The NBL26 regular season comes to a close on Friday night with a crucial clash between the Perth Wildcats and the Adelaide 36ers. The Wildcats are aiming to secure fourth place, which would mean a double chance in the Play-In games. We bring you our full preview and tips below!
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Perth Wildcats vs Adelaide 36ers Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Round 22
Wildcats Have a Job to Do
The Perth Wildcats enter this regular-season finale with everything to play for as they look to secure a top-four finish. Following Melbourne United’s victory last night, the Wildcats find themselves in a position where a win tonight is essential to guarantee the "double chance" in the upcoming finals. Despite the off-season departure of Bryce Cotton, the team has found a new identity built on the defensive interior presence of Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and the versatile scoring of Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle. Carrying a strong run of recent form into RAC Arena, the Red Army will be out in force to ensure their side avoids the hazards of a sudden-death play-in tournament.
36ers Secure Second Place
In contrast, the Adelaide 36ers arrive in Perth with their eyes firmly fixed on Sunday’s Ignite Cup Final and a massive $300,000 prize. With the Sydney Kings expected to defeat the bottom-placed Bullets earlier in the evening, the 36ers are likely to be locked into second place regardless of tonight's result. This lack of ladder incentive has already seen former Perth hero Bryce Cotton ruled out with back soreness, as the club prioritises his fitness for the trophy game. Expect coach Mike Wells to manage the workloads of his other key players, potentially giving the bench extended minutes to keep the primary rotation fresh for their Ignite Cup tilt in 48 hours.
Recent H2H History
The recent head-to-head history between these two rivals has been remarkably tight, with Adelaide holding a slight edge in the 2025/26 season series. The 36ers claimed a thrilling one-point win in Perth back in December, followed by an 11-point victory at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre later that month. However, the Wildcats tasted success earlier in the campaign with a 94–87 road win in November. Historically, the RAC Arena has been a graveyard for the 36ers, who had lost seven of their previous eight trips to the venue prior to this season.
Wildcats or 36ers? Here’s Our Tip!
From a betting perspective, the Wildcats covering the -6.5 spread looks like the play of the night. While the line opened much tighter, the combination of Bryce Cotton’s absence and Adelaide's focus on the Ignite Cup has shifted the momentum heavily toward the hosts. Perth is playing for survival and seeding, whereas Adelaide is effectively playing an exhibition game to keep their legs moving before Sunday. With a capacity crowd behind them and a clear talent advantage against a likely shorthanded 36ers rotation, the Wildcats should pull away in the second half.
Perth Wildcats -6.5
$1.92 (2 Units)
Wildcats vs 36ers 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 Wildcats vs 36ers clash that you can follow via the link below! You can also learn more about Dabble’s Pick’Em feature here.
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Wildcats vs 36ers Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Friday, February 18th, 2026
Time: 9:30pm AEDT
Location: RAC Arena, Perth
Odds: Wildcats $1.42 vs 36ers $2.90
Line: Wildcats -6.5
Points: 180.5
Where to Watch Wildcats vs 36ers
You can watch the Wildcats vs 36ers clash live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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