Rd 2 Preview | JackJumpers @ Taipans

The Tasmania JackJumpers delivered a trademark gritty win to open the NBL season at home on Monday night and now hit the road with the quick turnaround to playing the Cairns Taipans on Wednesday.

The JackJumpers started the NBL27 season on Monday night at MyState Bank Arena and despite finding themselves 16 points behind, produced a tremendous second half performance.

They outscored the South East Melbourne Phoenix 58-39 after half-time to end up prevailing 96-91 and that was without Josh Bannan (ribs), Anthony Drmic (back), Bryce Hamilton (knee) and Ben Ayre (hip).

Drmic, Hamilton and Ayre will remain out for the first road game while Bannan will travel with the team and be a game time decision with Majok Deng joining them out with a lower leg injury that he suffered during the win against the Phoenix.

Tasmania will now take on the Taipans at the Cairns Convention Centre on Wednesday night with both teams having already played one game to start the NBL27 season.

The JackJumpers dug deep for the win at home on Monday with David Johnson showing the way with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists, but plenty of others stepped up.

Taran Armstrong delivered 19 points and three assists ahead of his return to Cairns to play the team he started his NBL career with while Dakota Mathias had 14 points and six rebounds, Will Magnay 14 points and six assists, and Nick Marshall 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.

The Taipans started their season on the road to the Sydney Kings on Sunday and while it was a 21-point defeat, they are a dangerous opponent and the Snakes will be attempting to perform well in front of their home fans for the first time this season.

That's a Cairns team featuring JackJumpers championship winning hero Jack McVeigh and he is joined this season by explosive big man Keanu Pinder along with new import duo Jaylon Brown and Malique Lewis along with former NBA forward Jonah Bolden.

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth will hope to start feeling better himself having been unwell over the past few days, but for his team he knows that even if the circumstances are challenges, those available to play will give their all.

"Everyone has to go through the travel and we'll start our recovery straight away after this game, get on a plane and going up there the big thing I think is just the climate change," Roth said.

"There's that and the travel so we'll rest and recover as much as we can while we're flying, have a good meal, recoup at shootaround and see what happens.

Johnson was one of the stars in the win for the JackJumpers on Monday night and he hopes they can now keep the momentum going in Cairns on Wednesday.

"I don’t really have any other thoughts but recover and we're gonna go over the scout and win the game," Johnson said.

"That's about it that I'm thinking about it right now."

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2026/27 | ROUND 2

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS v Cairns Taipans

Cairns Convention Centre, Wednesday September 23, 7:30pm

Watch live on ESPN via Disney+, Foxtel, Kayo or Fetch