Wed Feb 05 12:00:00 IST 2025: ## NBL Season Finale: High Stakes and Rivalries on Tap

**Sydney, Australia** – The National Basketball League (NBL) regular season culminates this week in a flurry of high-stakes matchups, with playoff positioning and bragging rights on the line. Several games will be broadcast live on ESPN via Kayo, with international scores available on the free NBL app.

**Illawarra Hawks (vs. New Zealand Breakers, Wednesday):** The Hawks, vying for their first-ever top seed, face the Breakers. While Illawarra boasts the league’s top scoring average (101.9 points per game), their tendency towards complacency against weaker opponents could prove costly. Matt Mooney and Mojave King have been stand-out performers for the Hawks, who will need a total team effort to secure the win. The Breakers, meanwhile, are coming off a victory over Cairns and seek another positive finish to their season. Darius Days and Parker Jackson-Cartwright are out for the Hawks due to injury.

**Brisbane Bullets (vs. Cairns Taipans, Thursday):** Both teams, eliminated from playoff contention, aim for a final victory, particularly a win over their state rival. This game offers an opportunity for young players to showcase their talent. Casey Prather and Keandre Cook lead the Bullets’ scoring efforts, while the Taipans look to their young players for a strong finish. The Bullets are the league’s best three-point shooting team (37.4%), but several players are sidelined due to injury (Sam McDaniel, James Batemon, Tyrell Harrison, and Josh Bannon, as well as Rob Edwards’s departure).

**Sydney Kings (vs. Illawarra Hawks, Friday) and Perth Wildcats (vs. Adelaide 36ers, Friday):** These two games hold significant playoff implications. The Kings aim to avoid a fifth-place finish and a subsequent elimination game, while the Wildcats fight for second place. Both games feature key individual matchups, including Jaylen Adams vs. Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk and Cam Oliver vs. Sam Froling (Kings vs. Hawks), and Kendric Davis vs. Bryce Cotton (Wildcats vs. 36ers). The Kings are the league’s best defensive team (4.8 blocks, 7.5 steals per game). The Hawks are missing Darius Days (hamstring), and the Kings are missing Jaylin Galloway (shoulder) and Keli Leaupepe (hamstring). Adelaide is the lowest rebounding team in the league (38.8).

**Tasmania JackJumpers (vs. Cairns Taipans, Saturday) and Melbourne United (vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix, Saturday):** The JackJumpers’ playoff hopes hinge on an unlikely sequence of events, making their focus securing a final win against Cairns. Meanwhile, the final regular season game sees Melbourne United and the South East Melbourne Phoenix clash in a high-stakes “Throwdown” with playoff implications for both teams. Chris Goulding and Josh King will be key players for United, while Matt Hurt leads the Phoenix’s charge. The Phoenix have won the last nine quarters at John Cain Arena, and Melbourne is missing Derrick Walton Jr. (hamstring). The JackJumpers are missing Sean MacDonald (foot) and Will Magnay (toe), and Majok Deng is a game-time decision.

The final round of games promises exciting basketball and significant consequences for several teams heading into the NBL playoffs.

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