"Dead Wrong": NBL Analyst Admits to Snake Mistake

The Cairns Taipans have been the talk of the NBL thanks to their performances without Keanu Pinder in recent weeks.

After four wins from four without their star centre the Taipans have not just kept pace with the ladder-leading pair of Sydney and New Zealand, they’ve actually made-up ground.

With the Breakers dropping last night’s thriller against Perth, the Taipans have leapfrogged them into second spot ahead of their opening Round 15 clash against Illawarra on Friday night.

“I have been thoroughly impressed with this team over the last four games in the way they’ve levelled up,” former league-MVP Corey Williams said on NBL Overtime. “Anybody outside of that group, seeing Keanu Pinder out you’re like “struggle street is coming for that group’.

“The way they all came together and elevated their games, you have to credit all of them.”

“I said earlier in the year on a podcast with Damon Lowery that the Taipans were one Keanu Pinder ankle roll away from sliding down the ladder,” NBL analyst Liam Santamaria added.

“I was dead wrong.”

For all teams looking to finish the regular season in the playoff positions one eye must surely turn to what each side’s run home looks like.

Over the last four rounds of the season Cairns will take to the court seven times. Clashes with the Hawks, Breakers, JackJumpers, Phoenix, Bullets, 36ers and Wildcats await them for the remainder of NBL23.

Aside from the massive Round 15 clash with New Zealand, Cairns only play one other side that currently sits in the top four.

Santamaria believes their run home won’t give the Taipans the momentum required to finish above the play-in.

“It’s not too bad – not too easy, not too hard. It’s in the middle there,” he said.

“They’re going to finish top three, I don’t think they’re going to finish top two which will make things really interesting.”