Cats to take frustrations out on United

Saturday, 19 October 2019:

DAMIAN MARTIN
DAMIAN MARTIN


Perth Wildcats captain Damian Martin said they needed a solid review of Friday night's shock loss to the Cairns Taipans before they can move on to Sunday's clash with Melbourne United.

The Wildcats suffered their biggest ever loss at RAC Arena on Friday as the Taipans handed them a 23-point thumping. It was the Cats' first loss of the season and Cairns' first win.

Martin said he didn't expect his teammates to sleep too well before getting on the plane to Melbourne.

"Regardless of how I word it, we lost by 23 points at home and that doesn't sit well with anyone," he said.

"Guys won't sleep well; they'll replay pretty much every possession over in their head.

"You can't just move on and start focusing on Melbourne. We'll review this then start focusing on Melbourne.

"If guys sleep well tonight and aren't angry, upset and frustrated, then we do have the wrong guys.

"But I don't think guys will move on from this quickly and I hope we can take that frustration out on Melbourne in a disciplined and Wildcats way, which is with high intensity, unselfish and playing for each other."

Perth trailed Cairns by just four points at half-time, but were blown away in the second half.

Led by Cameron Oliver, the Taipans shot at 57.4 per cent, including 14 of 28 from three-point territory.

Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson said teams won't win too many games when they give up 100 points.

"Our defence hasn't been up to scratch, even in the first two games. Teams have been coming here and shooting at a high percentage, feeling comfortable and when they get their tails up, like Oliver did, it feeds through to the rest of the team," he said.

"Probably too many taps on the arse and saying 'well done' and we're good enough and we forgot to implement what we were doing.

"(Sunday) will be a good challenge for us and will find a bit of character of the team and what we're made of."

That Wildcats defence will be under pressure again on Sunday. United dropped 110 points against the Sacramento Kings in the second of their NBA games this week, fighting back from a 30-point deficit to lose by 14 just points.

In Round one, Melbourne blew an 11-point lead to lose in Perth by just one - or a Terrico White three-pointer with 11 seconds to go.

United had led by nine points with three minutes remaining. They were without Chris Goulding, Casey Prather, David Barlow and Sam McDaniel for that clash. Of that group, only Prather (knee) is expected to miss Sunday's clash.






AAP






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