R12 Preview: Illawarra Hawks vs Cairns Taipans

Friday, February 18, 2022

Scott Machado is ready to unleash as Cairns look to break their two-game losing streak against Tyler Harvey and the Hawks.

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Friday 18 February, 2022

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sports NZ

Who won last time?
Illawarra 87 (Jessup 18, Reath 18, Cleveland 16) d Cairns 81 (McCall 17, Machado 16, Deng 14) Round 11, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

After a blistering first half with 101 points scored, the Hawks turned the defensive screws in the third term, holding Cairns to just 9 points in almost nine minutes to jump 13 ahead. The Snakes lunged late, a 12-3 burst surrounding three-quarter-time pulling the margin back to four, but Duop Reath and Xavier Rathan-Mayes made the big buckets down the stretch.

What happened last start?

Perhaps the biggest story of that game was Illawarra’s defence, which apart from some rebounding lapses was hugely improved on the recent efforts that have frustrated coach Brian Goorjian. After giving up 34 points in the opening 12 minutes, the Hawks allowed just 47 in the final 28, their third-quarter possession game dominance particularly important.

Cairns returned home from that game and put on one of the most embarrassing first-half displays in club history. Their D was breathing fire in the third term though, throwing NZ out of their offence and running the other way to score 20 points in the first 12 seconds of the shot clock. They could never pinch the lead though, and fell agonizingly short at the death.

Who’s in form?

Duop Reath – After averaging 8.8 rebounds in his first four NBL games, including 3.7 o-boards, Reath managed just 5.2 and 1.7 over his next seven outings, and not surprisingly his offensive game suffered, dropping from 19.8ppg to 8.6. The past two games, however, he’s averaged 9.5 caroms and the scoring has risen back up to 16.5ppg at 45 per cent.

Keanu Pinder – Reath will likely square off the Pinder, whose past four contests have delivered 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 o-boards and 1 block in 23 minutes a game. He was perhaps a lone hand keeping Cairns in the contest early against NZ, with 15 of his team’s first 30 points, and his athleticism and hunger will be a key in Friday’s possession battle.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KP making his presence known inside the paint ?? <a href="https://t.co/2R7nQXh2yO">pic.twitter.com/2R7nQXh2yO</a></p>— Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1492406967566233600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who needs to be?

Justinian Jessup – JJ scored 18 points at 56 per cent against Cairns in a W. The week before he had 7 in a loss to SEM. Before that he had 10 points on 2/7 from range against NZ and, you guessed it, the Hawks lost. Before that he went 6/7 for 17 points on the Snakes in a W. Of late, when Jessup hits, Illawarra wins, and the Taipans are his favourite target right now.

Tahj McCall – For all he’s brought this season, the reality is Cairns are a team-worst -28 with McCall on court the past two games, compared to +21 in the other 16:26. It’s a huge challenge for coach Adam Forde to integrate Scott Machado and Jarrod Kenny back into the line-up and find a new niche for McCall to impact, but that challenge is crucial to getting Ws.

Who’s statting up?

- Against Cairns last round, the Hawks’ D gave up 52 per cent shooting in the opening 12 minutes, while forcing just 1 turnover. In the remaining 28 minutes they allowed just 27 per cent from the field and forced 10 cough-ups

- In the decisive third quarter, Illawarra won offensive rebounding 7-3, grabbing 50 per cent of available o-boards. Across the other three quarters they lost that stat 11-5 and pulled in just 24 per cent at that end

- In the third quarter against New Zealand, the Taipans grabbed 6 offensive boards at 55 per cent. Across the rest of the game they managed 4 o-boards at 17 per cent. Cairns had 1 turnover in the third term, but 16 across the other three quarters

- In their past three first quarters, Cairns’ defence has given up an average of 28 points at 60 per cent. Across the other nine periods in that spell they're conceding 17.9 points at 41 per cent

Who’s matching up?

Tyler Harvey v Scott Machado – In the midst of four games in eight days, the returning Machado may still be on a minutes restriction, but Snakes fans will be desperate for him to start given their teams’ early-game wobbles. He had 16 points in 15 minutes against the Hawks, but his lack of game fitness showed against NZ with a tired game-winning attempt.

