R18 Preview: Sky Sport Breakers vs Cairns Taipans

WHO: NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS vs CAIRNS TAIPANS 
WHEN: Monday 4^th April 2022, 9:30PM NZST
WHERE: Mystate Bank Arena Hobart
BROADCAST: Sky Sport 1 & Prime
 

This is the first time the Cairns Taipans are playing an official game in Hobart after 23 seasons in the NBL.

This is game 698 for Cairns and match 699 will also be in Hobart against the JackJumpers on Friday night before returning home to play game 700 at home next Sunday against Melbourne United. 

These teams played in Launceston, Tasmania last season in round 15 when the Taipans snuck home 70-68 thanks to a Venky Jois blocked shot. 

The last five games between these teams have been decided by 6-points or less which started at the NBL Cup last season in Melbourne when Tom Abercrombie made the game winning three-point shot on the buzzer to win by 3. 

The Cairns Taipans have not won outside of Queensland since they beat the Breakers in Launceston last season in round 15.  They have lost their past 14 matches when they cross that QLD border.   

Breakers wins in NBL22: 
Round 6 over Bullets at Nissan Arena by 5
Round 7 over Kings at Qudos Bank Arena by 7
Round 10 over Hawks at MyState Bank Arena by 23
Round 11 over Taipans at Cairns Convention Centre by 1
Round 15 over 36ers at Adelaide 36ers Arena by 9 

The Taipans have won their last two games and three of their past four. They are trying to win three in a row for the first time this season. 

In Cairns’ last three wins they have produced scores of 90, 93 and 98.  

New Zealand’s last four games by opponents:
Round 15 – Perth Wildcats 104 points at 54.8% shooting (overtime)
Round 16 – Perth Wildcats 95 points at 56.3% shooting
Round 17 – Brisbane Bullets 101 points at 51.4% shooting (overtime)
Round 17 – Cairns Taipans 93 points at 57.1% shooting 

The Taipans 57.1% from the field last week was the highest by any team against the Breakers this season – and so was the 58.3% from three-point land (7-from-12) 

The 36 free-throws taken by Cairns vs Breakers was the most by any team this season and the 66 FT’s combined was the most in any game in NBL22.

All time meetings: 74 matches Breakers won 37 Taipans won 37 

Previous meetings:
Round 11 New Zealand 84 def Cairns 83 at Cairns Convention Centre
Round 17 Cairns 93 def New Zealand 90 at Cairns Convention Centre 

These teams combine to form the most competitive series of any two teams over their first two games.
Both games came down to the very last shot of the game to decide the winner. 

Yanni Wetzell has been the best player against the Taipans this season by averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds and shooting at 71% from the field (15-from-21 field goals) 

Last round, Wetzell had 21-points against Cairns following 23 against the Bullets.
He has not yet scored 20 in three straight games in the NBL before. 

Keanu Pinder fouled out in just 10 minutes last week against the Breakers with just 6 points and 2 rebounds but bounced back on Saturday with a new career high 21-points and 13 rebounds against the Phoenix. In his last 4 games around the game against New Zealand, Pinder has averaged 14.5 points and 11.2 rebounds.
It is also interesting that Pinder has not made a three-pointer in his last 17 games and is just 3-from-14 in his 21 games. Last season he was 14-from-47 in 35 games. His free-throw attempts have gone from 36 last year to 57 this year in less games. 

Bul Kuol continues to put his hand up in rookie of the year nominations and averages more points than any of the other contenders.
Bul Kuol scored 17-points against the Breakers last round with 5 rebounds and career high 5 assists. 

Points per game from rookie contenders:
10.8 Bul Kuol
8.6 Izayah Le’afa
8.2 Luke Travers
7.8 Ousmane Dieng
7.8 Ariel Hukporti
4.9 Mason Peatling 

Ousmane Dieng did score a new season high 20-points in his last game against Cairns off the bench.  

Crazy Stat of the day: The Taipans have lost their past 8 road games away from Cairns on a Monday night with their last win coming in Brisbane on December 27^th, 1999 – which was their only road win in their first ever season. 

New Zealand Breakers Last 6 games and remaining schedule:
Round 14: Monday 7^th March home vs Bullets (Hobart) (Lost 74-92)
Round 15: Saturday 12^th March home vs 36ers (Adelaide)(Won 84-75)
Round 15: Monday 14^th March home vs Wildcats (Hobart) (Lost 102-104 in OT)
Round 16: Sunday 20^th March away to Wildcats (Lost 85-95)
Round 17: Thursday 24^th March home vs Bullets (Cairns) (Lost 100-101 in OT)
Round 17: Sunday 27^th March home vs Taipans (Cairns) (Lost 90-93)
Round 18: Monday 4^th April home vs Taipans (Hobart)
Round 19: Thursday 7^th April away to Wildcats
Round 19: Sunday 10^th April home vs Phoenix (Bendigo)
Round 19: Tuesday 12^th April home vs Kings (Bendigo)
Round 20: Friday 15^th April home vs JackJumpers (Hobart)
Round 21: Sunday 24^th April home vs 36ers (Hobart) 

Cairns Taipans Last 5 games and remaining schedule:
Round 15: Friday 11^th March at home vs Jack Jumpers (Lost 69-85)
Round 15: Sunday 13^th March at home vs Kings (Lost 77-86)
Round 16: Friday 18^th March away to 36ers (Lost 57-83)
Round 16: Sunday 20^th March away to Bullets (Won 98-88)
Round 17: Friday 25^th March at home vs Phoenix (Lost 74-86)
Round 17: Sunday 27^th March away to Breakers (Cairns) (Won 93-90)
Round 18: Saturday 2^nd April at home vs Phoenix (Won 90-85)
Round 18: Monday 4^th April away to Breakers (Hobart)
Round 19: Friday 8^th April away to JackJumpers
Round 19: Sunday 10^th April at home vs United
Round 20: Saturday 16^th April away to Wildcats
Round 20: Monday 18^th April away to United
Round 21: Thursday 21^st April at home vs Kings
Round 21: Saturday 23^rd April at home vs Bullets