This has taipans upset written all over it. Given perths travel issues and lack of depth with two key cogs out. It's going to take a monster Cotton game and Manek and blanchfield finally contributing on offense to pull it out

Great milestone for Queenslander Blanchfield.

Taipans still without Lay Mayen. Taipans should be able to get this one.

If Taipans can continue their hot shooting form they will probably walk away with an upset W especially with the Wildcats shorthanded.
If Perth can put some pressure on Cairns shooters and win the rebound count I think it will go the Wildcats way.

Should be a good game either way.

Tough ask for the Wildcats, play in Perth on Saturday then travel to Cairns to play two night later, two key men down. Would be a hell of a win.

Taipans travelled to Melbournem they've done more travelling than the Wildcats over the past few days

With those outs, I'm tipping Taipans for the win. Will be a nice 3-0 start and they're putting themselves in the box seat to be this year's surprise packet

Travers to stand up, should lead Perth to narrow victory. This will be a good test for Rillie, cats still strong enough to get this.

"Taipans travelled to Melbournem they've done more travelling than the Wildcats over the past few days"

They've done significantly less travel during the recovery period post-game, that is a significant factor. Travel post-game while bodies are fresh isn't as detrimental.

Melb to Cairns is 3hr 20min and Perth to Cairns is 4hr 10min

More like 5 hours vs 6 hours if you factor travelling to airport etc.

Taipans get this.

Perth to Brisbane is 4.5 hours, layover, then another 2.5 hours to Cairns. It's a massive trip and will definitely have an impact. Equalled partly by the Taipans traveling home, but not to the same extent.

Cairns to win this one comfortably, still not convinced Perth are any better than last season.

Oh right, if they stopped in Bris it's obviously a huge trip

I'm assuming they did. That's usually been the case over the years, but don't know for sure in this instance. A direct flight would definitely be a bonus!

I really liking the Monday night games, hope they stick with it.

If they can they go via Alice. Jetstar is the only direct flight from memory

Pinder over 7.5 rebounds is a gift

I really liking the Monday night games, hope they stick with it.

"Ditto, although I'd be an even bigger fan of them if all the states were on the same page about daylight savings."

Agreed - loved when we had it in Perth for that very short time.....

Honestly, sick of Cotton jumping so far forward on his jump shot.

If I stay in my cylinder defensively and you enter my cylinder; then how is that my fault. Its ridiculous. Dude jumps about 2 foot forward.

3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
LOL thats all this sport has become.
Out of 42 shots attempted so far, 24 have come from beyond the arc.
This league is slowly becoming a joke like the NBA.

Cairns are a lot worse than I realised. So are the Jackjumpers and Phoenix come to think of it.

Not wrong Jacket.
Basketball isn't the same sport I fell in love with in the 2000s. Super nostalgic for that low post, physical game

So funny how NBL teams are completely copying NBA teams where all what teams do is jack up 3s every 5 seconds.
It was only a matter of time.
There is a reason why ratings have been falling in the NBA.
Danger for the NBL whose ratings are already very ordinary

Not feeling this dude who's doing the play by play. Is this one of those new AFL crossovers?

As I said earlier.....Blanchfield and manek need to fire and Cotton needs a monster game. Well there you go…

What's the NBL record for 3s in the 20 minute era?

LOL Cairns had 36 shot attempts, 20 of them were from 3 LOL

How is the analytics working out for you Cairns?
Clowns

Analytics is the biggest con job ever sold to professional teams.

GM's and coaches are some of the dumbest human beings on the face of the earth.

40 minute*

The sport of basketball has become so much about luck.

All teams are doing is launching it from 3, if they fall they are unbeatable.
If they do not, then they are no chance.

There seems to be no more middle ground.

Where are those panic merchants who wanted Blanchfield dumped from the starting 5?

Well this game is a blowout, so why not have the conversation.

What would you do to disincentive the 3pt shot and incentivise the 2pt shot?

Cotton is allowed to jump forward, the way to stop it is mark up tight, then he goes around you. He got hit by players jumping into him, and yes at times he milks it.
Cats are back.

Manu, nothing wrong with the 3 point shot, but all i want to see is balance.

Analytics has killed the sport.

Most games are nothing more than glorified 3 point shooting contests.

Yeah agree with all of that.

But how do we change it, ladies and gentlemen?

@Jacket, I'm not saying you are completely wrong here, yes some teams fall in love with the 3 too much, but I think there is room for analytics. Proper analytics highlight that attacking the rim is the most valuable shot to take, with threes coming close to that. I don’t necessarily believe it is ruining the game or anything. If you have great shooters, what’s wrong with making the 3 ball a weapon? Not every should follow this game plan though.

