Situations have changed. Wildcats are playing full team, fit, and know this is playoffs time.

Expect it to be like the MU and Cats game in round 19. Cats will dominate in the 3rd qtr and then bring it home.

Sorry can't see it any other way.

Ah the woofing gods will have a field day with this one.

I'll be at home watching this one on my tv, with the NBL TV website as a backup and the phone app as an emergency option.

Sorry can't see it any other way.

Can anyone tell me why cairns are 3rd and have home court advantage in this series?
Perth have the same win/loss, better points % and won the head to head this season.
What am I missing?

The three-way tie included Illawarra.

Cheers for the info.
I have always thought the head to head thing was I bit quirky and good for a rivalry, but does this make any one else think it's time to move on?
Why should cairns and Perth be separated by the results between cairns and Illawarra?

Cairns and Perth weren't separated by the results between Cairns and Illwarra. Cairns, Perth, and Illawarra were separated by the results between Cairns, Perth, and Illawarra.

Massive, massive game.

Perf might be a full strength, but they are Wildcats at home, and Pussycats on the road.

While they will be looking at a good result to send off retiring players, I can see this series going three games.

Perth eventually got over United, but didn't look convincing for much of that game when I expected they would be composed all game. HCA for the Taipans should really make this interesting.

Hopefully they make it to three games and wear each other out.

Ricky Grace has said the Wildcats are playing their best basketball at the right time.

Don't know if their best is good enough to beat Cairns who are playing pretty darn well at the moment.

Cairns have form and HCA on their side, so it's their game to lose really.

Cats the underdogs for sure.

Loughzy's gonna go so hard tonight that ESPN will have to rename their documentaries '40 for 40'

All season I thought Taipans would struggle and they proved me wrong. Tonight I think Perth will win but happy for Taipans to prove me wrong again.

Perth will come out with nothing to lose while Taipans will play with lots of pressure on their shoulders.

I'm starting to drink at 4pm.

sorry can't see it any other way.

Annon - Prather's been averaging 27.5 points, 3 rebounds and 8.5 assists a game since he switched to the Adidas Harden 1s.

Cats fans should be hoping he continues to wear the Harden's as he'll need to put up those numbers consistently through the playoffs if the Wildcats are to have any hope of advancing.

Harden put up 38, 12 & 12 yesterday so I have high hopes for Casey.

ha! Jawai's been wearing Dunlop Volleys all season. He's switching to LBJ 8's tonight.

Expect a quadruple double.

Cairns and Perth weren't separated by the results between Cairns and Illwarra. Cairns, Perth, and Illawarra were separated by the results between Cairns, Perth, and Illawarra.

As above, Taipans to do us all a favour and belt the piss out of Perf.

6ers vs Snakes GF series.

Sorry, can't see it any other way.

Or you could just not read anything he posts. That has worked for me with a number of people who frequently post on hoops (and allowed me to live a more fulfilling and happier life).

I'm sure people apply the same approach to all my posts too (but I'm sure ROFLcopter will say I'm a flog :-))

Cotton said to the press he knows what it will take to nullify Cairns offensives defensively.

The guys know Jawai's two steps tootsy and will force him to foul with a third step. So much so Jawai will sit down or be a burden.

Sorry can't see it any other way.

Nah, Big Ads....you make total sense.

I'm all for moderating what one reads.

Reading trash is for flogs!!

Cairns in OT tonight.

I want Perth to win the series, but only so I don't have to look at that hideous Cairns Convention Center during the Grand Finals. If there is an uglier arena in world basketball, I haven't seen it.

Plus, it would be great if the Sixers could avenge their 2014 title loss.

Meanwhile you all skipped over my peach of a joke ^

The ugliest venue ever would have been the Townsville RSL venue that the Crocs played at a couple of years ago. Total embarrassment to the NBL.

"At least the Crocs got fans in."
What all 20 of them? ;)

Which is what koberulz said

Arrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh!

^^ I accidentally read it :(

Wow it must of been bad haha. I can't recall it to be honest so I'll take your word :)

Anyone remember the last time Perth won a Playoff game on the road?
It would of been quite a few years ago.

haha I remember that game. Perth had a few players out injured and Sportsbet hadn't caught on. I put $100 on Cairns to win and got a pretty good payout :P

I hope Wortho Scores 50

I hope Loughton hits a 3 and starts going nuts with the celebrations Shane Watson style.

