Preview: Cairns v Perth

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Monday 10 October, 2022
Where: Cairns Convention Centre
Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Foxtel; Sky Sports N

Who won last time?

Perth 106 (Cotton 22, Frazier 19, Law 17) d Cairns 87 (Pinder 24, Deng 16, McCall 13) – Round 20, NBL 22 at RAC Arena, Perth

After a fast Taipans start Perth dominated this clash, picking up a much-needed win in the NBL22 playoff race by shooting 60 per cent from inside and 48 per cent from outside, with their import trio combining for 58 points on 11/18 shooting from long range. Keanu Pinder continued his outstanding late-season form for Cairns with 24 points and eight rebounds.

What happened last game?

It got ugly for Perth on Saturday, starting with the injury to TaShawn Thomas and then continuing with a 37 per cent shooting night. The good news for 'Cats fans was their team somehow came away with the win, Luke Travers and Mitch Norton enormous. Cairns had their own game to forget in Melbourne, but they too lifted when it mattered, outscoring the Phoenix 26-7 in the final nine minutes as Shannon Scott again showed his worth.

What’s working?

Taipans D – While Tasmania and South East Melbourne are both undermanned, Cairns toppled them both on the road in convincing fashion on the back of second-half defence, conceding just 34 and 35 points after intermission at 38 per cent. They’re also leading the league in steals, with 22 of their 25 thefts coming from DJ Hogg, Tahjere McCall, Keanu Pinder, Bul Kuol and Scott.

Pressure points – Perth are posting numbers not seen since Rob Beveridge was coaching the 'Cats, not only forcing 42 cough-ups in the opening two games, but converting that to a ridiculous 62-14 advantage on points from turnovers. They rank second in steals, with a 22-6 edge, Cotton with eight of his own as he threatens to pinch the hubcaps off a moving car.

What needs stopping?

Old, bad habits – Perth’s pinchy ways an ominous sign for Cairns. They led the league in turnovers last season, but looked to have turned the corner in Round 1 with only 11. However, the Snakes had 20 miscues against South East Melbourne on Saturday in a sloppy display, and if they repeat the 21 they burped up to the Cats in the Blitz – which Cotton and Co duly converted to a 39-7 points from turnovers annihilation – things could get ugly on Monday.

Keanu Pinder – With Thomas sidelined for Perth, stopping KP becomes a very tough ask. The MIP is making an early claim for MVP, his 19 points at 60 per cent, eight rebounds and four assists against the Phoenix simply superb. Every single basket came from inside the key, with only one beyond four feet, which will be a huge test for Luke Travers, Brady Manek and Co. It's one they failed at the Blitz, when Pinder scored 21 points in 20 minutes at 88 per cent.

Who’s matching up?

Tahjere McCall v Bryce Cotton – The Taipans were +16 in McCall’s 30 minutes on Saturday in Melbourne, and -9 in the other 10. While Tahj coughed up seven turnovers, he shot at 50 per cent, dished five dimes and pinched four steals. His big job Monday is likely to be Cotton, who will be looking to bounce back from his 4/14, -5 howler against the Hawks. He pounded the Snakes for 36 points on 7/12 from long range during the Blitz.

DJ Hogg v Todd Blanchfield – Hogg is Cairns’ release valve, his ability to shoot over a hand the perfect antidote to broken down offences. He’s hit seven triples at 41 per cent so far while also pulling in 6.5rpg, with 5.5 on the d-boards. Hot Toddy was cold on Saturday, going 0/8 to take his season tally to 2/13. He’s only averaging 3.5 boards too, and while he was playing through a shoulder complaint, with Thomas out he must lift in his 350th game.

Shannon Scott v Mitch Norton – This pair could well be bosom buddies with their combination of speed, intensity, physicality and smarts. Norton has committed just one turnover in 42 minutes, and his 14 points on strong penetration were match-winning against the Hawks. Scott was the difference on Saturday in Melbourne, nailing 13 points, four assists and two steals in the final 17 minutes. He now has 13 assists to just one turnover.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A DELICIOUS MOMENT ?<br><br>Scott steals the cookies, so Pinder can dunk ?? <a href="https://t.co/h1ux7M96T2">pic.twitter.com/h1ux7M96T2</a></p>&mdash; Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1578663392075649030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s saying what?

