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Melbourne United vs Perth Wildcats |
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|---|---|---|
2016/17 NBL Season, 12 February 2017 |
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| Hisense Arena, Melbourne, VIC | ||
| Melbourne United | Perth Wildcats | |
| 94 | SCORE | 96 |
| 29 | Q1 | 21 |
| 18 | Q2 | 25 |
| 18 | Q3 | 23 |
| 29 | Q4 | 27 |
The Perth Wildcats booked a finals berth for the 31st season in a row with a 2-point win over Melbourne United on Sunday.
Final score
Melbourne United 94
Perth Wildcats 96
It all comes down to this. The Perth Wildcats need victory to make the playoffs in the final game of the regular season. Standing in their way are Melbourne United trying to close their season on a high at home. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 3pm (AEDT).
After all the confusion, possible scenarios and speculation of the last fortnight, we have finally arrived at the last game to close the closest regular season in the competition’s history and the situation couldn’t be any clearer for the Wildcats.
They must hit the road and beat Melbourne to qualify for a staggering 31st-time in-a-row. That would see them finish third with a semi-final series against the Cairns Taipans, with the Illawarra Hawks finishing fourth to take on the Adelaide 36ers.
Lose and it’s curtains for the Wildcats. That would see the Hawks move into third slot, with the New Zealand Breakers taking fourth.
The Wildcats have had a knack of dealing with pressure well this season though, with a number of their games ending in overtime victories, but the performance today has to be something else.
Damian Martin will be the key, with the Wildcats offence coming from good defence. If Martin can get a strong support line at the defensive end of the court, then Melbourne’s offence, which has been inconsistent and less than impressive could get torn to shreds.
If they do manage to shut down United’s offence, then it comes down to the point scoring of Bryce Cotton and the out of sorts Casey Prather, who has appeared to battle with injury and getting his hands on the ball since Cotton’s arrival at the club.
Cotton has been shooting lights out from beyond the arc, and with support from others he has to continue that in this huge encounter.
Perth come into the match having ended the Sydney Kings season on Friday night in a monstrous 27-point victory. Their form has been a little stop-start though, winning three of their last six.
For United, many fans believe this should be the farewell came for maligned coach Dean Demopolous, and it’s hard to argue with that sentiment.
United’s roster, on paper at least, is in the top two of the competition, yet they have struggled to compete this year with a one-dimensional attack and individual performances from Chris Goulding, Josh Boone or Casper Ware pulling them out of the fire more times than anyone cares to remember.
Their offence has been one-dimensional at best and defence soft around the edges, with both of those facts illustrated on Friday when their push for the playoffs ended with an embarrassing loss at the hands of the New Zealand Breakers.
Prediction
The Wildcats will be desperate. United have nothing left to play for and save an incredible individual performance, the Wildcats will march into the playoffs for the 31st straight time.
Wildcats by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the final regular season match from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde