Round 16 of NBL26 begins on Wednesday night with a standalone fixture between Melbourne United and the Cairns Taipans at Red Energy Arena in Bendigo. Neither side would be proud of their recent form and will see this as an opportunity to turn things around as we enter the business end of the season. Catch our full preview, best bet, and Dabble Pick’Em below.
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Melbourne United vs Cairns Taipans Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Round 16
United Still Struggling for Form
Melbourne United come into Round 16 still sitting in a strong ladder position, but their season has clearly lost momentum. After opening NBL26 with a perfect 9–0 start and establishing themselves as the early benchmark, United have gone just 6–8 since, slipping to a 15–8 record and third on the ladder. Their most recent outing was a flat nine-point loss to the JackJumpers in Tasmania, a game that again highlighted their ongoing offensive issues. Scoring has been a real struggle over the past five weeks, with ball movement stalling and shot quality dropping. Chris Goulding and Milton Doyle are both well down on their usual standards, while the continued absence of Shea Ili has hurt their defensive pressure and ability to generate transition looks.
Taipans Can’t Close Out Games
Cairns, meanwhile, remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder and have endured a frustrating season. The Taipans have now dropped four straight games and sit at 5–17, with their latest loss coming by 18 points against the Hawks after leading by four at half-time. That pattern has become all too familiar, as Cairns have often started games well but faded badly after the main break. They have won the first half in five of their last seven matches, only to fall away late due to lapses in execution and defensive intensity. Jack McVeigh has been a major positive since the FIBA break and continues to produce at a high level, but the lack of consistent support around him has made it difficult for the Taipans to close games.
Recent H2H History
The recent head-to-head history heavily favours United on paper. Melbourne have beaten Cairns twice this season, winning by 35 and 27 points respectively. However, those results came when United were playing their best basketball and operating with far greater confidence and fluency. Since then, Melbourne’s form has dipped significantly, while Cairns have at least stabilised their rotations and regained some key personnel who were unavailable during those earlier blowouts. While United still hold a clear talent edge, the gap between these two sides does not feel as wide as it did earlier in the season.
Melbourne or Cairns? Here’s Our Tip!
With this game being played in Bendigo, the focus shifts to whether Melbourne can rediscover their scoring touch or if Cairns can once again stay competitive for four quarters. Given United’s ongoing offensive struggles and the Taipans’ tendency to start games well, backing Cairns to stay within the number makes sense. Even if Melbourne ultimately find a way to win, the Taipans look well placed to cover the +12.5 spread.
Cairns Taipans +12.5
$1.95 (2 Units)
Melbourne 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 United vs Taipans clash that you can follow via the link below! You can also learn more about Dabble’s Pick’Em feature here.
- Kyrin Gallorway 6.5 Points (MORE)
- Jesse Edwards 12.5 Points (MORE)
- Chris Goulding 14 Points (MORE)
Dabble Pick‘Em Odds Multiplier: 6.5x ($10 to win $65) - Click here to get involved!
Melbourne vs Cairns Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Wednesday, January 7th, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Location: Red Energy Arena, Bendigo
Odds: United $1.11 vs Taipans $6.50
Line: United -12.5
Points: 175.5
Where to Watch Melbourne vs Cairns
You can watch the United vs Taipans clash live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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