Basketball On The Internet.

CONSECUTIVE 3-point third quarter makes by burgeoning benchman Tanner Krebs last night broke open United's road clash with Sydney, sending the Kings spiralling to a 16-point loss as Melbourne smashed the champs with a 35-19 third quarter which looked slightly better than it was for the home team! 

If you're scratching your head at that, it's only that Kings import Denzel Valentine stuck a 3-pointer for Sydney on the three-quarter-time buzzer, otherwise a 35-16 period might have been more reflective of Melbourne's domination.

Krebs even hit a third triple and when Chris Goulding nailed one late for a 73-56 lead, the die was cast ... and Sydney was dying.  

Again, the substitution pattern of Kings coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was baffling. Having again started Shaun Bruce, it was his galvanising captain who swished a big 3-pointer to tie the game at 37-37 in the second quarter.

He followed that with another three 42 seconds from halftime to give Sydney a 40-37 lead. So when Melbourne's Jo Lual-Acuil was taking free throws with 12.6 seconds to the interval, why sub Bruce off?

There was a better offensive threat at that moment than a guard who was feeling red hot?

Unsurprisingly, the Kings got zip from the last play, took a 40-38 lead into halftime, then were at the mercy of driving United guards Shea Ili (19 points at 67 per cent, 3 assists, stellar D keeping Jaylen Adams to 8 points with 6 turnovers) and Matthew Dellavedova (16 points, 9 assists) as United seized steady control of the contest.

Delly put Melbourne ahead for good at 52-51 midway through the third and from there Krebs took over, his third triple bolstering the buffer on to double figures at 68-56.

Sydney trimmed the deficit back to 10 at 67-77 before Goulding's three made sure the Kings knew their place - on one knee and bowing to a superior team.

There still was time for controversy, Bruce deliberately backing backwards into Dellavedova to draw a foul which correctly was identified by referee James Grigoul as a foul Bruce clearly and deliberately initiated.

Abdelfattah's behaviour in challenging the call - mistakenly overturned in his favour by someone alseep in the NBL's control centre - was so aggressive and intimidating, Breakers' coach Mody Maor must've wondered whatever happened to the NBL's stated "zero tolerance" edict of just a few weeks ago. 

Nice to see how consistent the league remains. At least United is consistent. (Cairns fixtures notwithstanding.)

MELBOURNE UNITED 101 (Ili 19, Goulding, Dellavedova 16, Krebs 13, Lual-Acuil 12, Hukporti 10; Lual-Acuil 9 rebs; Dellavedova 9 assts) d SYDNEY KINGS 85 (Bruce 16, Noi 13, Hunter 12; Hunter 9 rebs; valentine 8 assts) at Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 12,898