Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks NBL27 Round 7 Tips

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: Fri. 30 Oct. 2026 12:38

Ryan Tucker 1 hour ago

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Illawarra Hawks are tipped to cover the +8.5 line against Perth Wildcats.
Perth's last two home wins over Illawarra were by eight points or fewer.
Makur Maker 20+ points is a suggested player prop after strong recent scoring.

Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks NBL27 Expert Tips

The Illawarra Hawks are tipped to cover the +8.5 line against the Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena on Saturday night, with Makur Maker also backed to score 20+ points.

Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks NBL27 Expert Tips
Key Stats
Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks Head to Head
Perth Wildcats Form
Illawarra Hawks Form

Illawarra have struggled through the opening rounds of NBL27, sitting 2-8 against the spread, but there are reasons to believe they can keep this contest competitive. The Hawks have won two of their last four visits to RAC Arena, while Perth's last two victories over Illawarra were both decided by eight points or fewer.

Perth have won five of their last six home games, but their slow start against Sydney on Wednesday was concerning. The Wildcats trailed by 17 points at half-time before fighting back to lose 99-91.

Illawarra's defence remains a major weakness, allowing 105.1 points per game, but Perth rank just eighth for points scored in the paint, limiting their ability to exploit one of the Hawks' biggest problems.

Makur Maker 20+ points at 2.82 is our player prop. Maker has scored 23 and 24 points in two of his last three games, and Perth are allowing 95.6 points per contest.

Back Illawarra +8.5 to keep things competitive in Perth, with Makur Maker 20+ points offering an additional betting opportunity.

Key Stats

Illawarra have won two of their last four visits to RAC Arena.

Perth's last two wins over Illawarra were by five and eight points.

Perth rank eighth in the NBL for points scored in the paint, averaging 39.3.

Makur Maker has scored 20+ points in two of his last three games.

Perth Wildcats vs Illawarra Hawks Head to Head

Perth dominate the all-time series with 102 wins from 149 meetings and have won the last four encounters. However, their two most recent home victories over Illawarra were relatively close, winning 92-87 in January and 92-84 in October 2025.

Perth Wildcats Form

Perth sit third on the NBL ladder with a 5-3 record, although their five-game winning streak was interrupted by Sydney earlier this month.

The Wildcats bounced back with a 103-102 victory over Melbourne United before suffering a 99-91 home defeat to Sydney in Wednesday's Ignite Cup clash.

Perth were outscored 33-17 in the opening quarter and trailed by 17 at half-time before mounting a comeback in the second half. Brandon Knight led the Wildcats with 27 points, but Sydney's superior three-point shooting proved decisive.

Perth are now 5-2 at home, averaging 92.6 points per game while conceding 95.6.

Illawarra Hawks Form

Illawarra have endured a difficult start to their NBL27 campaign, sitting bottom of the ladder with a 2-8 record and losing five of their last six games.

The Hawks suffered another disappointing defeat last Saturday, going down 98-81 at home to Brisbane. They were outscored 58-36 in the paint, while Brisbane's Nate Hinton finished with 21 points, six assists and three steals.

Todd Blanchfield led Illawarra with 19 points, but the Hawks struggled to match Brisbane's physicality.

Illawarra are averaging 95.2 points per game while allowing a league-worst 105.1. Their defence remains a concern, although their ability to generate offence through the bench, which leads the NBL with 41.2 points per game, gives them a chance to stay within the spread.

Verdict

erth Wildcats v Illawarra Hawks

Back Illawarra +8.5 to keep things competitive in Perth, with Makur Maker 20+ points offering an additional betting opportunity.

Illawarra +8.5

Line

$1.90 - 2 Units

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Makur Maker 20+

Points

$2.82 - 1 Unit

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