We have Taipans vs. Phoenix predictions for Round 15 of the NBL on Wednesday, December 31 at 7:30 PM at Cairns Convention Centre.
Pressure goes on the Phoenix after losing on Monday, and although the Taipans are out of contention, they could make the favourites sweat.
Taipans vs. Phoenix Predictions
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Best Bet
The Taipans come off big losses to the 36ers and Kings, but they could give the Phoenix a run for their money at home on New Year’s Eve.
They need a much better performance from Jack McVeigh, who couldn’t miss when dropping 47 points on the Breakers three games ago, but he followed that performance with 11 and 9 points respectively.
We’re not sure why he went from looking like the best shooter in the NBL to one of the worst, but if the Taipans are any chance of covering the +8.5 spread, they need McVeigh to be at his brilliant best.
The Phoenix couldn’t quite make the comeback against the JackJumpers on Monday, but it was a costly loss, and their mentality could be fragile.
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Same Game Multi
McVeigh should have at least 20 points against the Phoenix. He’s an elite scorer and an international player, so his class should shine through. Punters should expect the Taipans’ leader to get back to his best.
Nathan Sobey is another elite talent, and the primary reason why the Phoenix are currently inside the top four. He comes off a 27-point performance against Tasmania, and he scored 36 points against the Breakers.
It should be a high-scoring game, so over 183.5 is included in our NBL picks.
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Best Value Bet
The Phoenix got off to a slow start on Monday night, and if they do that again, the Taipans could jump on them.
Playing at home should help the Taipans get off to fast start, and that hasn’t been their problem. They are a terrible second-half team, so backing them to win the first half at $2.78 is a bet worth including in selections.
