Perth will win this one.
United are frail on the road.

Can't wait, big game. Perth seem to get into another gear in the second half with all the depth they have to rotate around.. and so comfy at home this year.

This is a critical game, as both teams are currently vying for top spot. Perth win and they will have the points split, MU win and they take the series 3-1. In addition to the win.

Perth have been almost unstoppable at home, and MU have been mediocre on the road. On paper its a forgone conclusion and I would not be surprised by another blow-out.
But I always get nervous when Perth start to string wins together. It seems complacency is always hiding just around the corner.

Much as I would back Perth to take the flag if they finish 1st, the same is true in spades for MU.
Win this and they go a game clear, if they can then take both games against NZ they will be unmatchable, and with their home "advantage" might as well send the trophy to the engravers.
Hence they have everything to play for.

Perth should not lose another game, but a 7 game streak stretches the faith.

I think United win if Prather is still out, if he is in, if Perth can contain the shooters then they should be ok at home. But United have found something again at the right time of the year so should be a cracker.

On paper, Prather out makes it close but still winnable for the Cats.
In reality anything can happen.

I feel United are mentally fragile. They have a predictable style of play and can't seem to adjust when pressured.

Perth are strong at home with 10,000 odd supporters right behind them.

If Prather is out, it will be a setback for the Cats, but they have a plethora of scoring options. The Cats are always pesky.

I actually think the game will be fairly close, but Cats will get this one, and it could blow out to double figures in the fourth if United lose the plot.

"If Prather is out, it will be a setback for the Cats, but they have a plethora of scoring options. "

I don't really feel Perth have that plethora of scoring options.

You have :

1) Beal
2) Prather
3) Jawai - not the scoring machine for someone allegedly on marquee money, and plays only 20 mins a game.
4) Knight - Knight's mid range has disappeared so he is now getting point off rebounds and the odd post move.
5) Wagstaff - will provide some offence off the bench but not something you can rely on regularly.

Redhage's scoring has dried up and his post moves / leaners / floaters have left him.

Martin and Kenney will drop a few points but they are bonuses. Hire's last game was quite the anomaly.

Cats have sown when Beal has a bad game, things can really go South. See Townsville games.

It's true that in the past Perth have been far too heavily reliant on Beal. SO yes, without Prather, we could be back to "No Beal = No Cats."
However Jawai & Knight are generally good for around 25 points between them, and they have a 2nd string of Redhage/Wagstaff/Hire/Jervis that can produce and its rare for them ALL to have off nights.

The Cats last home game against MU was a 30 point drubbing and they have twice thumped the Hawks by large margins. As mentioned, take out Prather and those results become much closer. Contain Beal, and things look much tougher for the Cats, depending on whether Martin & co can do the job on defence.

The two teams actually match-up very evenly, so defensive assignments will be interesting. Particularly if Goulding is singled out for special attention, possibly by Martin.

Anyone else get a chuckle out of a Perth fan complaining about Melbourne's "homecourt advantage"?

pissed myself on that one

Perth - +15.5 points at home vs away (2nd best, below only Cairns)
Melbourne - +10.2 points at home (2nd worst, above only Sydney)

NBL average - +11.4 points for home teams

Since I am the only one who has mentioned it, I assume that attack is directed at me?
But where exactly have I complained.
As I have repeatedly said, if Perth can finish 1st and stay healthy, then I would back them to take the flag because we do play substantially better at home. Whether that is the 12,000 screaming Red Army, or the travel, or purely psychological I don't know.
However Melbourne also do better at home, and if they finish 1st, I think they will likewise be favourites.
I don't watch their home games, so I have even less idea what gives them their "advantage." I just know that if we face them in a best of 3 series I would rather have two home games.
(and frankly, recalling 1993, I would rather not face them at all in a GF.)

Attack is pretty strong, I would call it a dig

@Dazz ..they see us rollin' ....they be hatin'

Perth, as impressive as the franchise is, are annoying.

I think it's the arrogance of players and fans alike (which all things considered, is understandable).

I hope for a good finals series.