You'd need to incentivise defence at the perimeter by ensuring they aren’t short handed if they don’t clog the key.

Which is the opposite of what the nbl is doing.

Let's have a 'designated defensive player's sitting on the sidelines, who only comes on when their side is defending.

So it's 6 on 5.

They sprint onto the court as soon as the opposition grabs a D board or their side turns it over.

Have a designated 'super sub' ref who monitors only these 6th men. We're creating jobs here people. Can't see a problem with this.

Not watching but have they mentioned the record

Must be closing in

Haha reminds me of watching handball where they can swap out the keeper for a regular player but they have to sprint so fast to get off the court to do it right that it's comical

I think if your shooting badly from the outside you have to make the adjustment and work closer to the basket instead of jacking up triples.

What's the problem exactly?

Cats are shooting unusually hot and have 90 early in the 4th. 17/31 from 3 is not typical Cats (or anyone) though.
Meanwhile the Taipans are obsessed with chucking up threes regardless of situation and it is doing them no favours. I don't think losing basketball is going to spread like wildfire and become the norm.

Cats shooting so many threes because Cairns defence is so bad and no pressure. Cairns not making many threes because cats playing D and all pressure on cairns to make the shot.

Still enjoying Monday night bball.

I'm looking forward to kings cats, hopefully soon.

Make threes worth 2.5 instead of 3. Only way to fix it.

This is as open as the nba. Thumbs down.

Thumbs up for Monday night nbl though

More than one way to skin a cat, Kobe

More than one way to skin a cat, Kobe

The only direct flight to Cairns from Perth is a Jetstar one which is a red-eye so the Wildcats definitely wouldn't be flying on it.

KET, you're right. Let's get a goalie in who sits on top of the backboard with a metre-long stick (exactly 100cm regulation length), and he just whacks away. At anything and everything. Face and eyes off limits though.

@SmallieBiggs

"If you have great shooters, what's wrong with making the 3 ball a weapon?"

And this is my main gripe, many teams, especially in the NBA do not have great shooters yet they still persist.

Teams should be playing according to what skill set they have. Teams have been conned into thinking they have Curry and Thompson in there team.

Analytics is the biggest con job ever sold.

Analytics is the biggest con job ever sold.

Manu, now we're talking

NBL hope you’re reading this

@koberulz, look at the NBA, every single team is taking a crazy amount of 3s, the only issue is, there are only so many great 3 point shooters.

Previously, teams used to play to there skill set.

The one size fits all does not work.

Whoay, what's with the Dominic Perrottet’s son hosting the NBL coverage?

Joel pederson did a good job calling, actually a nice three in the studio.

Teams get one powerplay per game. T-shirt cannon from the mezzanine level, fired by the team's mascot. Jobs jobs jobs!

Perth and Sydney make two loud statements this week. Adelaide looks to be the other top dog. Looking like a three horse race for the title.

Jimmy, mate we are two rounds into the competition with plenty of injured players.

SEM will be at the pointy end. Brisbane will get their shit together, and United has the coin to make personnel changes in a hurry.

SEM won't be in it with Mitchell as the coach and end of games issues Melbourne lacks shooters outside of Goulding .they are currently looking for a big man to start. That’s not going to solve that issue.

I'll put my hand up regarding Blanchfield. He was 2/14 grom the arc this year before tonight (and the same during the blitz). After last season I thought he was getting on and his form was gone.
So well done Todd nice way to celebrate 350.

Jimmy, I reckon SEM's pure talent will make them a clutch team. Browne can create off the dribble as good as anyone.

Yeah Melbourne has too many holes in the roster actually.

Brisbane will be fine.

Was like a Crocodile invasion in there tonight

Rillie
Kelly
Blanchfield
Norton
Djeric

I think that's all :)

I reckon Melbourne would love Rashard Kelly, he's the type of all-court big they need and were probably hoping to get in Caroline. A prime Gary Wilkinson + defence would also get them on the right track. That's not easy to find though!

Humphries hasn't been quite what they hoped

Its looking like the only way they'll compete for the title, is bringing in someone like John Mooney or JLA, or someone of their ilk

Where is JLA?

China on big dollars apparently

Mooney is in Japan.

Quality bigs are hard to find.

Just hard to see United going anywhere with stick figure Okwera, almost 39 year old Barlow and Mason Peatling (once he returns from knee surgery) as the only 5 men other than Humphries. Those guys should be playing 4.

Even with that improvement they need Ili back too.

Not looking good for United, but they've had a good run these last 5 years