R19 Preview: Perth Wildcats vs. Sky Sport Breakers

WHO: PERTH WILDCATS vs NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
WHEN: Thursday 7^th April 2022, 11:30PM NZST
WHERE: RAC Arena
BROADCAST: Sky Sport 2 & Prime

Even with a loss, Perth can’t fall out of the top four this round, but can have an even record with the Phoenix if SEM win twice, but the Wildcats will remain fourth due to a superior percentage.
The last time the Breakers came to Perth, the Wildcats were on a five game win streak. This time the hosts are on a three game losing streak. 
The Wildcats and Breakers have combined to win ten of the last twelve championships but enter this game with the two current longest losing streaks.  

Current win/loss streaks at the start of round 19.
won 10 Sydney
won 5 Illawarra
won 3 Cairns
won 1 Melbourne
lost 1 Tasmania
lost 1 Brisbane
lost 2 Adelaide
lost 2 SEM Phoenix
lost 3 Perth
lost 5 New Zealand 

Perth have lost their past three games. The last time Perth lost four in a row was in October/November 1998. Before that it was four home defeats in a row in April 1984.  
Four straight losses at home has only happened once in the past 38 seasons for the Wildcats. 

All time meetings:  76 meetings Wildcats won 42 Breakers won 34  

Season results:
Round 15: Wildcats 104 def Breakers 102 in Overtime in Hobart
Round 16: Wildcats 95 def Breakers 85 at RAC Arena 

First quarters: 

In their last four home games since returning to West Australia, Perth have been outscored by a total of 36-points in the first quarters and allowed opposition to average 30.3 after the first ten minutes while averaging 21.3 themselves. 
Vic Law was averaging 21.4 points in his first 20 games but over his last three games has scored 16, 16 & 13 at an average of 15 per game and is 3-from-13 threes at 23%.  
Chasson Randle has been missing from the Breakers. He has not scored a field goal in four of his last five games and in that span has a total of 13 points and 17 fouls. Randle has not scored in two games played against Perth so far. 
Finn Delany also went without scoring last week in 28 minutes against the Taipans (0/6FG) which was the first time he had gone scoreless in his past 86 games. Delany had missed the previous two games due to lower back soreness.
Ousmane Dieng has scored in double figures in seven of his last nine matches – except for the two games against Perth when he scored just 8 and 5. Dieng has posted his two highest games of the season in his last two matches with 18 and 20 vs Cairns.  

New Zealand Breakers scorers last 4 games:
20.8 Yanni Wetzell
13.5 Ousmane Dieng
12.3 Hugo Besson
11.8 Peyton Siva
11.0 Tom Abercrombie 

Following this match, New Zealand will call Bendigo their home for the next two games before their final two home games back in Hobart.  

Perth Wildcats Last 5 games and remaining schedule:
Round 15: Monday 14^th March away to Breakers (Hobart) (Won 104-102)
Round 16: Sunday 20^th March at home vs Breakers (Won 95-85)
Round 17: Thursday 24^th March at home vs JackJumpers (Lost 83-85)
Round 17: Saturday 26^th March at home vs Kings (Lost 80-102)
Round 18: Monday 4^th April at home vs United (Lost 75-84)
Round 19: Thursday 7^th April at home vs Breakers
Round 20: Thursday 14^th April at home vs 36ers
Round 20: Saturday 16^th April at home vs Taipans
Round 21: Friday 22^nd April at home vs Hawks
Round 21: Sunday 24^th April at home vs Phoenix 

New Zealand Breakers Last 5 games and remaining schedule:
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) (Lost 77-87)
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)