The 2021 NBL season rolls on for another week with eight big games from Wednesday night – Sunday.
With thrilling finishes and upset results, there’s plenty happening in the world of Aussie Hoops and there’s plenty of value to be found.
We’re confident we can make Round 5 a profitable one for the Punters in our Tips & Preview.
Spread the word, ILLAWARRA IS BACK BABY!
The NBL has agreed to reinstate the name of foundation Club, the Illawarra Hawks.
The decision follows the Club reaching its membership target of 4379 this season and increased corporate support from the local community.
Full details here: https://t.co/RMDZnS80Pu#NBL21 pic.twitter.com/Nlg55T8egQ
— NBL (@NBL) February 9, 2021
The team formerly known as Illawarra is now back to being Illawarra and that’s great news for the foundation club and for the game.
Illawarra heads into this game having lost away to the South East Melbourne Phoenix 82-98, in what would be the club’s first loss for the season and the first defeat as Hawks coach for Brian Goorjian.
The Hawks had a promising start in the first quarter, but it was a tough day at the office as the Phoenix outhustled, outplayed and simply had the better of Goorjian’s men last Sunday.
Wednesday nights game will be the first time Illawarra play on their home court this season and facing the top-of-the-table Melbourne United will be a test to see if the Hawks are contenders or pretenders.
Melbourne United are five wins from five games and having survived a nail-biter with a 75-71 win over the Perth Wildcats would love nothing better to ensure they remain undefeated and on top.
Illawarra has proven to be a dangerous team this season and you can never doubt that the Goorj has something up his sleeve, however, Melbourne United has proven to be a very reliable bet and more than happy to take them on the even-money H2H (at time of publishing) in this one.
South East Melbourne Phoenix will go into this game against the Wildcats with plenty of confidence, having burst the Hawks bubble winning 98-82, showing the NBL world what this team is really made of.
It was a gritty, tough, uncompromising effort from the Phoenix who were able to chase down a first-quarter deficit to ensure the scores were equal at the first break, before bursting out of the gates to record an emphatic win.
The likes of Mitch Creek and Cam Giddon who dominated, but it was an entire team effort as the fledging NBL club recorded one of their best wins to date.
At this stage of the season, the Phoenix are three wins-three losses and perhaps Sunday’s win will be the shot in the arm the club needed.
The Perth Wildcats are coming off a close 71-75 loss to Melbourne United in Bendigo but should take plenty out of Sunday’s encounter.
Trailing by 10 with three minutes remaining on the clock, a blitz from Bryce Cotton got the Wildcats back within two points with a minute remaining but time had the better of them.
An interrupted NBL schedule has seen the Wildcats only play four matches this season, with 1 win and 2 losses.
Two of those games have been against the Phoenix (1 W, 1 L) and this will be the first of another two games these clubs play in this Round of matches.
This should be another close match, but after Sunday’s performance, there seems to be something special about the South East Melbourne Phoenix playing in “The heartland” of the State Basketball Centre in Knox.
They feed off the crowd, and it’ll be a hostile environment for the Wildcats on Thursday night.
The 1-10 points margin in favour of the Phoenix is a good value bet for mine.
The 5th placed Sydney Kings will go in the clear favourite as they host the bottom-of-the-table New Zealand Breakers on their home court for the first time this season on Friday night.
Sydney was nothing short of brilliant, coming off a confidence-boosting 94-75 away win over the Adelaide 36ers, breaking their three-game winning streak.
It was the Sydney Kings biggest ever win in Adelaide, as Casper Ware put on a masterclass dominating throughout the entire match.
After starting the season constantly on the road, the Kings will be delighted to be back playing at home.
Playing at home won’t be happening for the New Zealand Breakers anytime soon, and it’s been a tough start to the season for the team across the ditch having only won 1 out of their 4 matches so far in NBL 2021.
The Breakers were subject to a 69-84 loss at the hands of the Cairns Taipans as the Snakes snapped a six-game losing streak, however, New Zealand was able to get the W with a six-point win in the first match the previous Saturday.
The stats sheet was damming for the Breakers shooting just four from 29 at 13 per cent from three-point range and 37 per cent from the field.
While they looked a chance in the last quarter, it was too little, too late.
It’s always hard to back against the Sydney Kings at home, and I simply cannot make a case for the Breakers.
Kings to beat the line.
The undefeated 6-0 Melbourne United play host to the Cairns Taipans as they strive to remain on top of the NBL table under the grim settings of closed doors in Bendigo.
