Whai vs Franklin Bulls: Analysis and Prediction – Whai Tauranga will play a 14th round NBL NZ game against the Franklin Bulls at the Mercury Baypark.
Whai vs Franklin Bulls Odds
Whai vs Franklin Bulls (1/2): 5.65 / 1.11
Asian Handicap (+12.5 / -12.5): 1.85 / 1.93
Total Over/Under (167.5): 1.93 / 1.85
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
Whai Team News
In the previous round, the Whai Tauranga split their double header on the road as they first succumbed to the Southland Sharks (93:82) and then won a gritty affair against the Otago Nuggets (66:59). With that last win Whai kept themselves mathematically alive for the postseason as they currently sit in seventh place with a negative 6-11 record.
Even though they were undermanned without their newest addition, American import Ira Lee, the Whai Tauranga managed to get best out of their double header road trip in the last round. Size is something they have been lacking all season long and it was more than a visible problem in the defeat to the Southland Sharks, but after that game they managed to pull together and grind out a gutsy defensive-minded win against the shorthanded Otago Nuggets to keep their hopes for the postseason alive but by the thinnest of threads as any loss at this point will knock back their postseason hopes.
For today´s game the Whai Tauranga will once again be undermanned and without their import Ira Lee, which will create problems on the low block and on the offensive glass against a much taller Bulls side. In order to neutralize that disadvantage, Whai will need to light it up from the three-point land to give themselves a fighting chance.
Franklin Bulls Team News
The Franklin Bulls suffered a completely unexpected loss in the last round to the heavily understrength Airs side at home (100:96). They shot themselves in the foot in terms of home court advantage in the playoffs as they currently sit in fifth place with a 10-5 record.
Contrary to all expectations, the Franklin Bulls suffered a massive upset at home in the previous round against the heavily shorthanded Taranaki Airs. The Bulls entered the game thinking it would be easy for them with the Airs missing three crucial starters, but Taranaki surprised them and held the lead for most of the match finishing off the Bulls in the end game. That loss massively hampered the hopes of Franklin for home court advantage in the postseason, but they can still achieve that, although they will need a strong finish to the season and rack up multiple wins, including today´s contest.
The Bulls are entering today´s game with a huge mismatch in the paint as their center Sam Timmins should be beasting and feasting against the undersized Whai Tauranga. Franklin have already beaten Whai this season by double-digits and since Whai will enter the game with an undermanned frontcourt, we should see a similar story this Thursday.
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Whai vs Franklin Bulls H2H
In the first head-to-head clash two months ago, the Franklin Bulls beat the Whai Tauranga comfortably at home by 11 points (85:74).
Absences and injuries
The Whai Tauranga will be without import Ira Lee, while the Franklin Bulls will be without Ethan Rusbatch.
Whai vs Franklin Bulls Prediction
The Whai Tauranga have been punching above their weight with some recent wins, but all of their flaws should be exposed against a much bigger Bulls side. Whai will enter today´s contest without a full contingent of imports and are seriously undersized compared to Franklin, so we opted for the Franklin Bulls to win and to cover the spread.
Tip-off Time: Thursday, 27.06.2024. 09:30 CET
Prediction: Franklin Bulls -12.5
Odds: 1.93
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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