Round 8: Taipans v Kings

CQUniversity Cairns Taipans v Sydney Kings
(Cairns Convention Centre, 6:30pm)
GET TICKETS
Watch live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Foxtel

LAST MEETING

This is the third and last time these teams play in the regular season. With a 1-1 record so far, tonight will decide the series winner between the two teams. Both games this season have been played in Sydney, with the Taipans handing the reigning champs their first loss of 2022-23, before they got their revenge on the buzzer in the next match.

Funnily enough, the last time the Taipans beat the Kings in Cairns was the opening round of the 2021-22 season, at the “Cairns Pop-up Arena” with a thrilling 87-86 win. The Sydney Kings coach making his NBL debut that night was Adam Forde.

LINE-UP

The same as on Friday, with the Taipans missing Mirko Djeric. For the Kings, Xavier Cook returns to the squad after spraining his ankle in Round 6 against the Breakers.

LOOK FOR

Import-ant impacts. The Taipans are a perfect 5-0 when Shannon Scott scores double figure points and 1-4 when he scores 9 or less. In the last loss to the Kings, he only had seven points.

Last game against the Kings, DJ Hogg scored a career high 27-points, which included seven three-pointers. However, on Friday night he scored a career low of four points on 1/9 FG.

Meanwhile, Tahjere McCall is yet to face Sydney, having missed both previous games against them with a hip injury.

LATEST WORDS

“This is a good group, they’re very professional. They’re disappointed with this, but we know we must review it and prepare for a quick turnaround. We have a training session on Sunday to wash this (game against New Zealand) and prepare for Sydney. Different style of play, different game plan there. The beautiful thing after a game like this is to have a quick turnaround and not have to wait two weeks, or a full week to play again. The boys are good. We’ll move onto the next game, as we have been doing all season,” – Taipans Head Coach Adam Forde  

“That’s two games now (against New Zealand) where they’ve brought the energy and we haven’t matched up. I’m not going back home thinking, what’s going on? I just think we need to show up on time, next time.” – Bul Kuol