It’s hard to comprehend that there’s only just the FOUR games of NBL this weekend.
While we may not be able to feast on Aussie Hoops this weekend, we’ll have to make do with just the little tasty rations that will be thrown our way – including yet another edition of the Throwdown and the Sunshine Stouch!
Can we make this short and sweet preview a profitable one?
Read on in our NBL Round 17 tips and preview.
With their 11-game winning streak snapped by the Perth Wildcats last night, Melbourne United would hate to make it two losses on the trot against their crosstown rivals with yet another edition of the Throwdown.
It was those pesky turnovers that cost United in the end, resulting in them being unable to gain momentum in the offense.
This game looms as a must-win for the South East Melbourne Phoenix, as the young franchise aims to reach the NBL Finals for the first time in their history.
The Phoenix have lost four out of their past five games, with player availability issues being a major factor.
One thing the Phoenix will have to their advantage heading into this game is a solid nine-day break, which is rare in the world of NBL.
Melbourne United will have to back it up from Wednesday.
It would be easy to predict United to win backing up from a loss, but something tells me an upset might be on the cards with the Phoenix having much more to play for.
I’m backing an upset.
If the Throwdown wasn’t enough for you in terms of epic derbies, we back it up with the Sunshine Stouch between the Taipans and Bullets played in an old Bunnings Warehouse.
It’s been a big week for the Brisbane Bullets with the news that coach Andrej Lemanis will be leaving the club at the end of the year and is headed for Japan.
Along with Lemanis leaving, the Bullets have also had to comprehend that Will Magnay won’t return to the club after his stint in the US.
This looms as a make or break game for Brisbane should they want to play finals and they need to get the job done over the bottom-of-the-table Taipans.
A big win is needed here, and if the Bullets can’t do it on Saturday, they can start planning their end-of-season trip.
The Sydney Kings will go into this match as the clear $1.57 favorites over the Adelaide 36ers.
With a solid 7-day rest the Kings will have fresh legs and the sacred home-court advantage but they shouldn’t underestimate the Adelaide 36ers who have been playing some top Basketball of recent, winning their past two games.
An undermanned Kings had a four-game winning streak snapped against Melbourne United last week, and they will really need to get the win in order to cement their spot in the playoffs.
Backing the Sydney Kings on their home court is one of the safest bets you can make – and taking them at the line is fairly reliable. Stick with what you know.
The Wildcats will be feeling pretty damn good about themselves after snapping Melbourne United’s 11-game winning streak on Wednesday night.
So they bloody well should, but they’ll have to back it up just five days later as they host the NZ Breakers at RAC Arena this Sunday.
It’s a matter of ticking the boxes for the second-placed Perth Wildcats on the verge of the NBL Playoffs – continuing their streak which began just before WWI broke out.
Break Melbourne United’s winning streak – tick
Get one up from the Breakers who beat them 86-84 in a thriller just a couple of weeks ago – TBC
We’re hopefully in for yet another thriller between these two in the NBL Distance Derby – but you should expect the Wildcats to get the job done and Perth at the 1-10 margin is a good value play.