I remember when the Victoria Giants were playing at the Melb Sports & Aquatic Centre and IMO that venue wasn't as bad to look at on TV as Townsville RSL Stadium.

Speaking of ugly looking stadiums, how has nobody mentioned NSEC and their awkwardly placed different shades of court yet?!

Anon is right, the Crocs had no problem getting their fan in. He got plenty of leg room too.

If you don't think the North Shore Events Centre is the worst stadium in the NBL you are either blind, drunk, blind drunk or partially lobotomised. There are YMCA's in Syria that are in better condition.

Hell not even 3 Doors Down would perform at NESC...

I think that cairn will "go troppo" tonight and that several of their players will suddenly find offensive form. 15+ win with a near highest score for the season.

Too hard to call. Just hope the game gets some flow, stays close and is fun to watch.

Fearne usually has some decent defensive tricks to shut down key players whereas Cairns have a whole bunch of people who may be the star(s)on any given night so are somewhat harder to scout.

Sneaked in a Cotton windmill in there..

Mitchell one of the dumber players that have graced out shores.

This doesn't look good for Cairns. Down 10 already at quarter time AND Perth have scored 30 points too.

Clean Egwu block. Mitchell on the pine with three fouls.

Not even shore they called it on Egwu if they did it was a shocker.

Cats gonna Cats

Should have loaded up on them

"CLEAN Mitchell block yet Cats get the foul call. o_O"

Mitchell wasn't even on the court. It was Egwu who you are thinking of and the foul was on McCarron anyway.

Excellent start, good to see Casey perform well up here, been a bit of a graveyard for him

I thought it must have been of McCarron but the clowns on the mike said Egwu.

Some bad calls both ways. Brands 3rd please. That one on egwu just earlier wow

Tell that Russell clown that it not a fkn ball up.

Wadapp!

Charge then no charge... hmmm typical.

Is he? No ball up in league

Shane Heal really doesn't like the Wildcats.

It was like the refs got bored and needed to do something, foul wortho lol

Fear new wants a foul, foul prather.

Fearne sorry

Did Wagstaff get a flop warning?

That is not a foul on Damo, please of all the things you could call him for you choose that... pathetic

So you going to complain about martins 3rd foul that was soft. I do t think so.

Wildcats80 I don't understand your comment, did you think that was actually a foul? Taking the contact in the middle of his cylinder with hands out?

Perf 48-37 H/T

I missed the first few minutes, is Nate hurt or is Fearne trying the lose?

Are we sure that Heals fraud charges aren't related to Commentary fraud?

"Wildcats80 I don't understand your comment, did you think that was actually a foul? Taking the contact in the middle of his cylinder with hands out?"

Yes, after he stepped into his path. The least controversial call all night so far.

"Jawai 2 fouls, Mitchell 3 fouls. Hmmm. Why does one team always get the calls?"

Fouls are at 12 all. Martin and Brandt have 3 fouls, Prather 2 ....what exactly are you getting at lol

Mitchells 3 were all stupidly legit and he was very lucky the refs didn't T him up.

Not the sharpest tool in the shed is Mitchell.

Nate got a dodgy O foul on a post up.

Anon Martin 3 brant this you tosser goes both ways

Cotton is one hell of a player. I said last night Randle is up with the best we have ever seen here and Cotton is heading in that direction as well.

Reffing not too bad and certainly not favouring any team much.

Randle was the deserved MVP winner but I do think overall Cotton is probably a better player.

Seems a decent character too.

Why is NBL.tv now telling me I need to upgrade to the finals package half way through game 2?

This game is done.

Anyone get on cats 11+?

Poor nate

Yeah I was aware of Jawai's foul situation. Just baffled that he didn't come back in the 2nd.

And now he gets hit with a soft 3rd foul...

That home cooking, huh?

Jesus Nate gets crucified, he gets bashed no call, then gets soft stuff at the other end,happened last year, and still is happening.

Damo & Jawai both cop their 3rd on equally (hella) soft calls :/

This is getting ugly. Perth up by 20 now.

They are ... are there goes another one ... but at least they're consistent with them

Trice's nuts may have finally dropped.

Thanks Bryce. We needed that one big time.

Cha-chingstaff

Blame McCarron for that one, moving when the screens coming

Pretty clear the head office wants a 36ers Vs Wildcats grand final.

Both Egwu fouls were there...

Well the NBA wanted Cotton,, it's not surprising he's probably the best in the leeg

Mitchell you foul heaps!

