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Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans |
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|---|---|---|
2016/17 NBL Season, 20 January 2017 |
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| Perth Arena, Perth, WA | ||
| Perth Wildcats | Cairns Taipans | |
| 84 | SCORE | 76 |
| 42 | First Half | 39 |
| 30 | Q2 | 43 |
| 12 | Overtime | 4 |
The Perth Wildcats go into a crucial home fixture for their finals cause against the Cairns Taipans as favourites, but nonetheless nervous after results from earlier in the season. Join The Roar for live scores of the match from 9:30pm (AEDT).
It’s been a frustrating season to say the least for Trevor Gleeson’s men. One minute the Wildcats look like they will challenge for the premiership, and the next they look like certainties for the wooden spoon.
While Damian Martin being injured in large chunks hasn’t helped, even his defence hasn’t mean consistency for their offence, which so often looks to get out and run because of a strong defensive effort.
Martin might be the best defensive player in the league, but the Wildcats also have one of the best offensive ones in Casey Prather. Unfortunately, the pair of them seem to be fighting a losing battle with very little in the way of consistent support.
Perth currently sit fifth place on the ladder with ten wins from 21 games and while they are desperate for a top four finish, the quality of Basketball they have been playing suggests they will need an improvement.
The only way to describe the season for their tropics-based opponents is long and ugly. While they have had some bright spots, they just don’t have the firepower to go with other teams.
Their defence has been the catalyst for most of their wins with Aaron Fearne doing a good job coaching, but simply put they need to find more offensive weapons.
Mark Worthington has shouldered a lot of the load along with import guard Travis Trice, but they need more options to stand up if the club are to get out of seventh play with nine wins from 20 games.
Just when you thought it was all doom and gloom though for Cairns, the club still being in the finals race is brilliant, as was their win over Perth at home last weekend.
It’s been an interesting season series thus far between the clubs, with the first game early in the season seeing the cagey Taipans get it to overtime before losing and the second game, as mentioned, seeing the Taipans pick up a narrow home win.
Prediction
Despite the fact the Wildcats are yet to beat the Taipans in regular time this season, they are finally back to somewhere near their best and have it all to play for as they try to qualify.
Cairns desperately need to start winning consistently, but it won’t be here as Prather and Martin grind them into the dust.
Wildcats by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of this Round 16 match from 9:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
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