Sports

NBL – New Zealand Breakers vs Townsville Crocs

Friday January 29, 2.30 PM (WST), Vector Complex

To say the Breakers need to win this is an understatement but can they hold out the resurgent Crocs?

Game rating – New Zealand 82 v Townsville 77

The Crocs are on the quick back-up after defeating the Sydney Kings (96-88) in Townsville on Wednesday night and travel to New Zealand to take on the Breakers who are attempting to stay in the race for the playoffs.  The Breakers looked home against the Taipans last Saturday before succumbing in the last quarter to lose to Cairns (90-87) as the second leg of a road trip disaster to Far North Queensland, following their earlier loss to the Crocs (89-66).  The Breakers have lost six games on the bounce, including home losses to the Hawks and 36 ers and face the Crocs who are 4-4 but only 2 from 7 past nine road games.

Prediction

This series is with New Zealand 2-1 with a home court win back in Round 1 (89-81) and then splitting two games in Townsville, winning (75-86)  in Round 9 and the recent loss (89-66) in Round 16.  The lack of depth off the bench has really hurt the Breakers of late and if Webster, Jackson and Jackson are not on their games during the same night they fail to generate enough score.  Conversely the Crocs have turned their form around with the inclusion of Sanham  and the form of their outside shooters led by Jett, Norton and Steindl.  The markets again look to be too far apart and taking $1.20 about a team on a six game losing streak does not appeal-the line bet start for the Crocodiles does.

Suggested Bets

Option 1 – Townsville Crocs at the line +8.5 at $1.87

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