It’s finally here! The 2016-17 NBL season gets underway tonight in Brisbane with what should be a massive match as the Bullets make their homecoming against the Perth Wildcats.
It’s not just that one match for the first round, though, with plenty of blockbusters shaping up what should be a cracking weekend of action.
From the Sydney Kings playing their first game under new ownership at the Qudos Bank Arena and renewing their long-term rivalry with the Bullets, to the New Zealand Breakers looking to continue on from their semi-final drubbing of Melbourne United and United themselves hosting southern rivals the Adelaide 36ers, you can’t look at this first round as anything but excellent.
The new Thursday-Monday round doesn’t quite come into effect straight away, with Round 1 finishing on Sunday but that adds to the blockbuster feel for the start of the season.
The Bullets open the season by hosting defending champions the Perth Wildcats at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, rather than what will become their usual home the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
This allows for a much larger crowd to witness their return to the top domestic basketball competition in Australia, and it promises to be a cracker on the court.
The Wildcats have struggled throughout the pre-season and need to make a statement here, playing what is likely to be a much more attacking style than last season. The Bullets will be looking to muscle up in the paint with Daniel Kickert leading the way.
It’s then over to New Zealand with a semi-final rematch. After the Breakers came from fourth to oust minor premiers United in straight sets, there will be plenty of feeling in this match, particularly with Cedric Jackson taking on his old club.
The first non-blockbuster, so to speak, will see the Illawarra Hawks taking on the Adelaide 36ers, but there is plenty riding on the match.
The Hawks have once again been tipped for the bottom part of the ladder come the end of the season, despite proving everyone wrong last year, while the 36ers missed the finals but should be in for a stronger season this time around. For both of these sides, getting the season off to a strong start is critical.
The 36ers will be desperate for a strong start, as they must get their combinations, rotations and switching defence right before taking on Melbourne United away from home on the Sunday afternoon at what should be a sold-out Hisense Arena.
If the 36ers were to start the season with back-to-back losses it will leave plenty of questions over their ability to contend for the finals. If they lose the first game, it’s hard to see them winning the second.
For this reason, Jerome Randle is a key and must stand up to spark their offence.
The two Saturday night matches see the Kings take on the Bullets in what will probably be the biggest blockbuster of the round, and the Wildcats play their first home game against Cairns.
In what will be the first NBL game at the Sydney Superdome (known as Qudos Bank Arena), a huge crowd should be on hand for the renewal of one of the biggest rivalries in the history of the league.
The Bullets beat the Kings during the pre-season at the Australian Basketball Challenge, but those results never mean all that much come the first round of the season.
If Brisbane lose their first game, then a bounce back in this one will be critical.
The Wildcats will then take on the Taipans in what will be a litmus test for Cairns as they begin their season away from home.
Full Round 1 fixtures – All times AEDT
Thursday 7:30pm – Brisbane Bullets vs Perth Wildcats at Brisbane Entertainment Centre (Live, Fox Sports 503)
Friday 5:30pm – New Zealand Breakers vs Melbourne United at Vector Arena (Live, Fox Sports 503)
Friday 7:30pm – Illawarra Hawks vs Adelaide 36ers at WIN Entertainment Centre (Live, Fox Sports 503)
Saturday 5:30pm – Sydney Kings vs Brisbane Bullets at Qudos Bank Arena (Live, Fox Sports 503)
Saturday 9:30pm – Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans at Perth Arena (Live, Fox Sports 503)
Sunday 3pm – Melbourne United vs Adelaide 36ers at Hisense Arena (Live, Fox Sports 503 and SBS)
My tips
Wildcats by 7
United by 2
36ers by 15
Kings by 8
Wildcats by 21
United by 6
Lock of the round: At least two away teams will pick up wins to open their season.
It’s not much of a hunch I know, and there could well be more than two, but in a close and competitive league where every game means so much, winning at home is critical.
However, some away teams will actually go into this first round as favourites – as hard as it is to decide who should be favourites for most of the matches.
Right from the first game we could see an away win, although that will very much depend on how the Brisbane Bullets gel and handle the pressure of their first match at home in front of a likely 10,000 fans against the defending champions.
Then Melbourne travel to New Zealand, and, in one of the biggest rivalries of last season, United take on the Breakers. With their roster, they could get the job done.
Adelaide then play Illawarra and could win that fairly comfortably, so out of the first three games you would have to think at least two will end in away victories.
Upsets are all too common in the NBL though, so it could be one of the final three games as well, but two away teams will win in Round 1 – mark my words.
The big question: Will the crowds turn up?
This is a mightiliy important question for the state of the league. They haven’t quite put all their eggs in one basket by scheduling every match in Round 1 as a big one, but the majority are.
The Bullets opening their season on a Thursday night at the 13,000-seat Brisbane Entertainment Centre is a huge one, as is the Kings’ gamble on taking their games across to the Qudos Bank Arena.
Both of those arenas could look very ordinary on TV if they don’t draw a crowd – and while they are the two risky games, the Hawks opening their season on a Friday night doesn’t seem the smartest option either in working-class Wollongong.
Melbourne had a breakout year for crowds last year, but that must translate over to this season, and it has to be expected that it will with a Sunday afternoon slot to start the season.
The Bullets and Kings home games, as mentioned, are the worries, though.
Be sure to follow The Roar’s live coverage of each game in the 2016 NBL season, kicking off tonight.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
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