I was wondering what the go was with Bennie Lewis, according to this he's a short term injury replacement for Barlow.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/melbourne-united-hopeful-chris-goulding-will-only-miss-one-game-20161021-gs7o3b.html

If Lewis and Odigie can play to their potential, Melbourne can compete tonight. But we'll still need at least one or two players to have their best games of the season. Andersen, Moore, Jackson are all class players so hopefully one of them can seriously get going.

I bet UTD will still shoot first option 3's still...

If Adnum gets extended minutes I swear I will scream.

DD is a flog

Blanchfield out injured for both games this weekend, probably a good thing they haven't cut Devin Williams yet.

Goulding & Barlow expected back in Round 6.

You never know, Melbourne could pull one of these out of the bag and go 4-5.

But even if they fall to 3-6, it's looking like Sydney will be the only team this season with a dominant W-L, I wouldn't be surprised if no other team gets more than 16 or 17 wins.

If so, it's still recoverable and Melb still stands a good chance of getting 2nd spot and a home semi. So long as they dont get any more injuries.

The Illawarra and Brisbane game were decent, Melbourne beat a fast, pressure team and a bigger, grind team and controlled both games all the way through.

Breakers paying $2.15, hop the fuck on

see how Sydney play on the road first, it matters who is clicking business time. don't care win loss. Sydney get injuries, then will see how they go.

is Dave Barlow playing? he is warming up i hear.

United looks like its doing a "Perth" and bringing back Williams for this game. He is listed on the boxscore.

They never released Williams.

Odigie starting

United getting torn up inside

I have gone for the New Zealand / Melbourne half time full time double bet.

I am confident for the half time part but the full time result is not looking good.

Melbourne look sloppy esp defensive transition. Like the start Woodside has made.

@Zodiac - My bad, I thought they had.

Melbourne are not as deep as I thought. With Goulding and Blanchfield out they look weak.

Yea, was just another Sportando rumor.

I hope United lose by 50.

And I hope they lose every game until Crivelli and LK pull the trigger.

We all know which trigger.

Train, although with how quickly he got yanked out of the game already I doubt he's going to be around much longer.

$20 on Breakers @ 5s looking good

"I hope United lose by 50."

Could be on the cards the way they're playing

When did Adnam become Kobe?

Williams got dunked on, so he got subbed out after what... A minute on court?

Loving Adnam!!

Williams playing with zero confidence.

I wonder why?

Williams just got dragged. Again!!!

FFS the guy was a star player on one of the best teams in the NCAA . Give him a crack. It's the height of stupidity to drag him every time he makes a mistake.

Melb hit the front

Yeah, if he's got confidence issues then this treatment won't be helping with it.

LV, to be fair there doesn't appear to be much going on his between his ears but certainly looks like DD is setting him up to be a possible scapegoat.

The guy comes on makes a mistake is immediately benched.

What's even more ridiculous is that Williams had some big games with United in the pre season

First game of actual season vs NZ I commented that he wasn't given enough time. And he's gotten less and less since!!!

Now it's progressed to the point where DD literally takes him off the court after one poor defensive possession. The guy is rattled. I don't care if they sack him. Just do it though. Don't play him for 30 seconds at a time! There is NO POINT in that.

There is though if the coach is trying to save his own bacon.

Dont score

Kyle Adnam half-time interview!

I can remember when he was DP with the 36ers he's come along way since ;)

@LV - He was really good in the Pre Season. I had him starting in my dreamteam after those performances.

Cedric Jackson has just checked out mentally. Twice this quarter he's been last up the floor on defence, letting Woodside blow by him. What has happened to him? It's a real shame

Adnam and Andersen killing it!

Moore doing ok too.

After their coaching I think Cedric's been their next biggest problem. I'd be interested to see his +/- on the season, they seem to make their runs when Adnam or Tomlinson are on.

His shooting percentages are horrendous for a supposed star player, 43% from the field, just 7% on 3pts and 39% on FT's.

Kyle Adnam balling

Kyle Adnam definitely read this thread as game prep

^ No, they criticize Dean because he is a shit coach. Adnam's a hard working kid, however he's going to have to do this every game if he can challenge Nathan Sobey for most improved.

This game makes the 36ers performance against NZ last round look even more woeful.

United is playing really well. They are in front... At home...

But the body language and facial expressions in that time out weren't quite those of a team who is engaged and pumped up.. I thought.

Breakers can only win in NZ, they have the New Zealand refs helping them out there. The amount of times Pledger commits a foul that goes unnoticed in NZ is abysmal.

Isn't only one of the three refs in NZ ever a kiwi?

the 36ers beat United in Melbourne... Brisbane in Brisbane and trashed Cairns. I'm a Perth fan (obviously) but give them credit. For a young team they can ball and can iron out some problems they will learn as the season goes on. I wouldn't be surprised if they come out tomorrow and beat us...

*Tai Wesley makes one 3*..celebrates like he has won the championship. Seriously dude?

Loe is terrible.

WAIT...surely they are not going to count that Williams basket!!! Hold on!

I think that clock stopped. There is no way Williams got that shot off before the buzzer.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they come out tomorrow and beat us..."

Christ I would!

Wesley is a toss, cannot stand watching him play the arrogance drips off him.

I noticed that too Wesley hits a 3 and acts like they're up 30.

Adnam I'd killing it. Good on him!

Cedric hasn't hit a jumpshot all season.

I must admit, this is the first game all season where United have looked better than their talent would suggest they should. It's actually been a pleasure to watch.

But I'm fairly sure there's been less volume of Subs than previously

Why? They're 3-3 and people are acting like they're 0-6. They're in this as much as any other team from 5 - 8. They're the youngest team playing without Creek and so far have been decent.

"After their coaching I think Cedric's been their next biggest problem. I'd be interested to see his +/- on the season."

