Shot clock: Quickfire guide to setting up your SuperCoach NBL team for round 18

Win and stay alive, lose and it’s season over – that’s the equation in SuperCoach NBL round 18, which starts Thursday. Get all your trade tips here.

It’s do or die in SuperCoach NBL from now until grand final week.

Round 18, starting Thursday January 23, is the second week of league finals, and from here you need to win to stay alive in the quest for head-to-head glory.

And with the two golden rounds, when every team played twice, over, every decision is crucial.

Here’s everything you need to know to get the best score in round 18.

ON THE DOUBLE

The schedule is the key to SuperCoach NBL success. Targeting players from teams that play twice in a round will give you twice as many opportunities to score points.

In round 18 there are four teams are on the double: Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets, Cairns Taipans and NZ Breakers.

The 36ers and Taipans are the teams to prioritise with trades because they have another double before the end of the season. This is the final double for Brisbane – after an epic eight-week run –and NZ, but if you want a player from those teams to get through this week, that is still a viable move.

Melbourne United and Sydney Kings are the two teams who play singles for the rest of the season – look to those teams for players to trade out this round.

Taran Armstrong and the Taipans play five times in the final three rounds of SuperCoach NBL. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

In round 19 the Perth Wildcats, SEM Phoenix and Tasmania JackJumpers all play twice – along with the 36ers – so hold on to stars like Bryce Cotton if you can..

In round 20, the final round of the season and SuperCoach NBL grand final week, Cairns Taipans and Illawarra Hawks are the only teams on the double.

Bullets star Casey Prather is expected to play against the Breakers after missing the second game of the round 17 double – but coaches will be feeling nervous.

Kristian Doolitle doesn’t play twice again until round 19 but he will be a popular trade target this round with a Break Even of -19 after a huge 97-point score in round 18.

TRADE IN

1. Taran Armstrong (CNS)

2. Tanner Groves (CNS)

3. Kristian Doolittle (PER)

4. Parker Jackson-Cartwright (NZ)

5. Akoldah Gak (CNS)

TRADE OUT

1. Xavier Cooks (SYD)

2. Jaylen Adams (SYD)

3. Jack White (MEL)

4. Darius Days (ILL)

5. Casey Prather (BRI)

CAPTAIN CALL

With the 36ers on the double again, and Perth playing once, Kendric Davis is the obvious choice for captaincy honours. If you need to be different to win a final, Montrezl Harrell outscored Davis in the 36ers last game and Parker Jackson-Cartwright has the ability to go very big.

Originally published as Shot clock: Quickfire guide to setting up your SuperCoach NBL team for round 18