Best Bet
Sydney Kings -6.5 at $1.90. Sydney are 4-2 and won the first meeting with Illawarra 121-100. The Hawks are 2-6 and still struggle to rebound and to space the floor. This is the Kings’ first away game of the season, but they have the better and more reliable players, and we rate this as a strong bet.
The reasoning
The Kings answered back-to-back losses with a 102-81 win over Perth. Kendric Davis had 23 points and eight assists, and Torrey Craig had 26 points and 12 rebounds. Craig has scored 54 points across his last two games. Makuach Maluach has made 15 of 24 three-point attempts this season, and Will Johnston scored 17 against Perth. That support matters while Matthew Dellavedova is out with a calf injury.
Illawarra beat Melbourne 91-89 on Sunday to end a three-game losing run, with Makur Maker scoring a career-high 23. It was not a convincing win. They let Melbourne take 19 offensive rebounds and lost a 16-point lead before holding on. In the first meeting with Sydney, the Kings had 16 offensive rebounds. Xavier Cooks, Andrew Carr and Craig should cause the Hawks the same problem again.
Maker gives the Hawks more size than they had in September, and their defence forced 18 turnovers against Melbourne. If Sydney are careless with the ball, Illawarra can score in transition and keep the margin close. That is the main danger.
Same Game Multi (SGM)
SGM (3 legs):
- Sydney Kings -6.5 - our Best Bet, backed by the 21-point win in the first meeting and Sydney’s rebounding edge.
- Torrey Craig 15+ points - he has 54 points across his last two games and is a key part of Sydney’s offence.
- Under 196.5 total points - Illawarra have struggled to score in the half-court, and the line looks a little high for their attack.
Combined price: $6.80
How we’d play it
Kings -6.5 is the main bet at a normal stake. If you want more, Xavier Cooks over his assists line is worth a look. He has had three assists in each of his last four games, so he is close to reaching four. Will Johnston 15+ points is a long-priced extra after his 17 against Perth. Keep the SGM stake small. Tip-off is 7:30pm AEDT on Thursday in Wollongong.
