Tip-off: Sunday, December 16, 2pm (local), State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne 

TV: ONE, 2pm (local); NBL.TV (live to mobile, simulcast to web)

Last time they met: Cairns 77 (Wilson 25, Grabau 13) d Melbourne 56 (Allen 13, Tragardh 12, Rush 10), Round 20, 2011/12, Cairns Convention Centre

The story
Jamar Wilson’s first appearance at The Cage was so embarrassing he says he has “obviously erased it from my memory”.

The Taipans, adjusting to Alex Loughton and Ian Crosswhite’s return from long-term injury, fell 22 points behind at half-time and made just 1-of-25 three-pointers.

They are enduring a longer adjustment period this season, welcoming four new players, but Wilson takes comfort from the incredibly talented Miami Heat’s struggles two years ago.

“People were saying ‘what’s going on’ because there would be nights when it looked like they didn’t know what they were doing,” he said. 

“It’s just a matter of guys getting used to each other.”

Wilson feels Cairns are now grasping how to play this season’s faster tempo while remaining under control, and he is feeling much more comfortable with his new role.

That’s good news entering his crucial battle with Melbourne’s Jonny Flynn, who has spoken of his need to adjust to the more complex offences required in the NBL without the NBA’s illegal defence rules in place.

For his part, Wilson said the big adjustment from his time in Europe was the “more aggressive” defence.

“The help defence from the teams is very good here,” he said. 

“The purpose is to come together as a team to stop certain guys, whereas in Europe and a lot of other places it’s ‘I'm going to put you on him and you do the best you can’.

“You have less time and that’s why I think most teams in this league pretty much have two point guards or a hybrid guard who can handle.”

With the departure of Crosswhite the Taipans’ help defence hasn’t been up to its usual standard, allowing easy scores inside for opposition guards and big men alike.

“We’re mobile and we can get around so we are able to throw different looks at people, but we do lack in that pure size department,” Wilson said.

“We’re trying to get that balance – being mobile but still being in position to stop those big guys really damaging us – and that’s a collective thing.”

With Melbourne also struggling to contain opposition guards, the battle between Wilson and Flynn will play a major part in the outcome.

The stats
Cairns block just 2.3 shots a game, which is easily the lowest average in the league. Melbourne are second best with 4.2 a game.

Import point guards have averaged 18.3 points at 51 per cent from the field and 4.7 assists against the Tigers this season.

Up to Round 7, Melbourne were allowing 75 points a game at 39 per cent, but in the past three games that has risen to 85 points at 43 per cent.

In their first seven games the Tigers allowed only 15.7 points in fourth quarters, with the biggest opposition tally being 22. Since then they have allowed an average of 23 in final periods.

The wrap
The battle of mobile big men Seth Scott, Adam Ballinger and Lucas Walker from the Tigers and Cairns’ Cam Tragardh, Alex Loughton, Dusty Rychart and Shane Edwards will be pivotal at both ends.

With the Taipans lacking a deterrent inside, Flynn will be able to do some real damage if his bigs are nailing jump-shots when the defence collapses.

At the other end, if Melbourne again struggles to defend the on-ball and transition penetration then Wilson could have a field day.

If Cairns have indeed found the balance between their faster style and tempo control they should be able to expose the Tigers’ deficiencies late in the game.

Prediction: Taipans by 3