After some Thursday Night NBL Action we head to Illawarra for Friday Night Basketball and a matchup where the Illawarra Hawks host the New Zealand Breakers.
The Hawks have been good defensively in their opening couple of games and will make it tough for a struggling Breakers outfit.
The Friday Night NBL action for Round 3 of NBL22 then heads out West where the Perth Wildcats will be looking to make up for their Overtime loss to the Brisbane Bullets last Sunday.
Another fine evening of hoops and here are some NBL Predictions and NBL Tips for Round 3 of NBL22.
Be sure to check back before each NBL22 Match for NBL Previews, NBL Head to Head Predictions, NBL Tips, NBL Picks and NBL Predictions for each match of NBL Season 22.
A Star Rating is used to show the confidence level of each Head to Head NBL Match Prediction.
⭐ = A Tough Match to Pick
⭐⭐ = A Decent Chance
⭐⭐⭐ = Should Get the Win
Illawarra Hawks vs New Zealand Breakers
Venue – WIN Entertainment Centre
Tip Off – 7.30pm Eastern Standard Time
Season Record
| Team | Win/Loss | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illawarra | 2-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| New Zealand | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0-3 |
Season Team Statistics
| Team | PPG | Opp PPG | Rebs | Assists | Tu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illawarra | 86.5 | 77.5 | 39.0 | 14.5 | 8.5 |
| New Zealand | 79.3 | 94.0 | 32.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 |
Shooting Statistics
| Team | FG % | 3PT % | FT % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illawarra | 42.1% | 32.8% | 81.8% |
| New Zealand | 44.1% | 33.7% | 78.8% |
Player Stat Leaders
| Team | Points | Rebs | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illawarra | D.Reath 22.5 | S.Froling 10.5 | T.Harvey 4.0 |
| New Zealand | H.Besson 20.3 | H.Besson 4.7 | W.M-White 5.3 |
Last 3 Head to Head Matches
| Date | Matchup | Score | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28th May 21 | New Zealand vs Illawarra | 73-84 | (Hawks by 11 Pts) |
| 15th May 21 | Illawarra vs New Zealand | 73-71 | (Hawks by 2 Pts) |
| 3rd May 21 | New Zealand vs Illawarra | 67-75 | (Hawks by 8 Pts) |
Prediction
The Illawarra Hawks have been bringing the intensity on the defensive end to start the season and really making it tough for the opposition to score. New Zealand won’t want to start the season with four straight losses and may surprise in this one, but Brian Goorjian and the Hawks will be tough to beat at home.
Prediction – Illawarra Hawks (Win) ⭐⭐
Perth Wildcats vs Brisbane Bullets
Venue – RAC Arena
Tip Off – 6.30pm Western Standard Time
Season Record
| Team | Win/Loss | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 2-1 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Brisbane | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 |
Season Team Statistics
| Team | PPG | Opp PPG | Rebs | Assists | Tu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 89.7 | 79.0 | 42.0 | 17.3 | 10.3 |
| Brisbane | 85.5 | 88.5 | 56.0 | 17.0 | 15.5 |
Shooting Statistics
| Team | FG % | 3PT % | FT % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 41.2% | 31.6% | 72.5% |
| Brisbane | 38.5% | 28.6% | 61.3% |
Player Stat Leaders
| Team | Points | Rebs | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | V.Law 26.7 | M.Majok 11.0 | B.Cotton 5.0 |
| Brisbane | N.Sobey 21.5 | T.Harrison 12.5 | L.Patterson 5.0 |
Last 3 Head to Head Matches
| Date | Matchup | Score | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th Dec 21 | Perth vs Brisbane | 94-97 | (Bullets by 3 Pts) |
| 19th May 21 | Brisbane vs Perth | 91-88 | (Bullets by 3 Pts) |
| 15th May 21 | Brisbane vs Perth | 90-102 | (Wildcats by 12 Pts) |
Prediction
The Brisbane Bullets got the better of the Perth Wildcats last week in overtime on the back of big games from Nathan Sobey, Lamar Patterson and Robert Franks. It is tough to win in Perth and backing up a performance like that may prove difficult.
The Brisbane Bullets shutdown Bryce Cotton last Sunday and kept him to 5/23 shooting from the floor and 3/16 from the three point line. Trying to stop the 3 Time NBL MVP two times in a row on his home court will be a tough ask. The Wildcats need the win before an extended road trip in the coming weeks and should bounce back in this one.