Adelaide 36ers favourite for 2017 NBL title as finals loom

IT might just have been the most remarkable final round in NBL history.

Six of eight teams to squeeze into just three playoff spots.

The Adelaide 36ers had already sewn up top spot on the ladder, while the Brisbane Bullets were already rooted to the bottom.

And that meant the six other teams could all finish second – or miss the playoffs all together.

Both Melbourne United and the Sydney Kings were in the top three at the start of the round and then by the end of it they were sitting second and third bottom, out of the playoffs and contemplating seasons that ended up going disastrously wrong.

And that left the Cairns Taipans – remarkably finishing second thanks to a pair of wins – the Perth Wildcats, who claimed third spot with both of their wins, and the Illawarra Hawks – who were second at the start of the round and won their match up, but still fell two spots thanks to the aforementioned two teams having the extra game in hand.

The Sixers, top of the table for the entire second half of the season, are the $2.88 favourites to take out this season’s NBL title, with the Wildcats sitting behind them on the second line of betting at $3.75, sharing the same quote as the Taipans.

The fourth-placed Hawks are also fourth-placed in the betting, sitting at $4.50.

In case you can’t tell from the odds, it is tight, damn tight.

The Sixers started the season woefully, but a pair of winning streaks, one eight and the other six on end, put their status at the top of the NBL tree beyond doubt.

But they have really limped into the finals on the back of a four game losing streak that did not stop them from finishing on top of the ladder, but did show just how vulnerable they are in a league that any team can win on any given night.

And coach Joey Wright is hoping the complacency that has cost the Sixers so dearly in their past four outings is non existent when they take on the Hawks in the best of three series, beginning on Thursday night.

“Although (we are) young, at this point and time in the season they should understand that complacency shouldn’t be any part of what we do,” Wright said.

“We know we can score, but in the finals there shouldn’t be any complacency, so that should not be a factor.

“Right now, it has been a factor for us.”

While they fell to fourth spot, the Hawks will not have any fear of any of the three teams above them, especially after winning the season series against the Sixers, 3-1.

That included a massive 34 point thrashing in their first encounter this season and you’d imagine coach Rob Beverage would be hoping for a little more of that on Thursday night.

“We respect absolutely everyone but there is no fear at all,” Beveridge said.

“I don’t care who we play.

The Wildcats might just have the most remarkable story.

They booked their spot in the playoffs with a pair of huge wins – the second a two point thriller against rival finals hopeful Melbourne United, 96-94.

It will be the 31st consecutive time this ball club has been in the NBL playoffs. No one else comes close.

The key man in the Wildcats’ final round rejuvenation was Casey Prather and he will again lead the charge as Perth guns for yet another NBL title.

Prather was named the NBL’s player of the round for his heroics for Perth averaging 27.5 points, 8.5 assists, three rebounds and 1.5 steals across the two do or die games.

They finished third and will take on the Cairns Taipans, who also performed a Lazarus act by coming back from the dead to win their past two games and book in second spot on the ladder.

NBL playoffs semi finals fixtures

Adelaide 36ers vs. Illawarra Hawks

Game One: Thursday, February 16, 2016, 7.30pm AEDT, Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide

Game Two: Sunday, February 19, 2016, 3pm AEDT, WIN Entertainment Centre, Illawarra

Game Three: Thursday, February 23, 2016, 7.30pm AEDT, Titanium Security Arena

Cairns Taipans vs. Perth Wildcats

Game One: Friday, February 17, 7.30pm AEDT, Cairns Conventions Centre, Cairns

Game Two: Monday, February 20, 9.30pm AEDT, Perth Arena, Perth

Game Three: Friday, February 24, 7.30pm AEDT, Cairns Conventions Centre, Cairns

2017 NBL title winner market

Adelaide 36ers ($2.88)

Perth Wildcats ($3.75)

Cairns Taipans ($3.75)

Illawarra Hawks ($4.50)

All odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au

2017 NBL playoffs series odds

Adelaide 36ers vs. Illawarra Hawks

Adelaide 36ers ($1.30)

vs.

Illawarra Hawks ($3.32)

Correct series score:

Adelaide 36ers 2-0 ($2.80)

Adelaide 36ers 2-1 ($2.80)

Illawarra Hawks 2-0 ($4)

Illawarra Hawks 2-1 ($5.50)

Most points:

Jerome Randle ($1.91)

Rotnei Clarke ($3.30)

Nathan Sobey ($3.60)

AJ Ogilvy ($12)

Cairns Taipans vs. Perth Wildcats

Cairns Taipans ($1.54)

vs.

Perth Wildcats ($2.37)

Correct series score:

Cairns Taipans 2-0 ($3.50)

Cairns Taipans 2-1 ($3.30)

Perth Wildcats 2-0 ($3.75)

Pert Wildcats 2-1 ($4.20)

Most Points:

Bryce Cotton ($2.30)

Casey Prather ($2.70)

Travis Trice ($4.50)

Cam Gliddon ($6)

All odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au