I wish the GF was a best of 5...spread over 2 weeks

I don't really see the players being arrogant. Can you be more specific?

As a fan, I'm damn proud to have supported the most successful club for the past 30 years. I don't know what its like to support the Cats when it doesn't see post-season action. I guess I jumped on the bandwagon at the right time!

No Prather I think the United have a real bonafide shot but if Prather suits up I think Perth should get the result and pretty much gurantee top spot.

According to D Martin who was just on the radio, Prather is playing.

No Prather, definitely game on, be looking at those alternate point spreads on United. Cats look very lost offensively in the half court without him imo.

No arguments there. He is by far the most important player in the Cats offence.

didn't Matthew @575164 say that D Martin said Prather is playing?

It's looking most likely that we will end up 4th. So for our sake, we'd want Melbourne to finish top. But Perth are always tough to beat at home, and are in good form.

To be honest if Perth gets top spot it's hard to see how anyone can beat them in a 3 game series with that HCA and how well they play up there.

If Perth get this game they would own the split on Hawks, 36ers and United. Will be crucical in the event of a 2,3 or 4 way tie.

Prather a game time decision according to the Wildcats Twitter.

‏"@PerthWildcats - Tonight will be our highest selling game of season so far. Less than 500 tix left. Get in quick to be part of it! "

That was a couple of hours ago, should be an awesome atmosphere

Perth's defence looks woefull

Melbourne exploiting Perth bigs lack of mobility beautifully.

Jawai getting murdered on the on ball and Warrick/Kickert speed over Knight/Jervis.

Kickert should be at the Olympics next year. Power Forward.

Surely his game is perfect for the international scene. Granted people will say he isn't too greag defensively, but I think the Boomers have enough defense there (some very good defenders) to take the punt.

Holt is on fire!

This is Melbourne's tempo..up and down looking for layups as well as 3 balls.

When they slow right down into snail iso sets it goes to custard.

Why everytime I watch Perth does it turn into a bitching session from Gleeson and Jawai. Gleeson argues everything..Jawai delay of game and carry on was stupid.

Literally one of the United players was completely vertical..Jawai threw up some crap and Gleeson and Jawai won't stop complaining.

Sorry but I hate how they both feel so victimised - like the "why can't i get a call" mentality

I don't mind Perh in anything else but would like to see this stop.

Gleeson has always been a serial whiner.
It shits me when he argues calls that are quite correct.

Gleeson whinges about ever call that goes against his team regardless.

Knight pushed Warrick into that.

Amazing by Prather! What a tip in!

Good tip, but pretty clearly should've been Melbourne ball. That was tipped out by Martin.

Overtime to the refs

Heart Attack

OT!

Thanks refs :p

Martin may have tipped it, but Knight never kicked it, seemed like a square up.

Difference is they replayed the Martin play. No excuse to get that wrong after a replay.

That ball looked off Martin to me. United held firm very good game, Majoks blocks in OT were huge. Martins airball 3 at the end was kind of laughable he should not shoot... ever.

So why not review Knights call, if we are talking conspiracies why did they check to see if Martins was incorrect but Knight's wasn't ?

Terrible decision by Blanchfield to shoot that 3. Yeah, it pays off because it went down, but why would you even take that?

Anywho, justice for Melbourne because that shouldn't have even gone to OT.

Terrible OT by Perth and really didn't deserve to win. United were better for most of the night. Too many Wildcats disappeared tonight.

Trev is real painful to watch. Whines so much, no ref would ever take his criticisms seriously.

Disappointing.. threw away the ball so many times.

@Vic Wildcat; ask the refs. Point is that they didn't, but the play they DID review, they stuffed up. I'll excuse a ref for blowing a play in live-action, but not in replay.

Perth's defence was a mess from the get go.Beal is not the same player. His shot confidence look shot to pieces. Credit Melbourne for or Holt who was the sole reason why they won for keep attacking and looking for their shots.

This game raises serious questions for Perth. Really bad perimeter defence and Beal is in a horrific slump.

cue the wildcats fans with their "team is a bust, sky is falling in" posts ....

United win!!!!

