Taipans will upset here!!

By 12

I think Maric is going to get monstered in this one by Jawai. Nate has the BEST butt in the NBL and will park it down low and draw double teams, back down and DUNK IT or just throw a SWEET pass to the open man.

Hill IS quicker than Jawai but not a good enough shooter to PUNISH the big man and he doesn't know where to put his hands on D

I thought Lisch really took control last game, in the second half, and that when the Kings pushed ahead. Dunno if Cairns have that same type of leadership, as they really lost it when it counts in their last game.

Gotta be a Kings W here.

Sadly, will it be Bryson's last game? Unless he does something special?!?!

Has this game started?
I'm in Bali and not sure I can get the stream happening.

It doesn't start for 45 minutes freethrows.

Thanks, #Keen observer. I've been on holiday for a week and between the chill beach beats and the G&Ts, it's too much effort to work out the time frames!

Sounds like a decent holiday FT!

I'll be interested to see how Gaze manages his minutes tonight. Moller might be useful against a big frontcourt like Cairns. Bryson will want more minutes to show what he can do, but will need to score more to justify staying out there.

It's been a great hol', thanks Ko.

It will be really interesting to see how the Taipans gel in this match. With Jawai and Weigh having missed so much of the pre-season, Fearne will have to be careful how he introduces them - both are seasoned pros, but it's largely a new team.

For Sydney, I think Gaze will need to try and get the Kings to dictate terms, rather than react to the Taipans.

For Cairns, I think more will come down to whether Trice can produce than what Nate does. I think Nate will play 15 - 20 minutes at most. Fearne will be hoping he can be a wrecking ball in those minutes. If Cairns can subdue Lisch and Cadee (barring a breakout game from Bryson, which the Snakes were able to provide for Johnson in Perth,) and the bench can provide solid support, the Snakes will win.

Sydney don't have enough punch in the wings, otherwise.

Is it just me or does Josh Powell look completely uninterested in being here? Body language is terrible.

Kings stand around like STATUES before Cadee CHUCKS a long 3 that Steph Curry would turn down. TERRIBLE bball

Andrew Gaze's bewildered face that he throws at the refs is amazing.

Jawai using DAT ASS and backing Powell down. Gliddon JAwai should run pick and roll all day all day against this mob.

Kings will be more like COURT JESTERS with Lisch off

Powell will be tossed here. MORON

McCarron saying H H H HOLD ME BACK!

That's why Powell has been on 23 teams.

Don't bring that weak stuff into our house Cairns!

Whittington is CASH MONEY

Fern obviously DOES NOT rate Trice. He didn't play much down the stretch

Byrson also getting the bum rush from his old man

That was some win for the Kings, I thought when Lisch went off it was over, but they really were inspired by Cadee and Cairns have let one slip...

Anyone able to explain how Powell escaped punishment there? The elbow on Wortho was picked up but no tech for the reaction? He pushed and tried to hit Wortho on the head. Yet the calls made someone favoured the Kings?! Even after review?

Tough break for Cairns, tbh they couldn't execute for sh*t when they had the game on a silver platter but some of those calls had me scratching my head. Lot of soft calls on rebounds and cuts. No wonder the game here remains just as soft

how good could the kings be without bryson? Pick up another good import and they are a real chance to win it

I don't know that I'd agree on the game here being soft at all PeroV, I will agree that the officiating can be very inconsistent and probably always will be but the game being soft, not likely!

I think I generally just have a problem with soft touch fouls and foul calls when 2 blokes are just competing for a rebound. No one agrees with it - not the fans, players or coaches. Let them play.

But yes...no tech for Powell how exactly?!

It feels like ages ago now due to how much has changed, but I remember seeing Powell's interview when he arrived in Sydney and thinking, 'wow! he's got a great attitude.'

Fastforward to today and I feel like he is a very arrogant and entitled player. As already noted, his body language is deplorable, he seems lethargic, and I feel like he thinks he deserves the ball more than he actually does.

I don't think we need players rolling their eyes at team mates in our league.

I can't see Gaze and Copeland putting up with that attitude for too long. They'll either straighten him out, or send him off.

But more pressing is the issue of Bryson. How many games is he going to do nothing before the Kings' management pull the trigger? I can't see his NBL career lasting until November at this rate.

Anyone able to explain how Powell escaped punishment there?

Can't wait til Powell comes up to Cairns. There's a guy in a yellow tropical shirt who cant wait to make his acquaintance.

Yeah, I think Powell got off lightly with the unsportsmanlike, but it looked worse intitially... I think the timing with the Kings having possession was just how it worked on the course of events? Agree Cairns should have felt a bit hard done by, and that's as a Kings fan...

Absolutely fantastic to see the guys step up once Lisch went down (and hugely classy of Wortho to stick with him and make sure people got out there asap) especially Cadee... He's got the green light (although that first one nearly from the Cairns bench seemed a little out of range, even for him) and ended up with 23pts as well as 7 assists... He's really matured and has taken a big step up this season already...

Whittington, jeez, wow... At least one out of three imports has turned out well and BOY has he... Didn't force the 3pt shot, although he passed down a few more than I think he should have, but nearly got another double double and throw in 4stls and 2 blocks... So many rebounds at key points as well... Definitely MY Ladbrokes player of the game...

As for Powell, I can't believe his body language on court... Like others, I was watching and just didn't think that he wanted to be there and had flashes back to Damian James... ugh... A total contrast to even how he seemed in his first game, and ESPECIALLY how he seemed in his welcome press conference (taking into account he'd just gotten off the plane, and is American). Hopefully it's just early days and he actually pulls his finger out, as I really think that Bryson will be on a plane home soon, especially if Prewster gets minutes over him...

Looking at Bryson's stats after 3 games... as far as I can figure, his TOTALS are:

7pts, 3/15 FG (incl. 1/8 3pt), 0/0 FT, 2 OR, 1 DR, 2 AS, 1 TO, 2 ST, 1 BK, 11 FLS

I know he's straight out of college and he seems like a decent dude, but surely the writing is on the wall?

All fouls charged and penalties identified:
Personal foul Powell (possession CNS)
Unsportsmanlike foul Powell (2 shots + possession CNS)
Technical foul McCarron (1 shot + possession SYD)

Order in which infractions occurred:
As above

All equal penalties canceled - there are no equal penalties.

Right to possession as part of last penalty cancels any prior right to possession. The last penalty was the technical on McCarron, so Sydney's right to possession cancels Cairns'.

All remaining penalties administered:
Wortho gets two shots, the Kings get one shot and the ball.

The funny thing about Powell's body language is that his interactions with his teammates and the coaches during timeouts etc and while he was on the bench and after the game were all positive. Just while he was on the court he seemed to take the "cool dude" persona to the nth degree. Still prepared to give him more time as he was quite efficient in the things he did
As for the "incident", let's be honest. Is there anyone who's EVER played against Wortho that hasn't wanted to smack him over the back of the head? :)

Yeh, Weeks's two turnovers in consecutive possessions killed off their chances too. Strange he didn't run his No.1 PG

Unfortunately as expected going to be a long season for Taipans fans they just don't have anyone that they can give the ball to and score when needed.

Trice, Jawai and Weigh are still not 100% fit. Not going to wear them out in the first couple of games following injuries, when we will need them down the track.

Cairns just cant finish when the pressure is on. They will only win 3 or 4 games this season

That was probably one of the best Kings games I've seen in years. I figured we'd roll over when Lisch went out (and man was that a scary moment), but Cadee carried us through with some big shots, and we showed good hustle overall.

Whittington was sensational, but good to see Maric make a real impact too, and even Tommy put together a couple of nice plays in the 4th.