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The second game of Thursday night’s NBL double-header sees the Perth Wildcats hosting the defending NBL25 champions, the Illawarra Hawks, at RAC Arena.
Perth have looked a little shaky to start the season, and new guard Mason Jones may be feeling the weight of expectation as he tries to fill the shoes of all-time great Bryce Cotton. Jones managed just 2 points in the Wildcats’ 89-78 win over New Zealand, but it was their frontcourt duo that did the damage — Jo Lual-Acuil and Dylan Windler combined for 41 points and 23 rebounds in the victory.
Illawarra, meanwhile, are coming off a tough home loss to the Tasmania JackJumpers in their season opener and are battling injury concerns with Will Hickey and Jonah Bolden sidelined. The shining light was former NBA star JaVale McGee, who announced himself to the NBL in style with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks in his debut, though even that wasn’t enough to crack Tasmania’s defence.
Here is a Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks Prediction for Thursday, October 2nd 2025.
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Australian Basketball Predictions for Today.
Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks
Venue – RAC Arena
Tip Off – 9.30pm EST
Season Record
| Team | W-L | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 2-1 | 0-1 | 1-0 |
| Illawarra | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
Season Scoring
| Team | PPG | Opp PPG | Game Total Ave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 80.5 | 76.5 | 157 |
| Illawarra | 86 | 91 | 177 |
Quick Game Facts
- The combined Game Total Average for the last three games between these two sides is 219 Points
- The Illawarra Hawks have beaten the Perth Wildcats by a combined 42 Points across their last two wins
- Clashes at RAC Arena have a combined Game Total Average of 197.6 Points across the last 5 game
Quick Player Facts
- Tyler Harvey is locked in, scoring 15+ points in five straight regular season games for the Hawks.
- Dylan Windler is cleaning the glass, hauling in 9+ boards in four of Perth’s last five games as the favourite.
- At RAC Arena, Kristian Doolittle gets everyone involved, dishing 4+ assists in six of his last seven home games.
Prediction
The Perth Wildcats host the Illawarra Hawks and when these two lock horns, you can bank on buckets. Illawarra are coming off a tough loss, and coach Justin Tatum will be desperate to see that win percentage climb north. Veteran big man JaVale McGee was a force inside, and if Tyler Harvey finds his range, the Wildcats could be in strife. Import Mason Jones has struggled to fire in red, and that opens the door for the Hawks to spring an upset. Expect a high-scoring feast, packed with action.