Magnificent :)

Review system doesn't apply to foot violations. In any case call correct as Knight's extended lower leg first deflects ball (violation) before his foot missed it.

Knights push on Hakim was a dog act.

Intelligent but shit form nonetheless

Exactly Jerry.

Beal is in s huge slump.
Wildcats turn the ball over too many times.
No hands in face on shots. Too many open shots for Melbourne.
No big man guarding the keyway. Jawai is a bit too slow to guard a big man at the 3 line then run back to defend the hoop.
Not enough agression on the boards during the first half and a bit.
We keep shooting ourselves with terrible decisions.

I'm telling you Perth are vulnerable, I don't know who is going to win it at this point but they are not the clear favourite. Like all the top 4 teams they look great when they are rolling but they come to a hault when the chips are down, that OT was woeful, no offensive punch at all.

Skills errors were bad from the Cats. Simply errors, like passing. And Damian Martin was strangely one of the nig ones I notice. I think it was the 2nd Qtr but the first run of plays was miss, miss, miss, miss due to some very very poor ball movement.

How good was the block by Prather

Kobe your hate for the wildcats and Gleeson is getting a bit old. There's a coach called jokey wright who constantly moans and argues with refs. Was a great game last night, Perth didn't play anywhere near there best, and lost in overtime. It's anyone's championship this year.

That Prather block was insane! U can see me jump out of me seat on the live angle. (I'm wearing the white tee).

TV doesn't do this block justice!

Such a letdown to have such poor execution in the overtime period.

"Review system doesn't apply to foot violations."

The rules were changed post ththe Melbourne v NZ debacle:

"League bosses have immediately changed the NBL rules so any decision in the last two minutes can be referred to the video referee"

www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/nbl-make-immediate-rule-change-stand-down-referees-after-disputed-finish-20151109-gkuq2d.html#ixzz3yguukZ9T

"Martins airball 3 at the end was kind of laughable he should not shoot... ever."

Except that he'd made four of his previous five triples before that. It was certainly a mentally weak shot though, in footy parlance he just stabbed at it.

Great game from two top teams.
MU were clear flag favourites early on, and seem to have recaptured that form. They had one bad game against the Cats, but otherwise have taken the series.I said previously that it was rare for all the Cats to have an off night, but they did. Wagstaff only 9 points in 26 minutes, and Redhage zip.
Whereas MU showed that they had too many offensive options, Goulding has a quiet night and Holt steps up for 33.
Disappointing that the Cats went so poorly in O/T, but shit happens. At the end of the day, one loss (to the top team) in isolation is not the end of the world.

The context of the loss is a bit more significant. I have been worried for a while that the Cats were banking too heavily on this "easy" run home, as I always felt that 7 straight wins was a big ask in terms of consistency. Some of those soft road losses are coming back to haunt them. They must now consolidate with two wins against Sydney (which are not forgone conclusions), then host Adelaide in a blockbuster finale. Since they are now a win and a series behind MU, its practically impossible for them to regain top spot.

In terms of the top 4, it is anyone's flag, but MU must be considered favourites.

Hey as far as im concerned if Martin is shooting, your playing Perth pretty well. If he could shoot alongside his defence, he would be making mega bucks in Europe imo.

Martin shot 50% from three, but let's not let the facts get in the way.

Is that for the season... because he is averaging like 4 points pretty much off layups, because im sure he has faced facts and realises he is not a strong shooter, but distributer. So many know it all's, its not his strength, but defense is. Its ok to point out a weakness, im not dogging his overall game.

Yeah id be happy with him shooting it, at 30% or whatever he is. Its not a big deal, y'all jump on anything! I dont rate him as an offensive weapon, anon.

Perth's biggest issue is on offence is getting Beal going again. Martin and Kenny are great defenders, but they are not scorers and if Beal is off, Perth's backcourt is not going to be a major threat.That is why the pressure builds in games especially like last night in OT. You can keep expecting Prather to carry the load every night.

Can't

Anyone know what Martin's +/- is for the season?

Perth need more from their bench. Wagstaff has the occasional brilliant game, then goes MIA for a few.
Redhage is falling further away each game.