Why would you be worried for?

Wildcat fans should be worried because the Breakers are their bogey team

Definitely a bogey team for Cats..... I don't think we have beaten them in a final series. There is a huge psychological edge for the victor of this game as they are most likely going to be Semi Final opponents.

Key match up for this game will be Martin vs Jackson.....whoever comes out on top could very much decide the result.

I've given up trying to predict results lately , Breakers have dropped a few in recents weeks and the Cats have had their issues also. I hope it's a great game and not a blow out. May the best team win !!!

Time to break open the hashtag #29straight . Go Cats :P

And the Breakers have won at Perth Arena in the past. They've won Grand Final games there.

With Knight back in the lineup the Wildcats are a better team. But the Breakers will have to play all four periods like they played the most of the last against Adelaide on Thursday if they are going to get the points from this one.

At home I think Perth will be too strong, bogey team or not. Just wish this was the game on Ten today and not the meaningless Sydney vs Wollongong game (meaningless only in the make up of the playoffs)

Yeah it kinda sux that Ten plan their schedule in advance prior to the season starting cos this game is going to be a cracker.

Breakers by 17 in a blow out but bit rough from the nbl play in nz Thursday then expect to back up in Perth Sunday.

Sixers 147 is kobe24 a relation? U must get a group discount on the s##t ure on. Perth beat nz 4 times last yr and the yr nz won the title perth beat them a few times.

Don't think both teams won't show there cards tonight, good hit out for both teams.

And if u think Perth will come out next week playing hard in Adelaide keep smoking.

Perth are in, so play just enough to get by.

Wildcats to win by 8

Why is it a bit rough for the NBL to expect the Breakers to have to play at home on Thursday and in Perth today?

I've seen the Lakers play 5 games in 7 days from one end of the US to the other in the NBA. Back in 1987/88 they had one stretch where within a week they played Boston, Houston and Atlanta on the road (in that order) before returning home to play Boston and Detroit on consecutive days - and they won all 5. And its not like Boston and Detroit were crap, both won their division that year and the Pistons went on to take the Lakers to 7 games in the Finals.

What the Breakers have had to do this round is nothing in comparison. And if there are more teams in the future and more games then more travel will be the norm.

game back to 2.15 / 5.15 EST due to traffic in Perth CBD !!! GIANTS apparently...

Holden - I agree with you. And we only have to look back at Perth's 4 games in 8 days (which became 5 games in 10 days), in 3 different cities, a couple of weeks ago to find a tougher ask than NZ's this week.

Oh Cats nice to know your thinking of me! Hope these teams beat the heck out of each other today. Perth look horrible on offence early, is part of the not showing their part...

Breakers struggling again offensively. Shooting poorly and questionable shot selection. No penetration and not enough points in the paint.
Beal holds the key for Perth. If he scores 15-20 Perth win. We need Ubekwe to get 20+.

Both team missing open 3's, Martin can't hit the ocean as per usual. Low scoring grinding game.

Breakers not struggling, they are getting absolutely ripped by the appalling reffing. The court is in disarray and Gleeson knows it, thats why he is standing cool as he sees it. Same rubbish 36ers got in game 3 GF last year. No not a fan of any of the teams so no bias.

Im immune to what Perth get at home these days. Geez this has been a boring 5 minutes to try and end the half. refs reviewing everything!!! Low scoring, neither f these teams will be able to hold the 36ers offensively come finals time. Thats my main concern watching this.

These refs today... my goodness...

Yeah both team look really frustrated with every whistle.

Cats had an opportunity to open a decent lead in the second quarter but couldn't hit their shots. Were doing well to get open looks beyond the three point line though. With the inconsistency of daniels and redhage this year there aren't enough shooting threats on this team to win the championship.
Webster and jackson are class!

Martin missed 3 wide open 3s in the second... he was wide open for a reason! Make them and agree in tight game like this could've been the difference.

Redhage still clearly doesn't have his legs back. Which doesn't hamper his flopping but it's bad news for his jumpshot. Damn, Drake & Greg still too scared to shoot from outside. The result is some really ugly and predictable offence from the cats.

What was the call on the Wesley Tai-Redhage wannabe chest bump/foul call?

