Snake Eyes – Taipans at United

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans are in action on Good Friday against Melbourne United with the Snakes determined to back up their morale boosting victory as they enjoyed their return home on Sunday.

The Taipans played their first home game at Cairns Pop-Up Arena on Sunday in seven weeks and came away with an impressive 79-65 win against the Adelaide 36ers.

That snapped a five-game losing streak for the Taipans and will give them confidence to now not only take into Friday's game against Melbourne United, but the two games against the same opponent away and home this weekend.

The first game between the Taipans and United in Round 12 of the NBL takes place on Good Friday at John Cain Arena from 4.30pm Queensland time before both teams come back to Cairns to do battle on Easter Sunday at the Pop-Up Arena.

Here are five things to look out for coming into the Good Friday contest:

1. BULDING ON BOOST IN MORALE
Not only did the Cairns Taipans enjoy their return to Cairns last week, but they celebrated it with a strong win to now give themselves something to build further on

It proved to be a tough seven weeks away from Cairns for the Taipans in between beating the New Zealand Breakers on February 8 and then returning on Sunday March 28 to defeat the Adelaide 36ers.

The Snakes had lost two of 10 games while away from Cairns including losing the last five so it was fair to say that first of all last week, they were just relieved to touch down at home once again and be back in the comforts of the Tropical Far North.

But the return home also went hand in hand with a return to the winner's list for the Snakes with the 79-65 victory against the 36ers on Sunday in front of the patient, loyal and supportive Orange Army.

So not only did the Taipans get to enjoy returning home, they also got to enjoy getting a win on the board and coach Mike Kelly wants to make sure they celebrate every win along the way this season.

Wins in the NBL are not easy to come by and he wants to reward his team for the work they have put in by celebrating their successes along the way provided they quickly get focused back on the job at hand.

Kelly liked a lot of what he saw in terms of the attitude of his team last week leading into the game against Adelaide and then indeed during the game itself, and he hopes it now continues against Melbourne.

"It does make it a little bit easier to sleep when you've won your last game," Kelly said. 

"We have to take those victories and run with them, and enjoy them even if it's just for a little bit before they start getting prepared for Melbourne. I think the change in attitude, or at least the feel of the group was good a few days before the game going into it.

"We're just trying to build on that and keep controlling those things like energy and attitude, and playing for each other. It's just about doing those things better and better, and then executing better. 

"The attitude is there in a positive way and the win I think helps that. But we need to keep getting better."

2. KEEPING UP THE ENERGY
So much of what the Cairns Taipans have been needing is to give full energy for the full 40 minutes. Having shown they could do that on Sunday, coach Mike Kelly wants to see more of it

What coach Mike Kelly liked the most on Sunday about the Cairns Taipans performance was the energy they come out with and maintained against the Adelaide 36ers, and he wants more of it.

The Taipans have shown signs and glimpses of what they have been capable of throughout the NBL season so far, but producing the required energy and effort levels for the full 40 minutes of games has been an area of concern.

It's something that Kelly has been desperately searching for and he got mighty close to being a satisfied man with what the Snakes delivered to beat the Sixers by 14 points at home on Sunday.

What Kelly means by playing with energy is being switched on for the full 40 minutes, fight on every possession and defending the opposition every time they are down their end, setting screens one way and fighting through them the other way, and just not giving up on any play or possession.

He saw a lot of that against Adelaide and wants to see even more of it now this week against Melbourne.

"I think it's about doing some of the things we did well on Sunday which is just coming out with great energy and taking care of what we can do," Kelly said. 

"We have to play hard all the time, fight through the screens and Melbourne is a tough team. It's about making their shots as tough as possible and they will still make some, but it's about playing it down every possession at a time and treating each one like it's the last possession."

3. PLAYERS WILLING TO KEEP STANDING UP
With Majok Deng and Kouat Noi remaining on the sidelines, the Cairns Taipans have plenty of other players ready and willing to step up including Jordan Ngatai who is in career-best form

The continued absence for the Cairns Taipans of Majok Deng and Kouat Noi will continue to mean other players have to step up, and Jordan Ngatai is confident in continuing to do just that.

