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Perth Wildcats vs Cairns Taipans |
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2016/2017 NBL semi-finals, Game 2, 20 February 2017 |
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| Perth Arena, Perth, WA | ||
| Perth Wildcats | Cairns Taipans | |
| 74 | SCORE | 66 |
| 16 | Q1 | 8 |
| 21 | Q2 | 14 |
| 15 | Q3 | 22 |
| 22 | Q4 | 22 |
The Perth Wildcats are out to secure a spot in the NBL grand final with a straight-sets victory when they head home to host the battling Cairns Taipans in Game 2. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of the match from 9:30pm (AEDT).
Perth is one of, if not the hardest place to play in the league, so when Cairns were blown off the floor in Game 1, it felt like the series may have already written its conclusion.
After a season series between the sides that barely saw a gap open up to double digits, the enormity of the semi-final battle got the Taipans early in the piece and they simply never recovered.
Despite his efforts at both ends of the floor, veteran Mark Worthington couldn’t stop the rot, as Perth powered up 91 points.
The Taipans’ defence came in bursts and when it worked they were able to get on a few runs, but in hindsight the game was over halfway through the first quarter.
A slow start against the Wildcats is close on impossible to recover from, and with their offence floundering – Travis Trice leading the way in that department – it was never going to be easy.
Trice will be under a mountain of pressure heading into this second game to get his attack flowing and actually have the confidence to take shots – something that, for the first time this season, was servely lacking during Game 1.
Perth might have dominated the contest as a whole, but looking at the box score paints a different picture, with imports Bryce Cotton and Casey Prather scoring well over half the team’s points.
If it wasn’t for those two, the Wildcats would have struggled, with no others looking dangerous on the offensive end.
Of course, the Wildcats’ defensive effort was second to none and choked the Taipans to under 70 points, a position where it’s nearly impossible to win. Australian Boomer Damian Martin led that effort, and will do so again in Game 2.
If Perth get the same level of production from their imports, they are going to be hard to beat. They were the difference in Game 1, but if they do go quiet – as they have at different points during the regular season – then this will be close.
Prediction
The Wildcats were strong on the road and will be again in front of 13,000 fans. The Taipans have battled well at the Perth Arena this season, so it shouldn’t be a blowout, but in the end the experience of the men in red will get the job done.
Perth by 5.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the second game in this NBL semi-final series from 9:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde