Round 15 Preview: Kings vs. Taipans
By Matt McQuade
In sports, a winning streak is a precious thing.
Especially if it goes on for an extended period of time.
You’re never sure when it will end. But as a player or coach, you try to forget about it and focus on the job immediately at hand.
It’s the old adage – one game at a time.
That’s how it is for the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings right now as they head into their Round 15 clash with the Cairns Taipans this Sunday afternoon at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Currently the hottest team in the league after securing their sixth consecutive victory last week at Qudos Bank Arena against these very same Taipans, the purple and gold need to be laser-focused against a ballclub that gave them everything they could handle last Sunday, despite being undermanned.
Cairns will be pumped up in front of their rabid home crowd, the eponymous Orange Army, who will be determined to cheer their beloved team on to what would be one of the upsets of the season against a Kings’ unit in scintillating form.
But the Taipans will come into this game with some confidence after they fought hard against Sydney despite being without their best player, import swingman Tahjere McCall (14.2ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.7apg, 1.8spg). McCall’s status is uncertain at present but if he takes his place in the line-up, Cairns become a whole lot more dangerous.
Import point guard Scott Machado (10.3ppg, 2.1rpg, 4.2apg) had a huge game against the Kings last week and looked as healthy as he has been in some time. He’s a great floor leader and makes quality decisions for his squad.
And big man Stephen Zimmerman (11.3ppg, 9.9rpg, 1.1spg) was a tough cover in the low post last Sunday and the league-leading rebounder will again be a focus for the Snakes inside.
That’s not to mention the likes of stretch forward Majok Deng, the energy and activity of Keanu Pinder, the potential of Kouat Noi and the perimeter threat represented by rookie Bul Kuol.
Make no mistake, Cairns is not a team to be taken lightly, despite their current record.
But Sydney will give the Taipans plenty to think about themselves.
While Head Coach Chase Buford wasn’t entirely happy with his team’s defensive effort in the Round 14 victory, his offence continued to make strides, hitting at least 90 points for the third straight game, with the 98 scored against Cairns equalling the Kings’ highest single game output all season.
That performance was led by yet another stellar performance from forward Xavier Cooks (14.9ppg, 9.7rpg, 2.2apg, 1.7bpg) who at times was a one-man wrecking crew last Sunday. X has put himself firmly in the NBL MVP discussion thanks to his brilliance of late and his two-way dominance will be a huge key to the outcome.
Of course, Jaylen Adams (20.5ppg, 5.2rpg, 6.0apg, 1.5spg) is another league MVP candidate and had another impactful game in Round 14. He’s been one of the recruits of the season and the Taipans had great difficulty matching up on him – expect a similar outcome this week.
The other member of Sydney’s Big Three, big man Jarell Martin (16.3ppg, 8.9rpg) continues to go about his business with a minimum of fuss and his ability to stretch the floor with his outside shooting plus get up and down the court with speed in transition makes him one heck of a weapon for Coach Buford.
The Kings also have the luxury of bringing an NBA champion off the bench in Ian Clark, boast a deadly long-range gunner in Dejan Vasiljevic, an excellent backup guard in Shaun Bruce and are starting to get healthy, with Makur Maker giving the bench a nice lift in grabbing seven rebounds last week.
However, as well as the purple and gold has played of late; this still represents an enormous challenge at a venue that is decidedly unfriendly to visiting teams.
The Kings need to be locked in.
Seven in a row beckons.
But in the end, it’s all about taking care of business in this one game.
Let’s do this Sydney.
WHO
Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings vs. Cairns Taipans
WHEN
Sunday 13 March, 5:30pm tipoff AEST
LOCATION
Cairns Convention Centre
TV
ESPN, Kayo Sports
THE PLAYERS
Kings
Jaylen Adams (import); Dejan Vasiljevic; Wani Swaka Lo Buluk; Xavier Cooks; Jarell Martin (import)
Ian Clark (import); Angus Glover; Shaun Bruce; Biwali Bayles; Makur Maker (Next Star); Tom Vodanovich; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Jayden Hodgson (development Player); Ignatius Mitchell (development player)
Taipans
Scott Machado (import); Tahjere McCall (import – subject to fitness test); Kouat Noi; Majok Deng; Stephen Zimmerman (import)
Bul Kuol; Jarrod Kenny; Keanu Pinder; Jordan Ngatai; Marshall Nelson; Brayden Inger (development player)
THE COACHES
Kings
Chase Buford (NBL rookie head coach, record 11-7)
Taipans
Adam Forde (2nd NBL season, 1st season with Taipans, NBL record 23-27, record with Taipans 4-10)
2021/2022 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Kings lead 1-0
Kings def. Taipans 98-88 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 14
NBL LADDER
Kings 11-7, fifth
Taipans 4-10, ninth
LAST GAME
Kings def. Cairns Taipans 98-88 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 14
Taipans lost to Sydney Kings 98-88 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 14
KEY STATS
Kings
Points: Jaylen Adams, 20.5ppg
Rebounds: Xavier Cooks, 9.7rpg
Assists: Jaylen Adams, 6.0apg
Taipans
Points: Majok Deng, 14.5ppg
Rebounds: Stephen Zimmerman, 9.9rpg
Assists: Tahjere McCall, 5.7apg
KEY MATCHUP
Jaylen Adams vs. Scott Machado
These two went at it last week in a duel of former NBA point guards – albeit they weren’t matched up on an individual basis all that often. Still, there’s no doubt that they are both of enormous importance to their respecting ballclubs. Machado had 27 points and seven assists at the Q and showed he may be getting over a foot injury that has bothered him for several weeks. His perimeter game has been up and down but you are taking a risk if you decide to go under the ball screen when defending him, because he’s shown he can knock it down from long distance. Adams on the other hand nailed his first two triples in Round 14 then cruised to a relatively quiet (by his lofty standards), 21-point, four assist outing. Jaylen’s ability to read pick and roll coverages is the best in the league and he can hurt you at all three levels – from the perimeter, the midrange and at the rim. Expect fireworks from Adams and Machado at the Snakepit.
THE QUESTIONS
Can the Kings get another win on the road?
Will Sydney’s defence step up and be a factor?
HISTORY
All-time Head-to-Head
70 games played; Kings lead 52-18
In Cairns
34 games played; Kings lead 23-11
At Cairns Convention Centre
32 games played; Kings lead 22-10
DID YOU KNOW?
A win on Sunday will give the Kings a seven-game winning streak, their longest since the 2007/2008 season, when they finished with a franchise record 27-3 mark in the regular season and reached the NBL Grand Final. Interestingly, Sydney’s largest winning streak against a single NBL franchise is a whopping 17 straight against Cairns, a run that started in November 1999 and finished in February 2006. The Kings’ overall winning percentage against the Taipans is 74.3%, their best versus any current NBL club.
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