Kuol looks like he injured his knee, bad news if bad. Vickerman certainly looks like he's laid done the law during training this week.

Is that Anthony Hudson commentating? Whoever it is shows he knows nothing about the game. Says Vickerman surprisingly calls a timeout after United drop an 12 point lead. God he is a goose. Bring back Dwayne.

Kuol back, Cairns back in it.

Rayjon Tucker declared he was going to be the best import of NBL23. Am I missing something? He's not that good

Worst import season in nbl history for a decade imo
7-8 or so should be cut immediately

Yeah I'd be shocked if Caroline isn’t on a flight home next week.

Meanwhile, Keanu Pinder has improved out of sight.
He's got to be in the top 5-10 locals in the comp now.

No one expected Shannon Scott to be this good.

When McCall gets back this team may have to change, because the Snakes need to be steered by Scott for as many minutes as possible

22 nil run to cairns.

Should have paid Reath or maker 1 mill, gotten rid of both Tucker and Caroline.

McCall has turnovers written next to his name. When back he should be off the bench to run the second unit.

Are we talking Makur Maker or Thon Maker?

Has Makur improved out of sight in a flash? Because he wasn't amazing in Sydney last year

That was a fun 3rd quarter

They talkin makur, the cousin, Matur is the shorter brother that wasn't very good.

Cousin was very good for kings last season.

Loss is on Vickerman

Send Tucker home too

Onya Snakes

"McCall has turnovers written next to his name. When back he should be off the bench to run the second unit."

He might well be, but it's also the best thing for him - he wasn't brought in to be the primary playmaker last season but had to when Machado went down, but with Scott playing like he has been McCall should be back to the role he was originally brought in for - defense.

Um, we enjoyed that...

This is as good a Cairns team they have had, including the year Kelly got them to finals. This is the worst United team in Vickerman time.
Humphries is overrated and overpaid.
Enjoyable game.

Yea dunkman, this Cairns team is very good and Melbourne not what we expected. Melb will get better as the season goes on, and probably need to cut Caroline now.

This is as good a Cairns team they have had, including the year Kelly got them to finals.

Yeah not as good as that Fearne team with Wilbekin. That team was next level. The Machado-Newbill Taipans was probably better too.

This team is great but I doubt they'll be top 4 come final round.

I'll probably give you on the Wilbekin team but imo it’s better than the Kelly team, as said though, let’s see where they finish.

Pinder is the MVP right now

Unreal 3rd quarter by Cairns

Melbourne don't look like a team.
Little off-ball movement, not enough good shot generation from movement.
There was some inside delivery and multiple screens for good shots, but nowhere near enough.
Its like there's no real trust on offense.

Cairns defense was excellent, especially in the first half.
Pinder is in outstanding form. The spin and left hand layup in the 3rd was gold, and a sign of his growing offensive arsenal.
Kuol won't have another night shooting that bad, so things should continue to go well for the Taipans as long as they continue to play good defense - because we know the team is loaded with shooters.
I'm glad that a regional team is doing well.

This is the most uncohesive United team I've seen since the Demoppolis era.
Won't be surprised if they pick up a delisted NBA 4 within a week or two, but I'm not sure that would entirely solve the apparent lack of chemistry.
Illi is sorely missed at the moment and his return should restore some solid structure at both ends.

Melbourne should ask the league if they can move their home games to RAC Arena.

I know since more teams play at JCA we barely have advantage at home. Credit to Cairns who played a ripper game. Their imports with Pinder are working really well.

United only have a team chemistry problem, size and lack of shot making. I can only see a miracle happen if United can make finals. It will be a long season since other teams around keep improving.

United are in a bit of trouble. They've got all the talent but zero chemistry and it doesnt work as a unit. The guy they seem to have it in for - Jordan Caroline - is probably the one guy doing what he should be doing. XRM is playing well but he isn't a point guard. Tucker is half the player advertized. And I never thought I'd say this but Chris Goulding is underutilized this year. The guy looks like he's going to go on a run and then XRM or Tucker go iso. Chris Goulding is still a game breaker and may have been the difference had he got the ball.

And then there's Isaac Humphries. He got eaten alive by Pinder all night.

" I know since more teams play at JCA we barely have advantage at home."

What? Literally only Phoenix.

United have as much of a home advantage as anyone else does otherwise, including against Cairns.

United's offense is all out of whack.

The underlying issue is there's only 3 players actually scoring. But they're all players whose first instinct is to score. If we had 2 of those guys starting and a 3rd off the bench, the balance would be improved.

Outside the 3 score first smalls, Humphries is being underutilized. And he's also foul prone. They really need to pound the ball down low more often. When they've done this- eg vs Perth and the first half last night, he's looked good.

Caroline is struggling. Has been the whole time. I think it's time to stop persisting and pull the pin. Problem is, with all the other injuries, they'll be further decimated and miss Caroline's energy and rebounding if he misses a game or two while they wait for the replacement to arrive. I wonder if they've already got somebody lined up and starting to head over here. I hope so.

Ili will help, a lot, but I can't see this team winning the title with the current roster, even with Ili and Peatling back

Humphries is never going to score enough points to cover his defensive liability. Team balance is terrible, should still play finals but only just.

6 out of 10 play finals

At United we expect titles :-)

With Ili back, and a John Mooney/Gary Wilkinson prototype replacing Caroline, we'd be a chance

I mention Mooney and Wilkinson because they need to be a shooter to effectively space the floor, which will allow Humphries to work down low, Tucker to attack the rim, and XRM to shoot his mid range game and attack off pick and rolls. But also needs to size to play minutes at the 5.

I feel like United are certainly in trouble this season.

Vickerman calling to much hero ball.

I really rate Vickerman but I'm starting to think I was too generous picking United to finish 6th.

Who has a more unbalanced roster?

United, Bullets, or Hawks?

NBL predictions are pretty pointless, considering how many roster changes occur during each season

Between import changes, Australians returning from overseas, injuries where replacement players can be handy.

If United replaced Caroline with someone equivalent to a John Mooney, and got Shea Ili back, they probably make their way towards being on Sydney's heels.

As it stands, Ili's situation looks increasingly precarious, they're lucky to be 2-3, and a play-in birth is looking unlikely

And it doesnt even need to be someone *as good as* Mooney. Just Someone who could space the floor, play decent defense and competitive on the boards. Might only score 9 or 10 points a game. Just need to play a role.

Unfortunately Caroline has been a liability on the offensive end. Shooting 28% from the field and 38% from free throws. And while his D and rebounding has been solid, it's not spectacular.

This teams Desperately needs more at the offensive end. A floor spacing 4-5 to replace Caroline would be immensely helpful within the structure of the team.

Seems like most people were wrong about Scott too, who is playing like an NBL version of Chris Paul.

United look very disjointed and under-utilising CG.

Would they play better using Humphris an Caroline to kick it back out to Goulding and shooters.

Watched the post game interview with Coach Adam re how the Taipans are going to address the home court losses Vs away wins.
He suggested bunking together at home pre game(as on road games) as a potential solution...

The situation (winning on the road) is more bought about by the Home teams mental approach to playing the Taipans on their home court (as easy win)

Taipans should concentrate on the 'every play' mentality and shift the focus away from home/away.

So someone has violated CG43 ?

Yeah interesting claims from Goulding

Yeah he said it and then apparently retracted it, saying it was said in the heat of the moment. Thats some pretty weird shit there Chris either way!

You'd have to ask the Cairns defender whether it was pretty weird shit.

WTF, so Goulding essentially created a fake NBL Hopoate? What a tool.