1. Although Tai launched towards Redhage's shooting cylinder, it was Redhage who then launched forward initiating contact, knowing Tai was coming towards him. Should that be a foul call on Redhage? I have no issues if Redhage stood his ground or went up vertical to shoot within his cylinder.
2. Why did Beal take the foul shots instead of Redhage?

Any rule book readers out there care to comment?

Half time stats are interesting....Breakers somehow lead 35-32 despite the caning they are getting from the refs.

Perth has shoot 8/34 @ 23.5%
NZ has shoot 12/35 @ 34.3%

From outside the Wildcats are 3/16 (18.8%). NZ are 2/9 (22.2%).

DeAndre Daniels leads all scorers with 10 for Perth. Cedric the Entertainer has 10 for the Breakers.

NZ lead the rebound count 26-19.

Ibekwe has 4 blocks for the Breakers. Perth have 3 in total. The 6'9" Nigerian also leads all rebounders with 6.

Perth shot 13/21 from the foul line. NZ shot 9/12. NZ had 9 fouls called against them in the second to 4 against Perth. Beal already has 3 fouls to his name, though Perth have only been called for 9 fouls in total. NZ have been called for 15. As if that wasn't unexpected at Perth Arena anyway.....

Massive travel by Daniels on the fast break but the quality NBL Refs at their best let it go.

Ballwatcher redhage came off with the blood rule and he nominated beal to take the foul shots

Wow thats what it was, I wondered too. And yeah Daniels travelled big time, but refs don't have the self respect to make the right there. Too concerned with being booed I guess, because it was shaqtin a fool obvious!!

55 to 48 Perth 3qt

Ah thanks Bol Bol re Redhage spurting red to add red to his already red Ts :P

Commentators defending the milking of the foul (every good shooter worth their salt does that "to get rewarded with foul shots").

To me it is an anomaly as there is the risk of "taking the legs out" from the man off the ground (Tai) causing significant injury.

If they are policing flops that cause no injuries to the opposite number, I don't see why they should not punish dangerous moves like these.

This is turning int to a good finish. Hope Cats get up, with finals in mind.

Without commenting on the particulars of that incident, the onus is always on the defender to play legal D. If they don't, and there is contact, it's a foul every time.

Its the walking wounded in this game.. third blood rule for the game this time d martin out. Knight has limped off possibly aggravating the toe injury. Webster off with wrist injury. Finals like intensity bodies flying everywhere but not many shots dropping.
Pretty ugly to watch.
Delay in game now floor wipers having to wipe up the blood off the floor...

Breakers regain lead 64-62 3 minutes to go

How many stops in the game can there be due to poor calls! Daniels either gets that And 1 or its a side ball.... amateur refs

That was a travel on Daniels which is why there was no And 1 called

Three possessions left breakers up by 3

God that sounded huge

Beal with the jumper ties the ball game with 15 seconds to go

Didn't look like a travel. The commentators seemed as perplexed me about it. And IF it was a travel then so was his dunk... right.

OVERTIME!!!!!!!

EXTRA TIME 68 EACH

Obertimes

Ibekwe with two awesome blocks in the overtime period but now fouled out of the game. Vukona offensive board and put back gives nz one point lead 1:49 remaining

Wtf! Are they allowed to review replays for out of bound calls??

DOUBLE OVERTIME

DOUBLE OVERTIME!!!!

OMFG

Where can I watch this

The first three quarters were hella dodgy, but this turned into one hell of a fight

Webster misses a free throw to ice the game then beal nails a baseline jumper to tie

Beal again with a clutch jumper cats lead 85-84 breakers have last posession

jackson with easy lay up take the lead

cats now have last possession to go for the win

abercrombie misses two free throws cats still in it

BREAKERS JUST MISS BOTH FREE THROWS WITH 10SECS LEFT AND NOW PERTH HAVE 2 FREE THROWS TRAILING BY 1

beal fouled with one second to go only one point down

beal nails the first

AND... nails the second!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jackson nails a half court prayer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Breakers win with a half court prayer!!!!!!!!!

WTF!!!!!!!!

WHAT A GAME!!!!!!!!!

One of the best games in a long time that i can remember

OMG

Bogey team by 2!

Jackson is the Bogey Man!

Well @Jack Toft, you were only out by a point mate?

