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Cairns Taipans vs Illawarra Hawks |
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2016/17 NBL Season, 22 January 2017 |
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| Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, QLD | ||
| Cairns Taipans | Illawarra Hawks | |
| 85 | SCORE | 79 |
| 22 | Q1 | 15 |
| 23 | Q2 | 23 |
| 22 | Q3 | 15 |
| 18 | Q4 | 26 |
The Cairns Taipans might have games up their sleeve, but they are fast running out of chances to push for an NBL finals berth. Things won’t get much easier when they host the high-flying Illawarra Hawks. Join The Roar for live scores of the match from 3pm (AEDT).
Cairns sit right down the bottom of the table, only ahead of the hapless and undermanned Brisbane Bullets with a record of just nine wins from their 21 games.
It’s the 21 games that leaves them in the best stead though, with the Taipans having a stack of extra games than most teams, which may not only allow them to build some momentum into a late season charge, but actually move up the ladder.
To make the finals, the Taipans will have to win no less than five of their remaining seven games, but in all probability, they may need to win six.
Unforunately for Cairns, their form just doesn’t look like it’ll let that happen. While they have scrapped hard all season and been solid on their home floor, the defensive effort carrying the side, they must improve on offence if they hope to compete.
While a last start overtime loss to the Perth Wildcats wasn’t a dreadful result, the club have now lost four of their last six, the inconsistency that has hurt them all season flaring up at crucial moments.
The Hawks meanwhile, sit second on the NBL ladder but by no means comfortable for a finals spot when it kicks off in a months time.
With the Adelaide 36ers are runaway competition leaders and all but securing their spot in the finals, the Hawks are a lot closer to the chasing pack only holding a one-game advantage to Melbourne United and the Perth Wildcats.
For that reason, and the fact they would like to take some momentum in the finals the Wollongong based club must continue to win, something they failed to do against the New Zealand Breakers on Friday Night as their offence failed them.
Nonetheless, the club have been in strong form with Rotnei Clarke leading the way, and if he does so hear against the weak Cairns perimeter defensive outfit, then he could go crazy and the Hawks should run away with a monster win.
Prediction
The Taipans might be at home and be very hard to beat in the North Queensland centre, but the Hawks are flying and their offence, no matter how well the Taipans scrap on defence will get the job done with Rotnei Clarke leading the way.
Hawks by 4.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the match from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to drop a comment in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde