Round 8 Game Preview v Cairns Taipans

GAME PREVIEW –

Round 8 – Cairns Taipans v Tasmania JackJumpers

Saturday 18 November, 7.30pm tip-off

Cairns Convention Centre 

Watch LIVE on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel

State of Play

JackJumpers head North for their second game in 3 days to take on the Taipans at home. Cairns are coming off their own tough road trip and tough turn around as they return from Perth.

Both sides will be looking to solidify the first part of their seasons and secure a win before the FIBA break and with a hectic summer schedule looming.

Cairns have endured the fatigue from a trip to the US early in the season to take part in the NBLxNBA showcase games, as well as some injuries to key personnel including Taran Armstrong and Tahjere McCall.

Cairns will need to clean up their defensive end as they currently average 15.6 turnovers a game, making them 10^th in the league in the category. Comparatively, JackJumpers average 10.5 turnovers per game (2^nd in the NBL).

The inclusion of Will Magnay will bolster the JackJumpers rim protection and may go some way to improving the team’s defensive rebounding which currently is 9^th in the League. Magnay is back for his third game of the year and will be looking to build his minutes and impact.

Heading into Round 8, JackJumpers are sitting 3^rd on the ladder, while Cairns are in 6^th.

Facts

• Clint Steindl currently leads the League in true shooting accuracy at 78.2% prior to Round 8.
• Heading into Round 8, Cairns ranks 2nd in the league for defensive rating this season (106.2).
• Tasmania ranks 1st in the league for offensive rating this season (118.5).
• Milton Doyle was the leading NBL player for assists in Round 7 with 8 assists against Adelaide.

Last time they met  

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL FINALS – PLAY IN GAME

February 9, 2023

Cairns Convention Centre

CAIRNS TAIPANS 79 (McCall 24, Scott 17, Hogg 13)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 87 (Doyle 25, White 18, McVeigh) 

Tasmania JackJumpers progressed through to the NBL semi-finals for a second straight season after stunning Cairns Taipans 87-79 on their home floor to set up a three-game series with New Zealand Breakers.

In a third versus fourth matchup, the Taipans and their home crowd were left astonished as Milton Doyle and Isaac White combined to thwart two comebacks and hold on for another trip to the final four in their second year in the NBL.

Doyle's 25 points included 5-10 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and three steals while White tallied 18 points on 70 per cent shooting, scoring vital buckets at pivotal areas of the game.

By the third term, the Taipans had found their groove with Tasmania's ball movement drying up and Cairns distributing the ball effectively.

Midway through that quarter the lead was erased completely as Bul Kuol's free throw put the Taipans up by one.

But Tasmania went straight back to their main man Doyle and his side finished the quarter with a flourish, scoring 13 of the last 15 points in the term.

Cairns got within eight mid-way through the final quarter but the damage was done.

Opponents on the Radar 

Heading into Round 8, Bobi Klintman is one of only six players in the league averaging at least 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks this season.