Cairns burst out of the blocks in the first quarter, jumping out to a seven-point lead before the Kings managed to reel them in, cutting the margin to three by the break. Taipans captain Cameron Gliddon had nine points in the first, knocking down three of four long-range shots to lead all scorers, the Kings' Josh Childress a close second with eight points and five rebounds.

Sydney looked a better team at the start of the second quarter, closing the gap quickly with an 8-0 run mid-quarter to lead by eight. A couple of quick fouls underneath the hoop, however, gave Cairns the momentum to come back. An impressive 17-2 run helped the Taipans reclaim the lead, leading 40-33 at halftime. Cairns centre Matt Burston had an explosive second quarter, scoring 15.

It was one-way traffic in the third, the Taipans steadily increasing their lead to a game-high 12 points, forcing frustrated Sydney coach Damian Cotter to call for a timeout with three minutes to play in the period. Things didn't get better for the Kings, however, with Tom Garlepp giving the Sydney camp an injury scare, coming down heavily after turning his ankle soon after the end of the timeout. The Taipans dominated until the quarter's end, with only a last-second Josh Cadee three saving Sydney from a double-digit deficit, trailing 61-52 at the break. From there, the Taipans kept the fast-finishing Kings at bay throughout the fourth period, defying a late fightback to win by four as the final siren sounded.

All game, Cairns showed the form that sees them challenging the New Zealand Breakers for the number one spot on the NBL ladder. Injured Kings centre Angus Brandt's absence from the court continued to be felt despite the best efforts of big men Josh Duinker and Nick Horvath.