Coming into this game, Melbourne were +29 with Jackson on the floor and -22 with him on the bench.

"But the body language and facial expressions in that time out weren't quite those of a team who is engaged and pumped up."

Was about to post something similar LV but you beat me to it. Yeah I thought Cedric's face kinda showed what he thinks of DD's coaching. He did nod at the end though so he did try to show some respect. Devin's face looked blank and showing a 'whatever' attitude.

You should see that Tai Wesley pick MU posted on Twitter for the Melb Cup.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwJF-IwUsAAT9JA.jpg

Even as a NZ fan i never liked Wesley. Just found him arrogant and could see the glory hunting in his play.

Still not convinced with Henare as coach

"Coming into this game, Melbourne were +29 with Jackson on the floor and -22 with him on the bench."

Very surprising I must say.

Anderson just fouled out lol

My god DD. "You can't get involved in that."

Can't get involved in contesting for a loose ball in the fourth quarter?

Not a good look Wesley talking back to the coach like that.

Macdub, Didn't Vukona & Wesley used to get into it in Breakers training?

Wesley with the "I'm a fuckwit" expressions again. Someone knock this dude on his ass.

Wesley certainly drinks his own bath water.

Vukona choked Wesley in an NZ NBL game.

Tommy Greer just nailed it. United looks desperate tonight. In the close ones, that can be the only difference

NZ should start doing hack-a shaq on Cedric.

"Vukona choked Wesley in an NZ NBL game."

Ha! Mika my man :)

Impressed with Utd tonight

First time I won't blame the coach if we lose...

As good As Adnam has been though, I'd still put Jackson back on for last two

This turned into a good one

It's been a good game

I think the breakers can only beat teams with injured key players out.

36ers - Creek and Ferguson
United - Blanchfield and Goulding.

Don't rate them this year. As soon as Penney and Webster have an off night they will lose.

Free basketball coming up!

Overtime :)

Lol, my time was 2 seconds ahead.

So I knew Penney and Moore's shots missed before I saw it.... Gotta love nbl tv

Anderson couldn't defend a blowup sex doll without fouling it.

My sound, I meant

"How muggish were those two dumb fouls by Andersen to get fouled out"

Too busy thinking of how to spend all the money MU are giving him.

Some of Andersen's fouls were dumb. But he did get at least one horrible crap call

when Jackson shoots the bigs should just assume it is missing and be right their for the Offensive board.

Homage to Casey

there goes woodside

Breakers are screwed not one other player has the distribution skills a point guard should have on their roster. All Penney and Websters shots will be contested from now on without Woodside.

Henry Rollins goes out

Loe = money

The Rob Loe show

Wow ! Double OT ? :)

Aww guess not...

have breakers beaten anyone with a healthy roster this year?

Put that in your pipe and smoke it Wesley!

People saying Henare can't coach? Some of the best end of game management I have seen. Take notes DD

Disappointing finish. But realistically when you're missing Goulding, Blanchfield and Barlow they have no business beating anybody.

Something interesting differed from previous games- United gave 8 guys meaningful minutes tonight. There was a bit less of the constant frenetic subbing not allowing anyone to get into rhythm.

Pledger really pledged to smash some Melbourne fools tonight

Not to mention Iggy also LV. He we was a fantastic limited minutes guy last year for MU. Made an impact off the bench whenever he came on! Seems a good kid who'll hopefully be back on the floor soon enough.

Breakers still overrated. They haven't beaten anyone with a healthy roster this year. Were nearly beaten tonight by a Melbourne squad with Anderson fouled out, no Goulding or Blanchfield.

"Disappointing finish. But realistically when you're missing Goulding, Blanchfield and Barlow they have no business beating anybody."

I'll pay you Goulding & Blanchfield

Most teams that have beaten Melbourne have beaten them without Barlow playing.

Iggy was indeed good.

In terms of United's outlook, not a huge concern. In a tight league 3-5 isn't a huge hole. They've lost some real tight ones.

What IS concerning is that Melbourne is losing games to NZ twice this season in the same way we lost in semis last season. NZ had 14 O boards to United's 25 Defensive. That's almost 40% of NZs misses resulting in a second chance. The Breakers converted that into 21 second chance points to United's 12. Similar story to the first game in NZ.

Melbourne even with Goulding is not mentally strong enough to win a title.

A gripping game but it got pretty ugly towards the end from United's point of view.

Jackson really irritates me with his style of play and his finishing.

Glad DD played some of his lesser stars so much more; it will be interesting to see if Adnam gets more minutes longer term.

Did someone say Big Shot Rob!

Sixers @ Bullets was good but this was game of the year so far.

Melbourne should start Adnam over washed-up Jackson. When was the last time a development player scored a team-high?!?

Round 19 last season, by Kyle Adnam against NZ.

lol true http://www.nbl.com.au/livestats/?matchid=139110 16 points vs NZ

3 things that I learnt from this game
- Jackson can't play in the last 2mins of a tight game, if you can't make free throw them your a liability
- Melbournes imports are very poor. Anyone that says Moore played alright needs to watch the game again, and he f@&ki g airballed a floater from a meter away to win the game. A witches hat would be better than Williams on Defence and Cedric is an offence killer, he was best on court for the breakers
-DD killed this team tonight, why leave Anderson on the court with over 8mins left to foul out. Sometimes you've just got to stay with the hot hand, Wesley was huge in the last quarter give him the ball with the game on the line not Moore/Jackson who shot Melb out of the game

Watching Rondo shoot jumpers today reminds me a lot of watching Ced's jumpers last night.

"Jackson can't play in the last 2mins of a tight game, if you can't make free throw them your a liability"

The guy led his team to three titles in his first three years, then to a GF in his fourth, I think he does close games alright!