"Best team won"

Really? What gave it away? The scoreline?

Pretty subpar game for the first half, came alive in the second, and then couldn't have asked for a better finish.

I passed out for a while. Did all that really happen?

So glad I got to see that Hawks V Kings pearler on Ten today! ;)

Omfg !!! Wat a game . I can't help but walk alway NOT disappointed at that . GAME OF THE YEAR . BRING ON THE FINALS

What a great game, as a cats fan, shows we can match it with the best, another test comes on Friday night against adelaide, if we win or stay close, gives us confidence, I think any team can win this, I would t be fussed playing NZ or cairns in the semi finals.

That game was nuts.
More of those please!

Wish every game was like that!!!!! That's the best game I have seen other then the championship games that was insane!!!!

Safe to say it's perth v cairns semi and nz v Adelaide

Nz love perth arena, maybe because 1 qtr of the crowd a kiwi, good to see the support but.

Daniels and beam looked good.

English, please.

I think the cats would prefer playing cairns in the semis. Nothing against cairns but jackson led breakers teams has had the wood on them over the years. They would have confidence going to perth arena where they have won finals and twice this season. Jackson is always the difference. What a gun!

Agreed. Cairns are a quality team, but the Cats happen to match up on them pretty well.
NZ & Adelaide are proven problems for us.

HOME TEAM
J. Beal: -4
D. Daniels: -7
M. Knight: -11
D. Martin: -10
S. Redhage: -2
J. Wagstaff: -1
G. Hire: 8
T. Jervis: 9
D. UU: 9
L. Martin: -1

ROAD TEAM
C. Jackson: 6
C. Webster: -3
T. Abercrombie: 6
M. VUKONA: 5
E. Ibekwe: -6
A. Pledger: 7
R. Carter: 1
R. Te Rangi: -2
T. Wesley: 3
D. Bailey: -7

What a top game! Makes me believe NZ can take it all this year, Went nuts when he made the prayer!

I don't know WHAT to make of that game.
I do know that I don't think my heart could take that again.

At the end of the day, I'm not sure the result even matters. It's funny that for the past few weeks we have all worried about the split between Adelaide & Perth, when it will now probably just come down to the result. Adelaide wins (even by a point) and they'll finish 3rd.
Which still probably only matters if both make the GF, because I'm not sure SF matchups matter for the Cats. NZ have looked more vulnerable, but now have a 4-0 record so that won't be fun. We might actually prefer to finish 4th and play Cairns???

It was great to see Perth get their D on again. NZ pushed a few holes in it in the 1st, but after that they piled it on.

But at the other end, Perth just weren't good enough. With SUCH a close game, it could have gone either way. The loss itself isn't devastating, except it appears that the Cats are just too inconsistent offensively.

They COULD still give it a shake in the finals, another game like today could go the other way. But 3 game series tend to allow better teams to triumph, and the Cats just aren't that good.

I think the finals are now realistically a race in three (or maybe even only two.) NZ have been up and down of late, so they're not the threat they have been.

It was a huge effort for them to back up after dropping a couple of games and travel to get the win. Should be a confidence boost and help get them back on track for a genuine tilt.
Cats on the other hand have dropped too many games at home this year and haven't really had their mojo all season.
Impossible to pick a winner. Championship is wide open!

Perth have played 2 poor games at home and lost 4. First game against NZ and against Melbourne, other 2 losses, wild game against Adelaide lost by 4 and todays game.

All I see is BolBol...


This will make the 36ers v Perth match interesting. This can only be good for the NBL, some seriously good matchups lately!

I'm a pessimist and think Perth will win over the 36ers. Not that i'm much to go by after expecting Melbourne United to finish 4th when they proceeded to completely self-implode.

In saying that, if the 36ers lose, it either goes 2 ways: We get the little kick up the butt we need to avoid complacency, or we lose our invisibility cloak and general confidence.

There is a little bit of air about the 36ers lately, I wonder how facing either Cairns or NZ away in the Semi's will go.

The 36ers will beat Perth at home Friday, unless you have a general hunch, the 36ers deserve favourtism based on form results and how Perth played.

Was a great finish today, absolutely, but the first half was scrappy and low scoring with neither team able to take any genuine control of it. If it hadn't have gone to OT, and Cedric has made the last second jumper at end of regulation, not sure the Perth faithful would be as ok with losing this one.

