I'm not Cats white Knight

Perth Wildcats centre Matt Knight says he's not the team's saviour despite inspiring it to an emphatic win over the Sydney Kings on Sunday.

The 29-year-old marked his return from a broken toe with 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench in the 80-61 victory, the reigning champions' best display in a month.

However, he said it would take more than his return to prove the Wildcats had what it took to make an impact in finals.

"No, I'm definitely not the team's saviour," Knight said.

"Obviously it was just a tough stretch and we're back home now for a couple of weeks, so we can turn our season around."

The Wildcats are third on the ladder with four games left in the regular season.

With fifth-placed Melbourne United unlikely to make the top four, the Wildcats should secure a 29th consecutive play-offs appearance if they negotiate the run home without major damage.

But their remaining four games won't be easy.

The Wildcats host ladder leaders Cairns Taipans at Perth Arena on Friday night, before tackling the second-placed New Zealand Breakers at the same venue next week.

They then travel to South Australia to face fellow top-four contenders Adelaide 36ers ahead of a home game against the Townsville Crocodiles to round out their campaign.

Knight's broken toe at the start of last month sparked a horror stretch for the Wildcats in which they lost five of six games.

Earnest Ross, who ruptured an Achilles tendon during that stretch, will not play again this season, but Knight said his return and the increasing fitness of vice-captain Greg Hire (calf) would allow the Wildcats to rediscover their best form.

"January wasn't our best month. It was a tough schedule," Knight said.

"But we probably haven't been playing our best basketball compared to last year.

"We turned it around on Sunday against the Kings and hopefully we can build on that again Friday.

"The past month is behind us … guys are getting healthy, we can start our season fresh from now."

Knight said pride would go on the line against the Taipans, who flogged the Wildcats by 26 points late last month.

"The last quarter up in Cairns wasn't pretty for us, so we owe them," he said.

"Especially back here, I think we're fighting for the split against them as well, we've just got to take care of business, play our defence the way we did on Sunday and hopefully the rest will take care of itself."

Knight conceded his injury- enforced month on the sidelines could be beneficial in the play-offs.

"It's a long season," he said.

"Missing three weeks, and one week I got to get away from basketball and just refresh.

"I think that's what helped me on Sunday.

"I've got my hunger back."

"The last quarter up in Cairns wasn't pretty … we owe them … I think we're fighting for the split …" " *Matt Knight *