Sydney Kings vs Cairns Taipans and New Zealand Breakers NBL Round 9 preview, Digi Mart USA News (Sydney, Australia): Sydney Kings head coach Brian Goorjian has stressed the value of early wins this season, and the Kings have a home record of 5-2 after their outstanding win last Sunday over the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Winning on the road also carries weight early in the season, and Sydney has won three of its past four away from Afterpay Arena.
The Kings have won three straight games and can make it five with a road-home double this week. They face the Taipans in Cairns on Friday night, followed by a quick turnaround back in Sydney to face the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday afternoon.
Sydney has already played both teams once, winning in Round 1 against Cairns in Sydney and losing a thriller to the Breakers in Canberra in Round 5.
Cairns has taken notable scalps this season, including Tasmania, Melbourne and Brisbane, and is coming off an impressive victory in Perth over the Wildcats. Australian Boomer Jack McVeigh, who averages 19.4 points per game, scored 36 points at RAC Arena and is a player the Kings must control.
Jonah Bolden, a former King, has averaged 8.9 points and 8.2 rebounds, while Keanu Pinder adds 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. Jaylon Brown, averaging 13.6 points and 4.7 assists, is the Taipans’ floor general.
Sydney’s focus on Friday will be to limit Cairns’ three-point shooting. The Taipans attempt the most threes in the league and convert at the fourth-best rate.
Playing at home with friendly rims and the Orange Army behind them, Cairns is expected to press a Sydney defence that is among the best in the NBL.
The Kings will have less than 48 hours to recover before facing the Breakers. New Zealand has suffered a major blow with the news that import point guard Parker Jackson Cartwright is out for the rest of the season with a leg injury.
Cartwright has long been the heart of the Breakers, but the Kings should not take the visitors lightly. Forward Sam Mennenga, averaging 23.3 points and 8.9 rebounds with efficient shooting, dominated in Canberra, and Sydney must find a way to slow him down.
Carlin Davison, who averages 6.6 assists, will take over point guard duties and was brilliant against the Kings in the capital.
Former Kings Dejan Vasiljevic and Kouat Noi will be motivated to perform in front of their old home crowd. Import big man Charles Bediako is a menace in the paint, and Mojave King is devastating in transition.
Sydney’s roster features Kendric Davis, who averages 22.2 points and 8.3 assists, two-way forward Torrey Craig, who averages 18.5 points and 6.7 rebounds, and team captain Xavier Cooks, who averages 12.8 points and 6.9 rebounds. Brian Goorjian is in his ninth season with the Kings, with a record of 218-89 and seven NBL championships.
The Kings have beaten Cairns three straight times and have won eight of their last nine games against the Taipans. Between 1999 and 2006, Sydney defeated Cairns 17 consecutive times, the longest winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history.
