The Perth Wildcats have fallen out of the NBL top six by the narrowest of margins after the Cairns Taipans, ravaged by injury and illness, bolstered their top-two hopes with an inspirational 84-71 win at RAC Arena.
The Snakes went into Friday's clash in Perth without star big Keanu Pinder (orbital eye fracture), captain Tahjere McCall (hip/back) and guard Mirko Djeric (illness), while import playmaker Shannon Scott soldiered on with a finger injury.
But it was apparent from early that Cairns - undermanned and having lost their past 10 clashes against Perth - wanted it more.
The result saw the Wildcats concede sixth position to Melbourne (both 14-13) by the merest margin of 0.04 per cent - the equivalent of one free throw.
If Perth upset Sydney on Sunday and United beat Adelaide by a smaller margin, the Wildcats will still clinch the last finals berth.
If the Wildcats lose, they will need Melbourne to lose to the 36ers by fractionally more.
The Taipans moved to second position (18-10) and can stay there if New Zealand lose to Brisbane on Saturday.
A Breakers victory will see Cairns fall to third place on percentage.
"We've had our injuries (but) everyone stepped up off the bench," Taipans coach Adam Forde said.
"I feel like we ticked a lot of boxes.
"We'll sit back and see what Brisbane can get done (against the Breakers)."
Bul Kuol (15 points), DJ Hogg (14) and Majok Deng (14) led an even charge from the Taipans, whose bench outscored the Wildcats 32-4.
Bryce Cotton (28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists) was magnificent but, aside from fellow import TaShawn Thomas (23 points), had little assistance.
The Taipans' gritty triumph was underpinned by a 30-16 opening term, during which Perth - Cotton aside - were truly woeful, outrebounded 17-5.
Deng stayed hot in the second stanza as Cairns moved ahead by 22 points before the hosts, belatedly, played some defence and cut the margin to 12 points at halftime.
Thomas scored the Wildcats' first 12 points of the third period, at the end of which the gap was eight points.
Seemingly running out of puff, the Snakes needed a spark and they got it through Hogg and Scott as Perth's defence regressed again.
"Everyone's well aware of what the game meant," Wildcats coach John Rillie said.
"Our last three losses there is certainly a trend with how we've started and our application to rebounding.
"We just couldn't get in the rhythm of the game."
