The NBL Round 4 action is underway a day earlier than usual and focus shifts across the Tasman for the Breakers’ third game of the season.
Elsewhere, the Perth Wildcats and South East Melbourne Phoenix will contest an intriguing match on Friday night, and Melbourne United will have two opportunities to record their first win of the season.
Thursday October 24
The winless Breakers are in action at home first-up on Thursday night, and will be offered their best opportunity at a win over the Illawarra Hawks.
They only began their season in Week 3, but already things are tough for the New Zealand franchise and they enter this match off the back of consecutive losses to the Sydney Kings.
The Hawks haven’t quite lived up to the hype in their five games, having won only once. They do appear to be improving with each performance, however and will be quietly confident of their chances here.
I cannot understand the huge disparity in head-to-head prices and I’m happy to back the Hawks as clear outsiders.
Friday October 25
Adelaide will look to extend their record to 3-1 when the Cairns Taipans arrive in town on Friday evening.
The 36ers tough first-up loss to the Kings has been all but accounted for following smart wins over the Bullets and Hawkes in Round 3 respectively, and they are full of running ahead of this return home.
They will need to be better again, however if they are to contain a Cairns side that sent out a real statement with an emphatic win over reigning champions the Wildcats, in Perth last week. It was the most impressive performance mustered by the Taipans for more than a season and what was particularly impressive about the performance was that they were comfortably trailing but fought back into the contest and iced it late.
I’ll need to see the Taipans do it twice in a row before I trust them, and I think that Adelaide will sneak away with this one.
Arguably the most intriguing contest of Round 4 will materialise in the nation’s west on Friday night when the Wildcats host an undefeated South East Melbourne Phoenix.
The Wildcats are 3-1 following a typically start to the new campaign, but they suffered a shock and convincingly defeat to the lowly Cairns Taipans last week and will surely be eager to respond for their fans here.
The Phoenix have enjoyed an outstanding start to their competitive existence and are undefeated after three games; sitting second on the ladder with a good points differential. They proved too good for the Hawks in Round 3 and have improved with each effort so far.
The difference in head-to-head prices in enormous here as well, and I’m happy to bit with the Phoenix to cover the line as outsiders.
Saturday October 26
Melbourne United are back in action on Saturday afternoon and they will host the New Zealand Breakers, in what will be the second appearance of the round for that side.
It is fair to say that this is the worst start to a campaign for United, probably in their existence and they are 0-3. They still boast a huge amount of class and it seems as though it’s only a matter of times before they kick into gear.
We’ll obviously get a better indication as to what to expect from the Breakers following their Thursday night game, but this will be a tough ask for them regardless.
The Kings and Bullets will contest the only games of their respective Round 4 schedules in Sydney on Saturday night.
The Kings have always been impressive and have strode out to a smart lead in overall standings, boasting a 4-0 record. Two wins over the Breakers in Round 3 were particularly impressive and a repeat of either would likely see them too god for the Bullets here.
The Bullets have returned several credible performances and are the only franchise to have so-far gone 2-2. They are typically far more effective at home but have only had one opportunity in Brisbane so far and will need to muster a big performance to win this.
Sunday October 27
The Phoenix and 36ers will step out for the second time on Sunday afternoon and at publish, South East Melbourne are clear favourites to record another win at home.
This is another case of waiting to see what both teams do into their first games of Round 4, but with everything that South East Melbourne have done so far at the front of mind, I think they’ll be very hard to beat again at home.
Two more clubs stepping out for the second time when the Hawks return home to face the Perth Wildcats on Sunday.
I didn’t actually think that the Hawks were terrible in Perth last time these sides met and I think the penny is beginning to drop. They are up to covering the line as outsiders, at home.
Monday October 28
“We’ll get a better gauge on what to expect from these two teams after their first-up games” has never been truer than it is for this.
I’m happy to stay out of this one until later in the weekend.