The NBL26 Finals are heating up with Game 1 of the Semi-Finals on Tuesday night as the Adelaide 36ers host the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Adelaide will be fresh off a long break, but the Phoenix arrive with massive momentum after dominating their qualifier. We bring you our full preview and best bet below.
36ers vs Phoenix Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Semi-Finals Game 1
The Hungry Jack's NBL26 postseason heads to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre this Tuesday night. The victor takes a crucial lead in this best of three series with a Championship Series spot on the line.
Adelaide enter having not played in over two weeks. The 36ers boast a formidable offence, but their late season form was shaky. Newly crowned MVP Bryce Cotton remains the ultimate game breaker, while Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic provide the muscle inside. Head coach Mike Wells needs his frontcourt to establish dominance early.
South East Melbourne arrive full of confidence after dismantling the Perth Wildcats in their Seeding Qualifier. The Phoenix led the league in scoring this season, with Nathan Sobey leading the charge and Angus Glover providing a spark. Defensively, they flexed their muscles against Perth as John Brown III anchored the paint. Josh King has his squad playing a high pressure style designed to suffocate opponents.
Recent history strongly favours the visitors. The Phoenix won the last two encounters by an average of nearly twenty points, both played on Adelaide's home court. Rebounding has been the key metric in all matchups this season.
Adelaide will be desperate to make home court advantage count, but their long layoff could lead to early rust. The Phoenix have too many offensive weapons and their recent dominance in Adelaide makes them impossible to ignore. Expect South East Melbourne to speed up the game and steal Game 1 on the road.
South East Melbourne Phoenix to Win
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Wildcats vs United Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Tuesday, March 10th, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Location: Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Odds: 36ers $2.00 vs Phoenix $1.82
Line: Phoenix -1.5
Points: 185.5
Where to Watch 36ers vs Phoenix
You can watch the 36ers vs Phoenix live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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