NBL27 Round 3 continues on Sunday with yet another double-header. The first game of the day heads to John Cain Arena in Melbourne where the Phoenix will host the Hawks. The Phoenix will start as the favourites although the Hawks showed some great signs in their recent win against the 36ers.
Check out our Phoenix vs Hawks preview below and head to our NBL tips page for tips for every match this season!
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Illawarra Hawks Prediction and Betting Tips: NBL27 Round 3
Returning From The West
South East Melbourne head into Sunday's clash desperate to bounce back after a frustrating 92-88 road loss to the Perth Wildcats on Friday night. While Dash Daniels continued his impressive start in Phoenix colours with 13 points and seven boards, the team just couldn't quite get over the line in a gritty contest out west. Import Skylar Mays did his best to orchestrate the offence with 17 points and seven assists, but the real concern for head coach Josh King will be the shooting woes of Nathan Sobey, who never found his rhythm and finished just 3-of-12 from the floor. Sitting at 1-2 for the season, the Phoenix will be desperate to secure a win on their home floor at John Cain Arena to get their campaign back on track.
Hawks Finally Take Flight
It took until Round 3, but the Illawarra Hawks have finally arrived. After a sluggish 0-3 start to the year, Justin Tatum’s men unleashed a 114-92 demolition job on the title contenders, Adelaide 36ers on Friday night at the WIN Entertainment Centre. The Hawks’ offence looked completely transformed, catching fire from the perimeter to drain 15 three-pointers at a blistering 48% clip. Kelan Martin was the undeniable catalyst, while big man Sam Froling bullied his way to a dominant double-double. With the massive weight of a winless start finally lifted off their shoulders, this roster heads south riding a massive wave of confidence, knowing their high-octane offence can run with anyone when the shots are falling.
The Verdict
While it's incredibly tempting to jump on the Illawarra bandwagon after Friday's blowout, backing a 1-3 team to replicate that historically hot shooting performance on the road is a dangerous proposition for punters. The Hawks' defensive structures leaked points at an alarming rate during their opening three fixtures, and South East Melbourne possesses the offensive arsenal to ruthlessly expose those frailties. South East Melbourne remains the fundamentally superior side, making Phoenix -2.5 the betting play as they secure a crucial home victory to steady their season.
SEM Phoenix -2.5
$1.91 (1.5 Units)
Phoenix vs Hawks Dabble Pick‘Em
We’ve put together a 3-Leg Dabble Pick’Em for the Phoenix vs Hawks clash that you can follow via the link below! You can also learn more about Dabble’s Pick’Em feature here.
Kelan Martin - Over 18.5 Points
Skylar Mays - Over 16.5 Points
Angus Glover - Under 12.5 Points
Dabble Pick‘Em Odds Multiplier: 6.5x ($10 to win $65) - Click here to get involved!
Phoenix vs Hawks Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Saturday, October 4th, 2026
Time: 3:00pm AEDT
Location: John Cain Arena, Melbourne
Odds: Phoenix $1.68 vs Hawks $2.20
Line: -2.5
Points: 191.5
Where to Watch Phoenix vs Hawks
You can watch the Phoenix vs Hawks live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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