OK, United is back in the hunt
TweetFACTS are facts and Melbourne's win over Perth in Perth last night was one of United's best wins of the NBL season.
You know I wasn't among those overly dazzled by the club's 9-0 start to the regular season, although Melbourne's impressive array of talent at the Blitz (the NBL's annual preseason tourney, not Fox Sport's poorly-named highlights package) did suggest a big year was coming for it.
But Stephen Holt hasn't really looked consistently the same player, Todd Blanchfield started with a bang, then disappeared for a while among the cattle, Hakim Warrick spent (and spends) way too much time whining about calls or non-calls, and Chris Goulding still can go missing.
Add the erratic nature of Nate Tomlinson's game, especially when he's on the angry pills, and a bench which doesn't truly terrify and what are you left with? Under-rated Majok Majok doing what he does very efficiently, Daniel Kickert wracking up solid numbers and, you know, Dean Demopoulos just being, um, awriight.
So their slump didn't surprise me.
Their recovery though has surprised. Holt was the Holt I expected after seeing him in Townsville and Blanchfield's 3-point basket late in overtime to make the margin six points was the young man at his finest. Warrick's focus was better too.
OFF THE ANGRY PILLS: Nate Tomlinson defends Jerome Randle.
It took everything the Wildcats had (on the night) to send the game into overtime where Melbourne again seized the initiative, despite looking vulnerable to fullcourt pressure.
In a first versus second battle for first place, Melbourne winning in Perth's hostile environment was a "take your hat off" moment.
THE NBL's basketball extravaganza night started well enough in Auckland where New Zealand was still less-than-impressive in finally shaking off the NBL's most persistent bunch, Townsville, 77-74.
Refusing to go away, the Crocodiles fought it out to the death knell and while the result was an invaluable addition to the Wins column for New Zealand, it still doesn't look a defending champion.
IN Cairns, the locals DO look like they desperately want a trip back to the postseason and took care of Sydney 81-76, the Kings with their fifth straight loss.
In key stretches they were just awful while the Taipans had Torrey Craig adding to his burgeoning highlights reel, and that's with Stephen Weigh also back into the lineup.
Tonight: TITANIUM Security Arena will be jumping, 36ers management declaring earlier today only single tickets were left for sale, the place close to sold out. The Hawks roughed Adelaide off its game on Thursday in a gem of a contest. Now it's the 36ers' turn to come out and make a statement. That's what it would be reasonable to expect too, Randle and Lisch the marquee men but many other players capable of swaying this contest. If you can't get there, tune in!
Last night: NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 77 (Abercrombie 22, Ch Jackson 18, Ce Jackson 15; Abercrombie 11 rebs; Ce Jackson 4 assts) d TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES 74 (Jett 18, Steindl 17, Kay 13, Norton 10; Kay 12 rebs; Maynard 3 assts) at Vector Arena. CAIRNS TAIPANS 81 (Craig 20, Tragardh 18, Gliddon 11, Starks 10; Worthington 7 rebs; Starks 7 assts) d SYDNEY KINGS 76 (Cadee 21, Garlepp 16, Childress 14, Brandt 10; 3 with 5 rebs; Cadee 4 assts) at Cairns Convention Centre. MELBOURNE UNITED 91 (Holt 33, Kickert 16, Warrick 14, Goulding 11; Majok, Blanchfield 6 rebs; Holt, Blanchfield 4 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 85 (Prather 17, Jawai 16, Beal 10; Knight 8 rebs; Kenny 4 assts) in overtime at Perth Arena.
TOMORROW: Got some Flashback pix for you to enjoy, hopefully.