Preview: Tasmania v Cairns - Round 14, NBL24

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Tasmania will host its third straight home game against the Taipans on Saturday evening.

With both teams lurking around the Play-In tournament, this Saturday night's clash will be critical for the JackJumpers and Taipans.

Saturday, January 6 at 5:30pm AEDT | MyState Bank Arena

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo - International viewership details
Box scores: Download the free NBL App

The JackJumpers have lost their last two games in gruelling fashion, leading at half-time against the Phoenix and Breakers at home, before falling away.

Tasmania will host its third straight home game against the Taipans.

After falling to New Zealand, Scott Roth lamented his team's defensive effort. The JackJumpers allowed 34 attempts at the free-throw line with the coach stating, “that recipe is doom”.

Since their inaugural season, the JackJumpers have been known for their hard-nosed defence and ability to defend their home court, with a record of 21-15. But in 2024, they've gone 3-4 at home. The 'defend the island' mantra couldn't be more fitting heading into one of the more defining games of the season.

The Taipans have been one of the more hard-to-read teams this season. They lost by 19 points to the Kings last Friday, but pulled off a 17-point win over the top-of-the-table Melbourne United two days later, becoming the only team to upset the ladder-leaders twice in NBL24.

On NBL Now, former NBL champion Damon Lowery explained he cannot “get a read” on the Taipans, calling their season inconsistent.

Against United, they managed to pull it all together – going on a 14-point scoring run and making 10 triples to disrupt the league-best defence. But can they sustain it?

“They can’t bring that consistent energy, but when they do, it is glorious,” Lowery said.

Formguides

Cairns
95-78 win over Melbourne
101-82 loss to Sydney
102-105 loss to Perth

Tasmania
98-93 loss to New Zealand
85-77 loss to South East Melbourne
100-89 win over Illawarra

Patrick Miller
After his standout performance against Melbourne, all eyes are on Patrick Miller.

United boast the best defensive backcourt in the league, with Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova hounding any guard that comes their way, but Miller was more muscle than they could handle, scoring 21 of his 31 points inside the paint on New Year's Eve.

“They can’t beat up Patrick Miller, he is the backcourt bully,” Lowery said on NBL Now.

Joel Peterson comically added that the Incredible Hulk would have issues guarding Miller, showing just how physical the American guard can be on a night-to-night basis.

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This is especially relevant coming into Tasmania, where the pair of Tahjere McCall and Miller combined for 47 points in the teams' last matchup in Round 8.

With the 5’6” (168cm) Jordan Crawford and the taller but lightly-framed Doyle filling the backcourt, can the Jackies handle the Taipans' bigger bodies?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Early and-one for Pat! ?<br><br>? <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cairnstaipans</a> | ? <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> <a href="https://t.co/BdkkP4LvJh">pic.twitter.com/BdkkP4LvJh</a></p>— Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1741381331983147269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Marcus Lee
Playing one of his best games of the season on New Year's day, Marcus Lee has started to show glimpses of the form that made him such a valuable commodity in NBL23.

Filling the void for an injured Will Magnay, Lee scored 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in a physical and athletic performance.

Finding his touch in the pick and roll and being a presence on the defensive end against New Zealand, Lee will now have to replicate his performance against the Taipans.

On the other side of the table, Sam Mennenga has been an imposing threat in recent weeks and provides a big challenge.

“I take all these big men seriously, especially the one-on-one matches,” Lee said this week.

“At times it’s a battle above at the rim and who’s going to win that battle each day, and we’ll see at the end of the match.”

The JackJumpers have signed Tom Vodanovich to help the big man stocks, but he won't play until at least Round 15, so there's high expectations of Lee.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rockin’ the rim at a NYD party ? <br><br>Watch live on ESPN via Kayo <a href="https://t.co/oZRZo4hKvP">pic.twitter.com/oZRZo4hKvP</a></p>— Tasmania JackJumpers ? (@JackJumpers) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers/status/1741701491537383627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jack McVeigh vs Bul Kuol
While Jack McVeigh has received some buzz for an All-NBL slot, Buol Kuol is well in the mix for the Best Defensive Player award – and by pitting the two forwards against each other, it should result in some spectacular basketball.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“He is one of the top-5 players in the comp … he’s a legitimate All-NBL candidate.”<br><br>Derek Rucker was full of praise for Jack McVeigh after his incredible game-winner against the Taipans ?<br><br>Watch the full episode of Moments That Mattered ?? <a href="https://t.co/bW0iAYIBkT">https://t.co/bW0iAYIBkT</a> <a href="https://t.co/WCLun765e1">pic.twitter.com/WCLun765e1</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1726472118907666809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Averaging career-highs across the board, McVeigh has been on fire all season and has been one of the more clutch players in NBL24. Coming off 17 points against the Breakers, he'll be ready to catch fire against the second-best ranking defence.

On the other side, Bul Kuol has all the tools to be a lock-down defender. The size, wingspan and athleticism cause his matchups a headache on any given night.

Against the Kings, DJ Hogg and Jaylin Galloway were held to a combined 19 points, while against Melbourne Luke Travers finished the game with only three made field goals, as Cairns recorded a memorable victory.

This game could come down to which of these two can do their job best.