Melbourne United sent a message to the competition on Wednesday night that they are the team to beat with a thrilling 91-88 point win over Illawarra.
Mitch McCarron starred with 17 points (season-high), 7 assists and 4 rebounds and is one to watch in our individual player markets for this match in a number of categories.
Cairns has had a disappointing start to the season, despite a lot of expectations placed on the Taipans.
While they have only managed to win two out of eight matches, the Taipans can not be underestimated, especially with the likes of their superstar imports Cam Oliver and Scott Machado coming back into the team.
With their season on the line, the Taipans would love nothing better than a big win on the road to show the competition they are still amongst it, but Melbourne United are simply too good and will get the job done in this one.
The Bullets host the Adelaide 36ers in what will be the first of two matches these sides play this NBL round.
Brisbane is coming off an 8-day rest, having gone down to Melbourne United 109-96 in the last round, as the Bullets were simply outclassed.
Currently sitting seventh on the ladder with 2 wins 3 losses, getting the first-up win against Adelaide would give their season a vital shot in the arm.
Nathan Sobey and Vic Law are proving quite the duo, the pair are second and third respectively on the NBL scoring chart, and are responsible for about 50% of the Bullets score in each game.
Those two are definitely ones to consider for your multis.
Adelaide was given a masterclass from Casper Ware as an inspired performance from the Sydney Kings veteran played a part in handing the 36ers a 94-75 thumping.
We perhaps can put it down to a bad night at the office, with the 36ers sitting on 3rd spot on the ladder, 4W 3L with a 3 game winning streak prior to the loss last weekend.
There’s a lot to like about the 36ers, and if you’re just watching them for a fix of Josh Giddy, that’s perfectly understandable.
With both teams coming off disappointing losses, this weekends matches presents a perfect opportunity to get back on the winners list.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the pair split the wins and back the Bullets to get it done on their home court.
The line set at -3.5 seems about right.
Backing it up from a convincing 84-74 win over the NZ Breakers on Friday night, the Sydney Kings back it up with a Sunday NSW derby against the Illawarra Hawks.
The Kings dominated all night, as veteran Casper Ware turned it on the fourth quarter, with 14 straight points in a five-minute stretch as Sydney celebrated a win in their first home game of the 2021 NBL season.
This game against Brian Goorjian’s Illawarra Hawks is a deadset blockbuster, and the Goorjian homecoming is quite the story.
Avid followers of the NBL will remember that Goorjian – a three-time premiership coach took the Kings to a three-peat of titles from 2003-05 before walking away from Sydney when the clubs’ financial woes got in the way.
Goorjian and Illawarra have been the story of the 2021 NBL season, having started the season 4-2 and playing their first five games away from home, as did the Sydney Kings.
The Hawks went down to Melbourne United 91-88 in a thriller on Thursday night as the foundation club returned to Illawarra, but last years wooden spooners haven’t lost any fans in the process.
Illawarra will go into this game the $1.80 favourite in the head to head betting, but given the recent uplift in the Kings form, I like them at the even money on their home court.
A last-minute call from the NBL will see this match between the Phoenix and Wildcats be played behind closed doors, which is always a grim scene and for reasons beyond anyone’s control.
South East Melbourne Phoenix will get another shot at the Perth Wildcats, after a very disappointing hitout on Thursday night when the Wildcats dished out a 106-75 thumping.
The Wildcats played arguably their best game of the season, with Todd Blanchfield getting back his mojo with 22 points along with the usual suspects in Bryce Cotton and Josh Mooney.
These two sides have met three times already in NBL season 2021, with Perth at 2, South East Melbourne 1.
I like the trend of WLW between the respective sides and happy to take the Phoenix at $1.80
Before I get into the preview, I just want to thank you for scrolling all the way down and likely coming back to this page to read my final tip of NBL Round 5.
The Brisbane Bullets are coming off an absolute Barry Crocker as the 36ers dished out an 85-70 belting on their home court.
The Bullets now travel to the city of churches hoping to redeem themselves tonight.
Will they get a shot at redemption?
Probably not.
Adelaide was simply outstanding as Josh Giddey dominated with a little help from Isaac Humphries and Daniel Johnson – the trio combined for 45 points at 57%.
Nathan Sobey appeared to be the only Bullet who had a good night with 25 points.
The 36ers big win on Saturday night brings them to 5-3 and third place on the NBL ladder, this will be their eighth home game for the season and they’ll want to make the absolute most of it.
Playing back-to-back matches in a round always presents an opportunity to get one back, and while I have no doubt Brisbane will produce a better performance, the 36ers should get the job done.