Round 6 of the 2021 NBL season begins on Saturday in what will be the start of the inaugural NBL Cup. There’s a whole bunch of double-headers on the cards and The Wolf has you covered with his best bets from the key matchups right here!
Best Bet
The Taipans were out of action in Round 5 and will be hoping that their break will help them kickstart their season. Their most recent game was a solid 15 point win over the Breakers, which snapped an alarming six-game losing streak. The Hawks got their campaign off to a flier with four wins from their opening four games before going on a mini two-game losing streak against the two Melbourne clubs. The Hawks were able to bounce back in their latest outing against the Kings to move to 5-2.
These teams have already met twice this season and the Hawks were easy 15+ point winners in both. The Taipans really struggle with the defensive schemes of the Hawks, which has resulted in <170 points in each game. The Wolf expects another defensive-minded affair that sees the total points go under 174.5.
Next Best
Melbourne United remain unblemished through five rounds with a 6-0 record. They had arguably their toughest win of the season so far when they defeated the Hawks by three points in Round 5 without Chris Goulding and a couple of other key role players. United are clear at the top of the standings and certainly look the team to beat this season.
The Wildcats have had a strange start to their season with four of their five games coming against the same team in the Phoenix. They split the series 2-2 against them and lost their only other game against Melbourne United. The Wildcats don’t look anywhere near as potent on offence as they have in recent years and it’s hard to see them beating United in their rematch this weekend. The home side should be too good en route to a spread cover on Saturday night.
Value Bet
For some value this weekend, look no further than the Sunday afternoon matchup between SE Melbourne Phoenix and the Brisbane Bullets. Phoenix will be buoyed by their recent acquisition of Ryan Broekhoff, and while he won’t be lining up on Sunday due to a mandatory 14-day quarantine, it’s a huge get for the club and one that should propel them into title contention.
Phoenix were excellent in their latest outing against the Wildcats which they won by 25 points and now get a look at a Bullets outfit that have been inconsistent at the best of times this season. At home and in front of a big crowd, The Wolf has Phoenix putting on a show on Sunday and winning by double-digits.
Multi
Leg 1: Under 174.5 Points – Taipans vs Hawks ($1.90)
Leg 2: Melbourne United H2H vs Wildcats ($1.50)
Leg 3: SE Melbourne Phoenix H2H vs Bullets ($1.50)
Odds: $4.27
