What is the capacity?

As a dual Aussie-Kiwi citizen (first born in Melbourne from an NZ family), this is always the toughest match up each season for me. My biased opinion refers to my belief there is nobody prouder of their heritage in Australia than a Kiwi, so I'd say the high ticket sales come from a strong Breakers fanbase.

Either way there's always a great energy in the arena during this match up!

Melbournes population is about 5 million. Detroit has about 700,000.

You're comparing Detroit inner city only without its metro area vs. whole Melbourne metro area. What a comical comparison.

Metro Detroit is 4.3 million people.

It's still smaller than Melbourne which has a population of 4.7 million.

10k would be a great result, regardless of what happens in another country where basketball is a top tier sport, and whose competition is the world's premier league.

Breakers know how to wreck a party seen it 1st hand, crowd won't phase them. Adelaide are another team that don't care where they play.

Saying that, United 1st home game should put on a show. My man cp23 to have a blinder.

Yet another strange noise from Greer today

Whats the crowd atmosphere like?

Seems rather quite on the tv coverage

United giving away lots of fouls again, maybe they need to work on that side of the ball.. .

They really should've proofed this Homicide fantasy clip... graffiti of a dick on the wall in the opening scene.

Which commentator confused sample size with %?

Zero energy here in the arena. Crowd not that into it.

United doesn't seem to be clicking. Goulding again with no game and playing NikeSB's wondering why he's constantly rolling his ankles. Ware Jr looking bored and can't find his shot.

MU attitude problems?

Nothing quite like smashing the Kings to build up a team's confidence.

Hmmmm 18 to 10 foul count. Maybe Melbourne need to work on that and it wasnt just home cooking in perth....

The calls have been soft and often weird...

7.05 no foul
6.36 no foul
Etc....

Lol

Goulding made the 3, but Prather twice ignores Andersen posting up Shea....

"NZ with double the amount of freethrows. We sure this isn't at Perth Arena?"

Well they tell us that's the reason, maybe it was just the team after all

Breakers playing like they are now down 12.

Lucky they are half way through their series with Adelaide before Childress comes in.

Don't see any offense synchronicity where nz are making the passes to find better shots.

Goulding is to Melbourne what Matthew Richardson was to Richmond. A star when he is on but most of the time his terrible body language and constant whining to the refs just sucks the energy out of the team

Give up the o-rebound at the rim of a free throw, oh dear.

NZ are like Cairns, never a favourite on paper but the core of their guys have played together long enough that they can beat anyone on any given night.

I like how in the timeout without 7min left, MU coach tells the players to not shoot early. Now 3 minutes left and every play between then and now they shot early in the shot clock.

Perth vs daylight GF locked in

Does he pull the starters with a left again

Melbourne then daylight.

Obligatory OKC 1 point comment.

Oh Melbourne fans can boo a hurt player. Thought Perth fans were meant to be the dirty ones

Without Kirk Penney. Stunning.

Shea Ili is going to terrorise backup Point Guards in the NBL this season. What a fourth quarter of control when we couldn't buy a bucket.

I was watching the stats during the game thinking "Melbourne are on the road, so maybe it's fair enough." Oops, at home and Breakers without Penney. They won't be happy with that result!

30 free throws to 19...

Maybe the systemic problems Melbourne have had are born in the locker room and not the cash Cheque.

Joey hasn't persued Goulding which makes me wonder is he a locker room cancer?

perhaps melbourne believed they were pretty good.. no probs here at home v nz.....

United have too few two way players, Prather and Boone only really. Goylding is a horrible defender

Biggest opening crowd in Melbourne since 1998. 10,300. Good stuff for the league.

I like Dean Vickerman, but that had to be the numbskull call of the season playing Goulding so much. Nice result for Breakers, scoring spread around with Abercrombie stepping up for Penney.

Melbourne certainly was not at it's best today but
- Melbourne have just come off a 4 game away road trip including US
- Goulding just had his appendix out

They will be alright

GO UNITED!

The surgeon took out the wrong body part from Goulding?

United will be fine IMO. I think they'll work it out. Vickerman is no Demopoulos.

United won't win many games if Casper and Goulding keep playing like that.

Goulding is a confidence player and just hasn't found his rhythm yet. It'll come.

It will be rare that they both have an off night at the same time.

Waiting for LK to announce Kleenex as the official tissue sponsor for Goulding!