Ngatai is in the first season of his career with the Taipans having played his previous 58 games in the NBL at the New Zealand Breakers, and he continues to stand tall for the Snakes.

He is having the best season of his NBL career averaging 5.2 points and 2.1 rebounds a game while shooting 47.4 per cent from the floor, 41.2 per cent from three-point range and 83.3 per cent from the foul line.

Ngatai is also often given some important defensive roles and he conducts himself well in those while being able to handle the ball at times, create his own shot and shoot the ball as well as finish at the rim.

He will continue to be an important factor in the Taipans covering for the loss especially of Noi given he is a virtual like for like replacement, and he himself is looking forward to that challenge and is enjoying his role with Cairns.

"It's feeling good and it's not just me who has to step up. We all have to cover a big load for Kouat who is a big player for us, but I see myself as one of those guys who can step in and step up for the team. I try to do whatever needs to be done," Ngatai said.

"I'm happy with how this season has been going. Me and the coach have been communicating a lot about different scenarios and situations and line-ups, and as long as I have that communication with my teammates and coaches I think it's going to continue to be a positive battle."

4. NOT GETTING CAUGHT UP ON OPPOSITION
Jordan Ngatai feels for the Cairns Taipans to build some further momentum they need to stay focused on their own execution and not get caught up on their opponents

The Cairns Taipans have remained confident right throughout this season that they had a group capable of being successful, and that remains the case.

The majority of the Taipans unit from last year that reached the semi finals returned for this season with the major changes being the arrival of Jordan Ngatai and Mojave King, and the departure of DJ Newbill.

So that's why the Snakes have remained focused on trying to get this group to click and play the type of basketball they know they are capable of at both ends of the floor, and then doing that for as close to 40 minutes of games as possible.

It continues to be a work in progress but that's why when the Taipans are preparing for a couple of games in one weekend against a tough opponent like Melbourne United, they aren’t too focused on what the opposition do well.

Instead the Snakes are focused on playing to their strengths and doing what they do well because they know if they are able to do that, it's going to give them a good chance of success no matter who they are facing.

"It was a good one to get back home and give the fans a good game, and then to put the icing on the cake with the win," Taipans guard Jordan Ngatai said.

"They're a tough team and they have a lot of talent but I still feel like we have to stay focused on us. We are our biggest enemy and if we try to focus a lot on other teams then we kind of get in our own heads. 

"But if we stay focused on what we have to do and on our missions and goals, then I think it will all take care of itself."

5. TRYING TO BREAK FREE OF UNITED
This Melbourne United team has got back to winning on the back of stifling defence so the Taipans will need to break free against them to a degree on Good Friday

Melbourne United has broken out of their own losing streak to win their last three games based on hounding defence so the Cairns Taipans are going to need to be on song to break free against them.

Melbourne came into #NBL21 as warm championship favourites and they are still leading the betting markets in the race to the title, but it's been a bit of an up and down ride for United along the way.

They did win their opening six matches of the season, and 10 of their first 11, but they then hit a rough patch losing four consecutive matches. They lost the last three at the NBL Cup in Melbourne and then were hammered by the Sydney Kings by 28 points on the road in the first game out of the hub.

It was almost make or break time for United and they turned things around the last three games on the back of their stifling defence.

Melbourne would be feeling as though their offence can still flow better and over those last three games they've won they have still averaged just the 79 points.

But it's on the defensive end where they have been outstanding. In the wins against the Illawarra Hawks, New Zealand Breakers and South East Melbourne Phoenix, Melbourne has conceded just an average of 68 points a game.

Not only that but they have given up their opponents shooting just 78/214 from the floor at 36.4 per cent, 22/53 from three-point range at 41.5 per cent while having only 33 assists but 38 turnovers across the three matches.

So the Taipans are going to need to battle through that Melbourne defence to be successful on the road on Good Friday, but if they are sound defensively themselves to avoid United breaking out, they should be able to give themselves a chance.