Can't wait to see Randle make Cotton look like candy floss.

other than the shot clock

Perth better have a 3 year contract ready for cotton at the end of the game or else! Damo would be great off the bench next year

Carfino hammer on the head. I thought it was nail haha

Unsportsmanlike foul? What about the one against the Cheats in the third quarter?

8 on 5 is always the way when it comes to the Wildcats.

Can't whinge about that call. That was dangerous as hell.

That foul was standard practice last year. Needs to be outlawed!

Right call.

rest the starters, Trev

Cats v Adealide should be a ripping GF series

Reckon Perth can get game 1 too

We're coming for you Adelaide!!!

Hell yayerrr

Nice win Perth. One of the better refereed games of late. Set a standard and were pretty consistent at maintaining that standard.

Also showed restraint when players let off some steam after calls.

Cotton special.

Perth with the bench out there. if Adelaide were that far in front I think Randall's wife would have played the last minute!

And cats win here come the 8vs 5 to tossers comments

Expect cairns to come out firing in perth, they have shown they play well there.

Getting the early lead will be huge, so will not getting in foul trouble.

Lots of cheapie but some really poor decisions at bad times to pick up fouls. Mitchel especially, you can't sky for a block when you're in foul trouble.

"Set a standard and were pretty consistent at maintaining that standard."

Generally agree (though the standard they set was crap and soft), except with the O fouls against Egwu/Jawai/Loughton. Knight made the same plays all game but wasn't called.

Taipans turnovers and dumb decision making cost them the game.

Perth prove they are nothing without Cotton and Prather, at least that's one more star than ADL have.

Knight picked up an O foul on an on ball as well from memory.

Take the two best players out of any team and what do you think they have? Wilson sting?

Cotton may just be the best player in this league. Or at least would have to a close second to Randle. Deadly 3 point shot, elite finishing around the rim, great handle with a deadly crossover, super quick, doesn't overplay and manages to always keep his composure... just the ultimate shooting guard. I can't remember a better finals performance than that from a Wildcat in years. I wonder if the Wildcats have any chance at all at of hanging onto him for another season. I fear he's too good to stick around.

Well done Wildcats a well deserved victory.

Poor effort by Taipans, too many brain fades throughout the game and then shooting 3-19 from 3 cost them the game.

I have no issue with the refereeing in that game. Cairns kept putting the refs in position to call the fouls (moving screens, obvious fouls) and so they did.

With Cotton Damo hardly even needs to touch the ball on offense. Just move it on occasionally and take a wide open sot now and then.

Great win Cats. They really have turned the corner. Bring it home in 2

Why fire fearne? He has gotten the most out of his team, they got outplayed today, can't blame the coach for them losing Cotton constantly, I'm sure he wasn't saying give Cotton wide open shots

NBL.tv running for a record time after the game.

How come the commentary team does 4 to 5 reviews of the game?

Great win a little too early to be talking about a GF , this season has been the most even ever, and we have all been surprised each week with the results.

But if Prather and Cotton can keep that sort of form up, it will certainly be off assistance to our hopes.

Wildcats?

Fk em.

Hate em

Unsportsmanlike foul?

Some too foreseeable aspects to this game.
Loved Wortho's comment: "its just an ordinary game between the Wildcats and the Taipans."

Too many fouls, especially on the forwards, Jawai, Egwu, and Mitchell all in trouble early. Cairns backcourt unable to contain Cotton and Prather.

So want Cotton to stay at the cats but unfortunately he wont be back after this season. Hes too good for this league. Hell get more money overseas or the NBA will call him back.

Its true that for many players this is a stepping stone to better things, and good luck to them. No doubt Cotton will go and play Summer league, but will he get the call-up? Dynamic small PG's have a history of doing extremely well in the NBL, whilst being too small to play elsewhere.
And he's already had a look at Turkey and decided no thanks.

Either way, its going to be an extremely nervous off season for Perth, as their two biggest stars will undoubtedly be in demand elsewhere.

Taipans just aren't cottoning on to the fact that they need to stop Bryce.

How bout a straight 2-3 zone, eh Fearney?

Btw thanks Fearney for taking Nate off during our third-quarter run. Really appreciate that one mate.

There is as much chance of me playing in the NBL next season as Cotton... clearly too good for this place, extremely fortunate we got him when we did!

I can't see any other way any team bar the Cats to win the flag.

You pay FOR what you get.... Cats paid a lot for Cotton.

