{"id":232010,"date":"2026-03-07T11:37:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T11:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/07\/nbl-playoffs-match-ups-locked-in-as-wildcats-storm-home-sick-united-star-struggles\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T11:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T11:37:00","slug":"nbl-playoffs-match-ups-locked-in-as-wildcats-storm-home-sick-united-star-struggles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/07\/nbl-playoffs-match-ups-locked-in-as-wildcats-storm-home-sick-united-star-struggles\/","title":{"rendered":"NBL Playoffs match-ups locked in as Wildcats storm home, sick United star struggles"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Perth Wildcats are through to the NBL\u2019s semi-final series with a 18-point win over Melbourne United at RAC Arena on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p><i><b>Watch live coverage of NBL and WNBL 2025-26 seasons with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? <a href=\"https:\/\/kayosports.com.au?pg=default&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkbasketball-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-basketball-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=fsacontra&amp;voucher=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<p>The 95-77 victory earned the Wildcats a spot in the best-of-three games series against the Sydney Kings, starting at Quodos Bank Arena on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"e5mrwj-0 jpgUYc\"><amp-iframe width=\"16\" height=\"9\" title=\"Minutely\" layout=\"responsive\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-top-navigation\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" referrerpolicy=\"unsafe-url\" src=\"https:\/\/snippet.tldw.me\/amp\/amp-launcher.html?publisher=204500&amp;placement=4280\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" i-amphtml-layout=\"responsive\" id=\"i-amp-0\"><i-amphtml-sizer style=\"display:block;padding-top:56.25%\"\/><amp-img layout=\"fill\" src=\"https:\/\/content.foxsports.com.au\/fs\/electrode\/poster-fallback.png\" placeholder=\"true\" i-amphtml-ssr=\"\" data-hero=\"\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-fill i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" i-amphtml-layout=\"fill\"><\/amp-img><\/amp-iframe><\/div>\n<p>So, in four seasons of the NBL\u2019s Play-In Tournament, a team finishing outside of the top four is yet to make it to the semi-finals stages.<\/p>\n<p>When Melbourne United led by 11 points late in the second term on Saturday, they looked like becoming the first team to make it through.<\/p>\n<p>The fifth-placed United had taken care of sixth-placed Tasmania in the Play-In Qualifier on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>But after knocking down 34 points in the second quarter, they managed only 10 in the third.<\/p>\n<p>Kristian Doolittle scored 11 points of his own for the quarter to turn a nine-point Melbourne half-time lead to a four-point advantage to the half-time going into the last 10 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>United were held to only 14 points in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n<p><b>Foul free and fancy<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Doolittle, the Wildcats\u2019 newly-crowned MVP, again led the way with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists.<\/p>\n<p>But Jo Lual-Acuil Jr also had a massive night out, arguably his best for the season, with 28 points, to go with four blocks and 12 boards.<\/p>\n<p>He was huge.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s amazing what the big man can achieve when he\u2019s on the court.<\/p>\n<p>It was a huge contrast to Wednesday night when early foul trouble restricted him to just 17:29 minutes in the loss to South East Melbourne.<\/p>\n<p>He managed only six minutes in the first half against the Phoenix and was kept to only 11 points and six rebounds.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-15rcxg2-0 kJtnfi\"><amp-ima-video id=\"body-15-0\" width=\"1.77\" height=\"1\" layout=\"responsive\" data-tag=\"https:\/\/pubads.g.doubleclick.net\/gampad\/ads?ad_rule=1&amp;cmsid=2492325&amp;correlator=1772883653171&amp;cust_params=pagetype%3DAMPArticle&amp;description_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxsports.com.au%2Fbasketball%2Fnbl%2Fnbl-2026-perth-wildcats-beat-melbourne-united-to-book-spot-in-semifinals-schedule-highlights%2Fnews-story%2Fca2f5c324d8cc44143989613b85c8053&amp;env=vp&amp;gdfp_req=1&amp;impl=s&amp;iu=%2F21780812979%2Ffoxsports%2Fstory-amp%2Fbasketball%2Fnbl%2Fstory&amp;output=xml_vast3&amp;sz=640x480&amp;unviewed_position_start=1&amp;vid=924702\" data-poster=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/pmd\/images\/2026\/03\/05\/924709_640x360_large_20260305080340.jpg\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" i-amphtml-layout=\"responsive\"><i-amphtml-sizer style=\"display:block;padding-top:56.4972%\"\/><source src=\"https:\/\/foxsportspmd-a.akamaihd.net\/free\/nogeoblock\/2026\/03\/05\/DVU_050326_NBL_Phoenix_Wildcats_202603050750\/DVU_050326_NBL_Phoenix_Wildcats_202603050750_2628.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"\/><\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix soar to earn semi final spot | 00:46<\/p>\n<p><amp-analytics type=\"adobeanalytics\" id=\"adobeanalytics\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-fixed i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" style=\"width:1px;height:1px;\" i-amphtml-layout=\"fixed\"\/><\/div>\n<p><b>The champ struggled<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Chris Goulding would normally thrive in knock out games against Perth, in Perth.<\/p>\n<p>But he went into Saturday\u2019s game under an injury cloud, and while he started, he managed only seven points in almost 19 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>He looked almost done at quarter-time, having spent just four minutes on court for four points.<\/p>\n<p>He came back, in an attempt to get his side over the line, but his three-point shooting radar was off, hitting only one of eight attempts.<\/p>\n<p>The Melbourne star has not had a great time against the Wildcats this season, totalling just 21 points in four games against them.<\/p>\n<p>He was crook and played only 16 minutes in round 11, failing to score.<\/p>\n<p>And he\u2019s managed only 2-27 from three-point territory in those four games.<\/p>\n<p><b>NBL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>SERIES 1<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Game 1<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Adelaide 36ers v South East Melbourne Phoenix<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday, March 10 &#8211; 7.30pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>Adelaide Entertainment Centre<\/p>\n<p><b>Game 2<\/b><\/p>\n<p>South East Melbourne Phoenix v Adelaide 36ers<\/p>\n<p>Saturday, March 14 &#8211; 5.30pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>John Cain Arena<\/p>\n<p><b>Game 3<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Adelaide 36ers v South East Melbourne Phoenix<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday, March 17 &#8211; 7.30pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>Adelaide Entertainment Centre<\/p>\n<p>(if required)<\/p>\n<p><b>SERIES 2<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Game 1<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Sydney Kings v Perth Wildcats<\/p>\n<p>Wednesday, March 11 &#8211; 7.30pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>Qudos Bank Arena<\/p>\n<p><b>Game 2<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Perth Wildcats v Sydney Kings<\/p>\n<p>Saturday, March 14 &#8211; 8pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>RAC Arena<\/p>\n<p><b>Game 3<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Sydney Kings v Perth Wildcats<\/p>\n<p>Wednesday, March 18 &#8211; 7.30pm AEDT<\/p>\n<p>Qudos Bank Arena<\/p>\n<p>(if required)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/basketball\/nbl\/nbl-2026-perth-wildcats-beat-melbourne-united-to-book-spot-in-semifinals-schedule-highlights\/news-story\/ca2f5c324d8cc44143989613b85c8053\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Perth Wildcats are through to the NBL\u2019s semi-final series with a 18-point win over Melbourne United at RAC Arena on Saturday. Watch live coverage of NBL and WNBL 2025-26 seasons with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The 95-77 victory earned the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":232011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[2895],"class_list":{"0":"post-232010","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-newswire-sport"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}