Machado has averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 assists in 10 career games against the Hawks, while Harvey has racked up 23.2 points per game and 4.1 dimes on the Snakes in their seven meetings, dropping 3.6 triples at 40 per cent. For the Snakes to win, they need to control tempo so Harvey doesn’t get run-and-gun chances, and Machado will be a big part of that.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Machado with back-to-back buckets 3??+2??<br><br>In his return from injury Scott Machado is proving a handful for the Hawks.<br><br>Illawarra lead at halftime 52-49. <br><br>? Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> on ESPN. <a href="https://t.co/9zZM8do9YO">pic.twitter.com/9zZM8do9YO</a></p>— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1492400073518448648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s talking the talk?

It could not have been easy for coach Adam Forde to watch his team’s horrific first half against the Breakers, and he responded with arguably the quote of the season.

“What we did in the second half, and the game plan we had in the first half, there was no difference,” he said.

“It’s literally like going to restaurant one week and ordering the Bolognese and really enjoying it, then going to that same restaurant the following week, ordering the exact same dish and it coming out like a big turd.”

There was no sign of the team that ran Illawarra to the death two nights earlier, earning much respect from Hawks import Xavier Rathan-Mayes.

“They're a great team, they're well coached, they got one of their lead dogs back in Scotty, who came back and had 16 points in 15 minutes man, he hit a couple of shots that were big time for them,” he said.

“It’s an environment we expected, we prepared for this all week, we were put in situations that we've seen late in the game and we were happy with our performance, we were able to gut it out tonight.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/ac_uno1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ac_uno1</a> bringing it at both ends of the floor ?<br><br>?: <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Foxtel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Foxtel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreIllawarra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreIllawarra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://t.co/5VFNZRUMip">pic.twitter.com/5VFNZRUMip</a></p>— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1492403377707241477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was largely due to XRM’s composure down the stretch that they did gut it out, the import sixth man continuing his bounce back from a mid-season slump.

Against SE Melbourne he compiled 13 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while against Cairns he had 9 points and 2 dimes in the final eight minutes to withstand a late Taipan run.

“When they play Justinian like the played Justinian, we they play Tyler like the played Tyler, that gives space and now you’ve got a guard that can make plays. He made a couple of nice passes to people rolling and then got on the rim and penalised that situation,” Goorjian said.

“(When) we got a little rattled, each time he came in he settles us, and then that finish, that’s one that gets away from us if he’s not there.

“It’s nice when Justinian’s going and Tyler’s going and they play them like that and you penalise that. That floor, that spacing was great for him and I thought his decisions were good – when to attack, the use of the clock, getting the ball a little bit side-to-side.”

Where the Snakes had good success chasing Tyler Harvey off the three-point line – he finished with 12 points on 4/12 shooting, including 0/4 from outside – that strategy played into Rathan-Mayes’ hands as he scored and created in the lane time and again.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/xrm_22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xrm_22</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DuopReath?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DuopReath</a> connect for the alley-oop jam ?<br><br>?: <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Foxtel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Foxtel</a> <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreIllawarra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreIllawarra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlyAsOne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlyAsOne</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://t.co/lVhZmyvLoD">pic.twitter.com/lVhZmyvLoD</a></p>— Illawarra Hawks Basketball (@illawarrahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks/status/1492411237640011780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Super rookie Bul Koul and Co will need to make an adjustment in the rematch after being left chasing XRM’s shadow in the final term, but his coach doesn’t think he’ll be too fazed.

“He knows the job we require from him, and now that job description’s increased,” Forde said.

“He's done an exceptional job just being level-headed and taking it as it comes. As he has a good game, compared to when he has a bad game, he doesn’t ride that roller-coaster, he’s very consistent and I admire that about Bul.

“For such a young man starting out his professional career, there’s a couple of times he just take you aback with his approach on things.”

The other crew that needs an adjustment is the Snakes’ bigs, with Stephen Zimmerman, Majok Deng and Keanu Pinder shooting a combined 1/6 from inside in half-court sets in that final quarter, blowing chance after chance their guards created for them.

“You’re not going to win too many games shooting 35 per cent. I think in the second half our paint touches were 2/15 or 2/16,” Forde said.

That wasn’t lost on coach Goorjian, who received 64 points at 48 per cent from Harvey, Jessup, Reath and Antonius Cleveland and only just snuck home.

They’ll now need to go to another level to topple a Taipans team smarting from their home loss to NZ.

“All these guys had great games and you're at home and there’s a minute to go and it’s anyone’s game, that shows the toughness in this competition, there’s just nothing in it,” he said.