Round 4 of NBL26 continues on Friday night with a matchup between the Cairns Taipans and the Perth Wildcats. The Snakes are coming off a demoralising loss against the 36ers to the tune of 31 points, while the Cats were strong winners over the Hawks in their latest outing. Check out our full game preview and best bet below!
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Cairns Taipans vs Perth Wildcats Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Round 4
Will the Snakes Bite Back?
The Cairns Taipans desperately need a defensive reset following their horrific Round 3 loss to the Adelaide 36ers. The 31-point destruction, masterminded by Cotton and his new teammates, exposed significant cracks in the Snakes’ armor, marking the second time in just four games they have conceded 110 points or more. Giving up points at that rate simply makes it impossible to compete in the NBL, regardless of Jack McVeigh’s offensive output. All is certainly not lost for Cairns, as they currently sit on an even 2-2 record. However, the nature of their losses—both being demoralizing blowouts—suggests the gulf between their best and worst performance is far too wide to be considered a legitimate playoff contender unless Coach Forde can quickly shore up the effort and execution on the defensive end of the floor.
Wildcats Back-to-Back Winners
Contrast the Taipans’ struggles with the steady resurgence of the Perth Wildcats. After stumbling in their season opener against the JackJumpers, the Wildcats have quickly found their footing, stringing together back-to-back victories to improve their record to 2-1. Most recently, they secured a gritty 8-point win against the Illawarra Hawks, demonstrating the balanced threat of their new-look roster. Center Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (JLA) delivered a commanding performance in the paint and on the scoreboard, tallying 22 points. Crucially, marquee import Mason Jones showed signs of shedding his early-season rust, scoring 12 points and finally finding his rhythm by connecting on key perimeter shots late in the contest, proving he is ready to impact winning when it matters.
Recent H2H History
When looking at the recent head-to-head record, the history book offers little reliable insight for this particular matchup. While the Taipans managed to snag a surprise win in their most recent clash from the NBL25 season, the Wildcats had dominated the fixture for years prior, boasting a significant historical advantage. However, with massive roster changes affecting both franchises in NBL26—most notably the departures of key franchise players and the arrival of high-impact imports like Mason Jones and Jack McVeigh—you simply cannot read too much into what happened a year ago. Friday night’s game will be a battle between two teams defined by their new identities, not by their past results.
Taipans or Wildcats? Here’s Our Tip!
Ultimately, the clash presents a difficult challenge for a shaky Taipans squad. The Perth Wildcats are undeniably the much more talented and balanced team on paper, possessing elite scoring depth that can attack Cairns’ biggest weakness. As long as the Wildcats maintain the defensive intensity they showed in their win against the Hawks, they should have no trouble scoring easy buckets against a Taipans defence that is currently struggling with both transition containment and interior integrity. Therefore, we have solid confidence that the Perth Wildcats will not only win this matchup but cover the 4.5-point spread on the road, adding another frustrating loss to Cairns' resume.
Perth Wildcats –4.5
$1.86 (2 Units)
Taipans vs Wildcats Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Friday, October 10th, 2025
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Location: Cairns Convention Centre
Odds: Taipans $2.50 vs Wildcats $1.53
Line: Wildcats –5.5
Points: 180.5
Where to Watch Taipans vs Wildcats
You can watch the Taipans vs Wildcats clash live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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