I had felt like the taipans were getting a lot of home town calls for almost six weeks.
Playoffs roll around, refs fly in, snakes in foul trouble, get smoked on home court.
Coincidence?

"CAIRNS HAS WON 7 OF IT'S LAST 8 HOME GAMES AGAINST PERTH"

LOL @ the apostrophe, amateur hour production.

ROFL.
Every time this issue has been raised, nobody cared.
Now the 3 biggest spenders are out of the running, leaving Perth, and suddenly its "dodgy shit"

One thing I don't understand is the focus of the commentary.
Surely with a Cairns home game, the bulk of the TV audience is going to be from Perth, so i would have thought they would slant it more towards that market?

Every time this issue has been raised, nobody cared.

only a moron could ignore the numerous discussion on this topic and conclude "no one really cares".

Dominant performance from Perth. Did it easy offensively and made it tough for Cairns to get up a shot at the other end,
Illawara, Cairns both lost because of an inability to defend the on ball. Gladden tried in the end to overplay the screen side but needed Loughton to jump up and double the ball Cotton.
The only time cairns looked dangerous was when they made 4 or 5 layups attacking the rim along with getting stops at the other end.
Looks ominous if you support Cairns. Hell even Mattie Knight had a spring in his step.

Brilliant Kobe!

Dazz are you actually asking for commentary bias towards Perth?

Good road win, need to close it out on Monday. Would of been awesome had we had cotton all season. Experience showed last night.

Will be interesting what mindset will Perth come in on Monday night? Need to play hard and just expect to win because you are at home.

hahahahaha koberulz I'm not ur biggest fan but that was so simple yet so lethal I gotta give u props

I don't see teams beating Perth in Perth particularly with the raucous Red Army. I think they're also the most likely side to win away (apart from Hawks).

Worth a tenner to win it all imo.

Hey Podge,

Thoughts on last night my man? Still drowning your sorrows or?

And shout out to Grebuoy. I like your style.

What were your thoughts?

Manu, outplayed by Cotton and Prather with the ball, Hogan and Reid with the whistle.

Onward and upwards to game 2.

Manu, (and any others), I thought Perth were scary-good against Melbourne, last regular game.
Very hard gig to shut down Prather and Cotton simultaneously; and no, I don't see Perth as vulnerable in being so dependant on those two.
Don't like the Taipans' group body language response to ref calls (all calls, it seems).
Maybe it's time for Aaron Fearne to ref-proof his game plans.
Gleason has.

Ah Kpberstalker, at it again, just can't help yourself?
Instead of being a perpetual ______, why don't you try actually contributing something? Or least try a post based on what is being discussed, rather than being a pedantic nit-picker?

It's bad enough from some anonytroll who's just joined in, but from you it simply pathetic because you are well aware of the issues, the history, and what I have said.

As you well know, I have been consistently questioning and critical of the leagues failure to follow through on its promise of published salaries, independent committee, etc.
My point is that every time this has been raised throughout the season, it is met by a chorus of "we don't care, the league is great, LK is awesome," etc, etc.
NOW, the only team remaining that would have gone appreciable over the soft cap is Perth, and suddenly its "dodgy shit."

Dazz, maybe I could suggest something re player salary disclosure: all should be revealed at the end of the season when the thrifty clubs insist on their equalisation payments.

Dazz are you actually asking for commentary bias towards Perth?

Kpberstalker

It's bad enough from some anonytroll who's just joined in, but from you it simply pathetic because you are well aware of the issues, the history, and what I have said.

Yeah that's what I said after last Sunday, Grey, yet no one bought it surprisingly. United hadn't lose at home since Rd7 before Perth came to town. What do you mean by ref-proofing game plans?

Frustration got the better of us last night. Lost focus far too often.

Ref-proofing comment made relative to the way Perth have avoided losing crucial player contributions because of foul trouble. Cairns seem to have made it a habit.

Ref-proofing comment made relative to the way Perth have avoided losing crucial player contributions because of foul trouble. Cairns seem to have made it a habit.

Nice observation, Grey.

Let's have a pick-and-roll defensive scheme and stick to it. That's what I'd like to see. And hey, those jumpers we were giving Knight are okay. Id rather he shoot an 18-footer than Cotton or Prather have the ball in their hands. Maybe just play him a little tighter though

Before Cotton came along, Perth absolutely sucked at the pick n roll. When JJ was here fans were screaming for Perth to run some on ball plays for him, makes me thing that maybe the problem with JJ was his basketball IQ and not being able to get to the right spots.