to full strength, which adds urgency to their situation as they look to salvage their season with a late run. However, consistency has been their biggest issue, and backing up competitive efforts with repeat performances has proven difficult throughout NBL26.
Recent H2H History
Recent head-to-head history strongly favours Adelaide. The 36ers are a perfect 3–0 against Cairns this season, and those results highlight both Adelaide’s control and Cairns’ vulnerability. Adelaide claimed a dominant 31-point blowout earlier in the campaign, before grinding out narrower wins by five and four points in the other two meetings. Even when Cairns have been competitive, Adelaide have consistently found answers late, a worrying trend for the Taipans heading into a hostile road environment.
Adelaide by how Much? Here’s Our Tip!
From a betting perspective, Adelaide covering the –11.5 spread shapes as the clear play. The 36ers are simply the far better team right now, and on the Christmas Eve stage at home, they should impose themselves early and often. With ladder position, form and matchup history all leaning heavily their way, Adelaide look well placed to secure a comfortable win and extend their dominance over Cairns.
Adelaide 36ers –11.5
$1.91 (2 Units)
Adelaide vs Cairns Dabble Pick‘Em
Popular sportsbook Dabble have launched Pick’Em - a new a simpler way to combine player markets from the same game for bigger odds. We’ve put together a 3-Leg Pick’Em for the 36ers vs Taipans that you can follow via the link below! You can also learn more about Dabble’s Pick’Em feature here.
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Adelaide vs Cairns Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Wednesday, December 24th, 2025
Time: 5:30pm AEDT
Location: Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Odds: Adelaide $1.17 vs Cairns $5.00
Line: Adelaide -12.5
Points: 180.5
Where to Watch Adelaide vs Cairns
You can watch the 36ers vs Taipans clash live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
Back In our Adelaide vs Cairns Tips at Dabble!
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