JLA fires Wildcats despite McGee's best efforts

The battle of superstar centres delivered between Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and JaVale McGee with the Perth Wildcats taking the best shots from the defending champion Illawarra Hawks early on the way to the 92-84 home win.

The 'Cats trailed by 14 points early in Thursday night's open-air clash at RAC Arena before recovering brilliantly in the middle two quarters, which they dominated 34-23 and 23-13.

The battle between the gun centres received top billing coming into the contest and more than lived up to it with McGee doing all he could to will the Hawks to a first victory of NBL26.

The three-time NBA champion was spectacular on debut last week with 32 points and 13 rebounds, and backed it up with another 26 points, 14 boards, four steals and two assists.

Lual-Acuil Jr also ended up with 22 points, three rebounds, three blocks and two steals opposed to him, but he received more support once the Wildcats were able to get the game on their terms in the latter part of the first half.

Kristian Doolittle came up big again for Perth with 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists as did fellow import Dylan Winder with 16 points 14 boards while Mason Jones had an improved showing with 12 points and four assists.

Development player Jaron Rillie once again was significant for the Wildcats in his second NBL game helping turn the tide his team's favour. Perth outscored New Zealand by 21 points in his 6:53 last Saturday and they were +25 in his 13 minutes this time around.

While McGee stood tall for Hawks and shook off a knock to his knee, too much was left to him and Tyler Harvey (19 points, five assists on 6/19 shooting).

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk did have 14 points with 4/5 three-point shooting with Jaquori McLaughlin ending up with 13 points on 3/12 shooting.

The Wildcats were ice cold early, taking more than four minutes to register their first score and falling 20-6 in arrears, McGee's rebounding and interior defence causing issues.

Perth went 3/16 from the floor and 0/9 from three-point range to trail 20-10 at the end of a physical opening quarter.

The gap was still double digits deep into the second term, before the Wildcats - led by Windler and Doolittle - found their range offensively, pressing the Hawks into regular error and indecision to take a 44-43 lead at half-time.

Lual-Acuil attacked McGee on the dribble in the third stanza as Perth built on their momentum.

Illawarra fans feared the worst when McGee, a 983-game NBA veteran and Olympic gold medallist, went down heavily clutching his right knee following a collision with Lual-Acuil.

The big man received treatment before returning after three minutes off, but his presence couldn't prevent the Wildcats from steaming ahead 67-56 at three quarter-time.

The gap ballooned to 17 points in the fourth before the Hawks saved some face late.

The Wildcats are back on the road next Friday night to take on the Cairns Taipans while the Hawks head to Auckland to play the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

PERTH WILDCATS 92 (Lual-Acuil Jr 22, Doolittle 17, Windler 16)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 84 (McGee 26, Harvey 19, Swaka Lo Buluk 14)

BOX SCORE