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New Zealand Breakers vs Adelaide 36ers NBL: Adelaide by 18

8th January, 2017
Tip-Off: 3pm (AEDT)
Venue: North Shore Events Centre, Auckland
TV: Live on SBS, Fox Sports 3 and Sky Sports NZ
Betting: New Zealand $1.75, Adelaide $2.08
Vector Arena, home of the NBL's New Zealand Breakers (Wikimedia Commons)
Editor
8th January, 2017
101

Match result:

The Adelaide 36ers continued their strong form on Sunday afternoon, running over the New Zealand Breakers by 18 points.

Final score
New Zealand Breakers 95
Adelaide 36ers 113

Match preview:

It’s a battle of top and bottom this afternoon in the NBL as the league-leading Adelaide 36ers make the trip across the ditch to take on last-placed New Zealand Breakers. Catch all the live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 3pm (AEDT).

The 36ers were slow out of the gate this season, winning just three of their first nine games to leave them reeling at the wrong end of the standings, but they’ve certainly turned that around.

Adelaide have won nine of their last ten games leading into today’s fixture, leaving them clear at the top of the ladder after flying past the rest of the competition in dominant fashion.

A fairly convincing loss on the road against Melbourne United in Round 13 has been their only blemish in a huge couple of months for the side.

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They bounced back in style though, smashing a hapless Illawarra Hawks outfit on Thursday, walking home by 32 points, in the end, thanks to a mammoth opening half, taking a 25-point lead into halftime.

Adelaide’s run has been defined by their Round 11 double over the Kings. After beating them in a tight one at home, they were able to top one of the competitions hottest sides just two days later on the road.

In stark contrast, we have the New Zealand Breakers and their struggle at the bottom of the barrel.

They’ve lost three of their last four after a decent, if not unspectacular, start to the season, including a two-point thriller last week against the Taipans in a very low-scoring affair.

The Breakers can take some solace knowing they’ve been able to perform well at home this season, winning six of nine games.

Less exciting for them is knowing that the 36ers have a positive record on the road, winning six and losing four away from home.

These two sides have played each other twice already this season, with very differing results.

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The first came in Round 4 when Adelaide were struggling to get going in their campaign and the Breakers were able to completely dominate, putting 119 points past the 36ers to 93.

They met again in Round 10, this time highlighted by a Jerome Randle 37-point blitz for Adelaide to win by 10.

Prediction
Adelaide have been in ridiculous form as of late and it’s hard to see them losing anywhere against anyone at this point.

New Zealand have had flashes of brilliance throughout the season, but they’ve just struggled all over the court and haven’t been able to string together a good run of form.

Adelaide to win by 15

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