Actually, the Wildcats vs Breakers thread is in fact about the Wildcats and Breakers.

Replying to Ket, considering Perth favourites for next Fridays game. Also mentioned todays game, a big win for NZ.

if you want to see the final shot of the century their is a post on the Wildcats facebook site. unbelievable..

Not just a big win for NZ, that was the game ofthe year ......,... Like WOW. That was just amazing . I can't beleive that wasn't on one/ten

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=814367251933322&id=203262656377121&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fvideo.php&_rdr

Congratulations NZ, hell of a shot from Cedric Jackson, I thought that was done and dusted. Still shellshocked.

Also, sheesh, thanks NZ giving us a quick reminder about who our actual main rivals in this league are. It was starting to get a little too West v South :P

I had been looking forward to the Adelaide game, but now the finals and the last few games just seem a little anti-climactic.
I thought next weeks game was shaping to be a real "clash of the titans," but now its all a bit meh.

Realistically, I think it will be THE battle for 3rd spot, and that SHOULD be big, but at this point I'm not really caring.

NZ have been up and down, but even if you argue that this was an UP game for them, Perth, with HCA and the bigger break just weren't up to it. (Even with FOUR of NZ's best players fouled out.)

It's NOT the 2 point loss, the game could have gone either way, its that in that 2nd OT, Perth should have finished over the top.

So finish 3rd or 4th, I just can't get a lot of confidence about the finals either way.

Might as well nicely ask the 6's "who would like to play in the SF?" And play accordingly.

No real justification for thinking Perth will win except pessimism. 36ers have been clearly the better side the last month or two.

Maybe statistics in there somewhere - what's the likelihood of 36ers winning x in a row? Surely it gets more unlikely as the run goes on. What's the chances of Perth losing two/three games in a row?

NB: Redhage is my favourite Cats player of the last decade. Mostly because he has always been so uber reliable.

Today, honestly for the first time, I REALLY noticed what some opposition fans dislike so much.
I guess that with 10+ NBL seasons he knows just what to do to draw the foul.

Like a lot of fans, I would prefer it if drawing fouls (and intentional fouling) wasn't part of the game, but it is. Leaning in, forcing contact, its all part of it.

I think it was more noticeable today, because there were less really obvious fouls on Redhage, and a few off the ball where he was simply better at getting body position.

Ket I hope your wrong ;P

I figure form team, most stacked and with the 7 game losing streak we are due to win and you only have to win 6 more and we win the title. Yes Im expecting to win the title!

Jazz you only just after 10+ seasons saw what Redhage is all about.... godlike to him, his style is bad but the refs allow it so not his fault for milking it.

Frustrating game to watch but glad NZ broke their losing run against a tough team in the toughest gym to play in.

If you want the title you have to beat the best, finals match ups shouldn't matter.

Im going to watch the Warriors Vs Spurs at the Oracle on the 20th and heading up to Tahoe for a couple of weeks so will have to record the finals and see how it pans out when I'm back.

'Not just a big win for NZ, that was the game ofthe year ......,... Like WOW. That was just amazing . I can't beleive that wasn't on one/ten'

But we did get to watch the blockbuster that is Sydney Vs Wollongong.
And better still... We get the privilege of watching Sydney play Melbourne not once, but twice next weekend.
God bless the tv scheduling.

A half court shot to win the game, couldnt have happened against a more better team hahaa alot of fans from opposition fans are loving seeing the down fall of he wildcats. Thats now 4 losses at home, they have lost their edge at home and maybe the 13K fans supporting them is just all overrated, as you wouldnt expect 4 losses at home playing in front of supposedly sell out crowds each week.

Sixers are out for revenge this Friday, win by a big margin and we take the season series.

Still mad about getting thumped in the grand final, are you?

One call which had me baffled yesterday was when Daniels was fouled on the drive, went and layed it in, but the continuation was waved away because he "travelled" between being fouled and making the shot. Thats fair enough, you can't allow a continuation in that scenario.

But then he was awarded two shots and I'm pretty certain that the Breakers hadn't committed enough team fouls.

