lasseters – South Dragons vs Adelaide 36ers
Category: NRL bets online
www.lasseters.com.au – Where and When: Wednesday 12 November, Hisense Arena, 7.30pm (AEDT)
Past Three Head-to-Head
South Dragons 114-119 Adelaide 36ers, Round 15 2007.
Adelaide 36ers 96-93 South Dragons, Round 9 2007.
South Dragons 149-147 Adelaide 36ers, Round 21 2007.
Season Series
First match
Current Standings
Dragons 9-2 (first), 36ers 4-6 (seventh)
The Dragons will enter this clash as heavy favourites and rightly so considering they sit atop the NBL ladder after winning their last seven matches while Adelaide will be desperate for a win after their heartbreaking one-point loss to Cairns at home last Saturday night.
The 36ers managed a meagre 70 points against the Taipans and they will need to be more productive on the offensive end on Wednesday night if they are going to keep pace with a South Dragons outfit that boasts multiple scoring options.
Once again it is in-form big men Adam Ballinger and Luke Schenscher that are the keys for Adelaide – they need to have big games if the 36ers are going to cause an upset.
The 36ers are expected to be bolstered by the return of guards Brad Davidson and Brett Maher and they will play an important role with the Dragons likely to plug the key way and force Adelaide to punish them from the outside.
If the likes of Davidson and Maher can knock down their shots from long range then the 36ers are a genuine chance to record their fifth win of the season.
The ladder leaders are still without centre Nick Horvath, who is sidelined with a wrist injury, but everyone else at the Dragons is fit and firing.
Brian Goorjan’s men have played as a team so far this season and this was perfectly summed up in the 12-point win over the Gold Coast Blaze at Hisense Stadium last Saturday night.
While Mark Worthington top-scored for the Dragons with 18 points, five of his team-mates also scored in double figures, with import Cortez Groves (16) and Rhys Carter, Matt Burston, Adam Gibson and Joe Ingles all contributing 11.
The last three matches between these two sides have been won by the home side – expect the trend to continue with the Dragons having too many scoring options for the 36ers.
The Dragons scoring options and impressive defence should see them record a relatively comfortable win at home.
With this in mind my money is on a Dragons’ win by 11+, offering $2.00.