Another busy NBL26 round is upon us with eight games spread across five days for Round 6. Action gets underway on Wednesday night with a matchup between the Cairns Taipans and the Perth Wildcats. We bring you our full game preview and best bet below!
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Cairns Taipans vs Perth Wildcats Prediction & Betting Tips: NBL26 Round 6
Taipans Torched by Cotton
The Cairns Taipans are in a tough stretch, having now lost four straight games since opening the season 2-1. They’ve been ravaged by injuries, with key stars Jack McVeigh and Sam Waardenburg both sidelined, leaving a significant void in their frontcourt production and overall scoring punch. Despite that, the Taipans showed commendable fight in their most recent outing against Adelaide, pushing the 36ers deep into the fourth quarter before eventually falling 91-86 in a game dominated by Bryce Cotton’s 53-point explosion. The effort and defensive intensity were encouraging signs for a side that’s been trying to rediscover its rhythm amid personnel setbacks, particularly with a shortened rotation and an overreliance on bench contributors.
Wildcats Searching for Answers
The Perth Wildcats are also in a slump, having dropped their last two games after starting the season 3-1. The club made the bold call to release import point guard Mason Jones following an upset loss to the undermanned Brisbane Bullets two games ago. While Jones hadn’t been living up to expectations early on, he was beginning to show improvement before his departure. Things got worse last outing when the Wildcats were thoroughly outplayed by the Sydney Kings, losing by 22 points in a game where Dylan Windler, arguably their most impactful player so far, rolled his ankle in the opening quarter and didn’t return. With Windler unlikely to feature on Wednesday night, Perth will again be forced to rely heavily on a reshuffled lineup that has lacked cohesion in recent games.
Recent H2H History
These sides met only a couple of weeks ago in Cairns, where the Wildcats escaped with a narrow 80-77 victory. That game was scrappy and defence-heavy, with both teams struggling to find offensive flow for long stretches. Since that meeting, both clubs have lost key personnel to injury, making this upcoming clash a very different contest to the one played earlier in the season. The Taipans will be seeking revenge on their home floor, while the Wildcats will be desperate to avoid slipping to a third straight defeat in what has become an unpredictable stretch of form.
Taipans or Wildcats? Here’s Our Tip!
This is a particularly tough game to call given the makeshift line-ups both sides are rolling out. However, the Taipans do hold home-court advantage and, despite their recent losing streak, appear to be gelling better as a unit. Marcus Lee shapes as a strong defensive matchup for Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, and Cairns’ collective effort could be enough to tip the balance in their favour. At around $2.00 or better, the Taipans present decent value to claim a much-needed win in front of their home fans.
Taipans to Win
$2.02 (1 Unit)
Taipans vs Wildcats Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
Time: 7:30pm AEDT
Location: Cairns Convention Centre
Odds: Taipans $2.02 vs Wildcats $1.80
Line: Wildcats –2.5
Points: 170.5
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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