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The league-leading Perth Wildcats travel north to face the team that knocked them out of last season’s playoffs, the Cairns Taipans, at the Cairns Convention Centre. Join The Roar from 7:25 pm (AEDT) for live scores and updates.
The Taipans’ dramatic double-overtime victory against the Illawarra Hawks last week put Cairns just two wins out of the top four, so every game from here on out is a must-win for last season’s runners-up.
Markel Starks was the star for Cairns against Illawarra, putting up 33 points.
Perth, on the other hand, hasn’t needed any overtime sessions to reclaim top spot on the ladder, winning their last three games by an average of 22 points. Those wins have come against the Adelaide 36ers, Melbourne United and the Sydney Kings, with the 30-point drubbing of United being the most impressive.
With Jermaine Beal in career-best form, averaging 17.7 points per game, the Wildcats fly to North Queensland full of confidence.
Cairns hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Perth in recent years – the Wildcats have a 3-8 record there since the 2010-11 season – but this is probably the hottest Perth team that has visited in years.
Tonight’s winner may come down to the shooting guard position, where the battle between Beal and Starks, two of the NBL’s most proficient scorers, will be one to watch.
Starks is coming off one of the best games of his debut NBL season, and the former Georgetown Hoya is averaging 14.4 points per game while shooting the ball at the red-hot rate of 47.1 per cent. One way Perth can attempt to slow down Starks is to force him to shoot the three-ball, as he is only converting at a 24.2per cent from beyond the arc this season.
For Beal, his scoring average of 17.7 points per game is seventh in the league and his 40-point outburst against Melbourne last week solidified his spot as a legitimate MVP contender. The Vanderbilt product has slowly worked his way into one of the league’s top scorers and offensive playmakers, and the Taipans will have their hands full defending him, as his offensive game seemingly has no weaknesses.
Whichever import can get their team clicking may be the key to victory.
Prediction
The Taipans are fighting for their playoff life, but the Wildcats are playing basketball on another level.
Despite Perth’s poor record in Cairns over the past few years, they are the hottest team in the league, and that will continue tonight with another big win.
Perth by 15.
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