1. It’s a must-win for the Bullets to remain alive in the finals race
Brisbane has eight games to go in the regular season and with a percentage of just 97.4, the Bullets will likely have to win at least one more game than the Sydney Kings to squeeze into fourth place.
The Kings have six games to go, but have won two more games than the Bullets, so every match from here on out could be fatal for Brisbane’s hopes at a finals berth.
2. Perth Wildcats just made the finals for a staggering 35th straight season
Perth Wildcats are one of the world’s most consistent performers. That isn’t hyperbole. Very few sporting organisations across the globe can match their incredible record of 35 straight appearances in the finals.
It’s a record of consistency that's almost unmatched by any team in world sport.
In football, Real Madrid holds the record for most consecutive UEFA Champions League qualifications (24), a run that stretches back to 1997.
In fact, there is only one team in the world that can boast a better post-season qualification record - Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
They have qualified for the postseason a ridiculous 41 straight years and counting.
Perth’s win over Cairns on Monday means they’ve secured their place in the postseason with six games to spare.
This is truly a history-making club.
3. Brisbane want revenge for last Saturday
These two sides matched up on Saturday and it was Perth who prevailed by 12 points.
Brisbane will want to make up for their defensive disaster that took place in the fourth quarter.
The Bullets were up by three with six minutes remaining in the game. Then they leaked 26 points in the next 5:30 in a remarkable defensive capitulation that saw former Crocs buddies Mitch Norton and Todd Blanchfield team with MVP Bryce Cotton to score 25 of those, notching 3-of-3 from the arc and 8-of-9 from the foul line.
4. John Mooney and teammate Bryce Cotton are in a battle for MVP
Perth have two of the best players in the competition in John Mooney and Bryce Cotton.
Everyone already knew about the qualities of Cotton, who has won the MVP award twice already, but it’s been the form of Cotton that has pleasantly surprised many Perth fans.
Mooney, the big American Power Forward, arrived in Perth straight from playing in college for Notre Dame and has settled brilliantly averaging a double-double (17.8pts and 11.8 reb) per game.
Cotton is the favourite but there is increasing chatter from respected names about Mooney being the MVP.
5. Cotton and Nathan Sobey lead the league in points per game
There’s nothing better in Basketball than seeing two players have a good old-fashioned shoot-out and that’s what you can expect tonight.
Cotton leads the league in scoring with 24.07 points per game, and just behind him is Australian point-guard Nathan Sobey.
Sobey will need to be at his best if Brisbane are to have any chance of success, while Cotton will want to establish that he’s the top dog.