Surely if you can't allow the continuation because he travelled after being fouled, then he can't have been in the act of shooting when he was fouled. Seemed odd.

I think the NBL defines the act of shooting as having picked up your dribble and being in the approach to the rim, so it's possible to award free throws in that situation.

Ok, I'm with you now. It seemed a bit weird at the time.

sixers147 seems a bit weird at times

He's not weird, he's just brain-dead.

#morebetter

Surely if you can't allow the continuation because he travelled after being fouled, then he can't have been in the act of shooting when he was fouled.

Has to be said though, there was probably no person on that court more relieved than Tom Abercrombie. After going 0/2 from the line at the death like that, he had by all rights dropped the game when Beal then made the free throws at the other end. What a bail-out by Jackson.

We will take it. Jackson deserved a break after carrying Breaker for most of the game. No way he got that shot off in the two seconds the commentators said was left. Whoever was on the clock screwed up unless there was more time than we were told. In which case it was poor play by Perth not to at least passively defend heave. Where was the TV replays that they went to in the game. (Are there rules about this use of technology?
Right about Abercrombie. Webaster stepped up when it counted though. We don't have anyone else who could have done what he did.
Ubekwe has got to stay out of trouble.

I too find the continuation rulings to be confusing. I've seen player fouled under the basket, go straight up and make it, only to have it waived off. Then last week, Hire got fouled metres out, continued his run, and make the basket, and it was allowed.
Obviously I don't fully understand the intricacies of the rule, so I don't let it bother me.

Wildcats just posted up their highlights video, looks like they had their own camera with a view of Jackson and the shot clock, 0.3 seconds on the shot clock left when the ball left his hand.

Well done Jackson.

Impossible not to have a last minute 2OT loss where you don't nit-pick every last play. Leaving aside the missed and-ones, they showed the highlight of the 3pt that put us up 60-57, but that just reminded me of giving up three offensive rebounds to allow NZ to repeat 3pt shots on the next possession until they finally sank one to level scores. Infuriating lapses.

The Breakers were paying $3.05 for the win yesterday. For some of us, seeing Jackson's shot go in wasn't so bad....

Well, I was pretty miffed about it.

Impossible not to have a last minute 2OT loss where you don't nit-pick every last play. Leaving aside the missed and-ones, they showed the highlight of the 3pt that put us up 60-57, but that just reminded me of giving up three offensive rebounds to allow NZ to repeat 3pt shots on the next possession until they finally sank one to level scores. Infuriating lapses.

"The Breakers were paying $3.05 for the win yesterday"

I got $3.21 from Sportsbet. Crazy odds I thought, so I couldn't resist.

Martin had some good drives to the basket that got him scores, which was good, and also helps open up the D a bit. The missed 3pt shots hurt, though.

Funny that recently Damo has been pretty good with his 3pt shooting while Jackson has had some serious ranged shooting woes...

Martin had some good drives to the basket that got him scores, which was good, and also helps open up the D a bit. The missed 3pt shots hurt, though.

Perth Wildcats' ball movement is non-existant.

I don't know if its strictly the coaching as it happened under Beveridge as well.

Players hold onto the ball for very long periods of time. The defence doesn't have to shift or move very much at all.

I wonder if this starts with Martin - he does take an awfully long time to organise sets/make the initial pass or subsequent pass.

With the Wildcats, they almost overthink things. They"ll spend ages dribbling trying to find a pass or thinking about what to do, rather than just firing it on quickly.

It's interesting, because they were the best team at kicking the ball ahead and flowing into sets quickly, which is one of Martin' strengths as a PG.

I don't think the style they're playing now is the best fit for their playing group, but certainly their plan is to win lockdown games. Whether they can win a title like that without HCA remains to be seen.

That really does have to be pinned on the coaching. We'd have to believe its a deliberate strategy. Either that or the Coach is asleep and the players are just making it up.

I don't MIND the bump & grind offence, but surely the point is to move the ball a lot, get the defence moving, and hopefully open up a gap?
Instead they just seem to run down most of the clock, then execute ONE cut, and if that doesn't work (because the defence has had 20 seconds to get set) then its a frantic search for an open player.

And here's the thing, you could argue that it "worked" against Cairns last week (although 65 points is nothing to brag on) but it clearly got them into trouble against NZ.