Do you think Cairns coach Adam Forde likes his team?

“I have extreme confidence in this group, whether it was warranted or not,” he said after their runaway win over the Phoenix.

While his group is new, Forde has faith that if they keep turning the screws, opposition teams will bend.

“The floodgates will open, it’s just a matter of when,” he said confidently.

“We’re going to have games where it will open up in the first six minutes, it could be a game like last week where it opens up in the third, but the cool thing about it is we've got some gritty dues who get after it.”

To put things in perspective, however, the Snakes have beaten Tasmania missing Will Magnay, Clint Steindl and Sam McDaniel, then a Phoenix side without Trey Kell, Gary Browne, Ryan Broekhoff and Zhou Qi.

It wasn’t exactly pretty on Saturday either, with 46 combined turnovers in a game that could have been played either in the twilight zone or to Benny Hill music.

But as Dean Templeton used to say repeatedly, ‘It’s not how, it’s how many’, and Forde is delighted to be banking wins while his group gets familiar with him and each other.

“Just to be able to get these wins as ugly and weird as it is, but the floodgates opened up for us somewhere halfway through the fourth quarter and the guys just believed,” he said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shannon Scott timing this perfectly ? <br><br>He&#39;s up to 15 points! ? <a href="https://t.co/8ZgiIoEotg">pic.twitter.com/8ZgiIoEotg</a></p>&mdash; Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1578662921860620288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We've got rookies on this team that were trying to find their way, we've got veterans on their team that were trying to find their way,” Forde added.

“The best thing that I can do is just remain positive, because you’re capable. We’re not asking for guys to play outside their capabilities.”

The test gets sterner on Monday night, with the 2-0 Wildcats in town, albeit without TaShawn Thomas and Corey Webster.

It’s a huge ask for John Rillie’s men, playing a down-to-the-wire physical affair against the Hawks and then traveling 6000 kilometres to front up again 48 hours later.

Coach Forde rotated the Taipans masterfully in Melbourne, with only DJ Hogg playing more than 30 minutes.

Bryce Cotton was the only Cat to reach that mark against Illawarra, and Rillie was delighted to get 39 bench points, led by 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Luke Travers and 10 points at 75 per cent from the evergreen Jesse Wagstaff.

“He finds a way to impact the game when he gets in there, whether it’s at the defensive end by lifting our energy, offensively getting his pick-and-pop threes or posting up,” Rillie said.

“That’s what you expect from a veteran player. I would also say he has some teammates on the bench jumping into the game and helping him out as well. I feel like our bench contributions have been very good so far.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The skipper finds LT in space under the basket and he SLAMS it home!<br><br>? Watch live on ESPN via Kayo &amp; Foxtel <a href="https://t.co/Q4hCSSYtb8">pic.twitter.com/Q4hCSSYtb8</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1578678488261079040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


The absence of both Thomas and Webster thins that bench out considerably, but Rillie has confidence in the likes of Majok Majok and Kyle Zunic to play a bigger role, and his team’s ability to make adjustments.

“During the pre-season we had to do that a lot, you saw Majok come in and contribute immediately,” he said.

“I always say, you're going to get your opportunity at some stage so be ready for it, and so far, our guys have done a great job with that.”

Ultimately though, Monday’s game will come down to their ability to apply pressure and generate scores from their defence without getting caught up in the scrambling type of game the Taipans’ thrive in.

They found that perfect balance after interval against Illawarra and produced a stifling 36-22 half of basketball.

“The first half didn’t go the way we wanted, especially defensively, they had 49 points in the first half which is not what we want to do,” Travers said.

“I think going into the second half we were turning the ball over a little bit, so we just slowed down and focused on defence a little bit.”

Cairns, on the other hand, are happy to live with some mistakes provided they get the game on their aggressive terms.

“I want attacking turnovers because (that means) we're still applying that pressure,” coach Forde said.

“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, that’s cool.”