Round 3: Cairns v Perth

CQUniversity Cairns Taipans v Perth Wildcats, 6:30pm AEST
(Cairns Convention Centre)

• Watch on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Foxtel
• Watch together at the Reef Hotel Casino (Official Away Game Watch Venue)

TAIPANS TICKETS | LIVE STATS

LAST MEETING

These teams last met at the NBL Blitz, with Perth winning 98-80 thanks to a 36-point performance from Bryce Cotton. It was a three-point fest from both sides with Perth shooting 43 attempts and Cairns 44. Last season, the Wildcats only travelled to the Cairns Convention Centre once. The Taipans scored the first 13 points of the game and led by 18 before Bryce Cotton stepped up – after not scoring in the first exploded for 19 in the second to eventually get the win with 29 points.

LINE-UP

Taipans forward Lat Mayen is yet to make his NBL debut and remains sidelined until Round 3.

The Wildcats will be without TaShawn Thomas (ankle) and Corey Webster (family reasons).

LOOK FOR

Someone’s streak to end. Both teams enter the match 2-0 and both are playing their second game of the weekend. 

Expect a high-scoring affair - in their last two games, Cairns have scored double figures nine times with Hogg (twice), Pinder (twice) and Scott (twice) in addition to Deng, Kuol and McCall once each.

LATEST WORDS

“There were lot turnovers. But I want attacking turnovers because we’re still applying that pressure. One sticks in my mind because it was the most recent, Tahj comes off the on-ball, he throws up the lob to Keanu, Keanu’s there, it hits the ring, and now it’s a turnover. I’ll live with that,” – Adam Forde on the turnovers against Phoenix

“Last week we rotated tight because there was no Jonah. What am I conserving for? Tonight, we rotated DJ with 34 minutes, Shannon’s at 30, Tahj at 30, Keanu at 30, Bul at 30 and then we’ve got Waardenburg who was in foul trouble, played 19. If he’s not in foul trouble, he’s playing 25. So that becomes an eight-man rotation. I struggle to see why you go deep into the bench in a 40-minute game,” – Adam Forde on bench rotations this season