Basketball On The Internet.

IT'S here. The NBL will tip-off tonight and Aussie basketball fans cannot wait, matches available for viewing on SBS Viceland, SBS On Demand and ESPN.

Adelaide at home opens against prohibitive title-favourite Melbourne United. Many pundits have the 36ers holding open the basement door so it would be quite a surprise for the championship-favourite to start by losing to the one team most expect to be checking the wine bottles, hanging salamis and cheese rounds.

Melbourne to win.

The team "most likely" is on the road against the team "most unlikeable" when the Hawks zoom in to dodge the Bullets. Our new (and former) Olympic coach matching wits against our previous Olympic coach means the tactical battle will be fun to follow. So many players with points to make or points to prove, this one should be great fun.

 Backing the Hawks to beat Brisbane.

What a baptism of fire for rookie coach Adam Forde and the new-look Kings, facing the burgeoning Taipans in Cairns. The Orangemen will be revved to remind Sydney they gave champion Perth plenty to think about in the semi finals last season and already have their sights on the club's breakthrough championship.

 This will be fun too, mainly because Cairns is fun to watch.

South East Melbourne hit Adelaide with the history between the 36ers and Mitch Creek still a simmering point. Creek is likely to be a monster in this one but the Sixers cannot afford to start the season 0-2 and especially not at home. Not if they expect anyone to show up to watch.

 An absolute "must-win" at home, but no certainty.

Maybe it's the "best for last" but the Hawks at Cairns, where the club historically has a good record and where Brian Goorjian disciple Mike Kelly faces his mentor for the first time, makes this game mouth-watering. But the Orange are chasing a title and cannot lose a home match such as this one.

 Tipping a 2-0 home start for Cairns.

Safest bet of the Round? That every NBL fan will be privately praying corona-virus does not rear its head anywhere and everyone gets through the round safely.