Should be a cracking contest of two defensive juggernauts, plus great offence.

Can't wait.

Last time was a cracking contest, JLA added since then

JJ's defensively poor. No one mans up on Vasilijevic & he punishes them. Down 82-95 Breakers shooting 3’s with no one near basket for rebounds. Dumb play. Well done 36ers

JJ's outscored 27-14 in last 1/4 at home.
Not good.

Sorry 2 previous posts on wrong page. Oops!

All good Jatz. I've had a few cans too

Really looking forward to seeing a possible top 4 contender against the mighty JJ's

Real good test for both sides, just think the island might not be defended to night, united by 12.

Game of the round, two quality teams coached by two of the best. To keep the league interesting MU to win in another dog fight

MELBOURNE BALL!!!

That was embarrassing (and I support United). JJs won tip-off and there was one held ball earlier in the quarter. JJs should have had possession and instead United scored.

Game of runs so far, clearly the two best teams at present.

NBL = EASIEST league in the world to score in.
LOL so funny how all these Aussies from the NBL got booted out of there NBA teams before the season started.
Yeah, second best league in the world alright.

JJs playing with little confidence and teamwork from the 2nd quarter on - United have really given them the yips.

Jacket, got anything else other than your usual bs?

United on song. They look good.
Travers undebated?

Cotton gets thumped from pillar to post but keeps battling on. Goulding may not be flopping much these days, but he still exaggerates every little touch.

Guess which of the two I have more respect for.

If you think Cotton doesn't exaggerate or flail with every touch you are either one eyed or totally clueless

Of course Cotton does, but he doesn't fix his hair or go all operatic like CG43 on every touch.

Cotton has been famous for throwing his legs out on his shots for years.

I still have more respect for his play, tho, even tho Perth’s culture gives me the shits.

Playing like this, United look certain GF winners. Their defense is scary, and everyone is contributing on offense. Totally in control.

JJs just not big enough inside, McVeigh playing well but he's really a three.

Love the game. Sick to death of the constant music. Can someone consider not so much music during the play. I love music and I love NBL but not together. Let's take a lesson from watching a NBA game please. It’s more about the game and therefore much more enjoyable to watch.

So hilarious trying to watch these hacks close out a game.

The fundamentals are soooo bad in this league.

"That's bullshit Nico. Fuckin bullshit".
Haha classic

Then why do you keep watching and posting you pathetic muppet. There are trolls and then there is you, their undisputed leader.

I'm with Jac, music is fine but it’s just so overbearing and yes Jacket just f..k off, you don’t like don’t watch.

Re the game, it’s going to be a very good side that beats united, JJs really compete, got quality though their bench today was ordinary, Magnay could help size wise but has hardly played in a few seasons.
United got winners all over the floor, including bench, Clarke is the exact foil for Goulding. Strong big fives that bring a different look when on the floor. Deladova to come back, they don’t get weaker defensively.

LOL Uniteds final minute,

turnover, turnover, turnover

LOL no professionalism.

Lacking fundamentals

But its the second best league in the world.

Because the owner said so

Love the game. Sick to death of the constant music. Can someone consider not so much music during the play. I love music and I love NBL but not together. Let's take a lesson from watching a NBA game please. It’s more about the game and therefore much more enjoyable to watch.

Not sure why they think blasting folks adds to the game, ,basically stops audience from participating.
Game was great and much respect to Vickerman showed some big balls by not subbing out the bench players and letting them grow from closing out.

Melbourne are tough, good game to be at. United beat the JJs on the glass who gave up a heap of offensive boards after missed shots.

The decision at the end of the first quarter was one of the worst I have seen, Vickerman talked the refs around. JJs won the first tip then there was a jump ball United possession should have been JJs ball. Dunno what is needed for a tech to be called Vickerman spends more time swearing at refs in front of the score bench.

Jackjumpers need more height, Lee is a great addition but up against JLA, Hukpoti etc

Ian Clark is class, Goulding doesn't need to carry on like a 10 year old but he does.

Great D from United they are definitely the team to beat.

Goulding is an entertainer, I agree re coaches getting to much say at the refs, Vickerman is probably the worst now that Buford and Gleeson are not coaching.

I'm not sure what the pecking order is ref wise these days but that crew seemed to lack a senior ref. Putting aside specific calls, they did not ever seem to have control of the game.

Great win by United. Shea Illi is an incredible defender.

Vickerman is a very good coach at this level. But if he ever coached the Boomers, he would be tossed by the refs by quarter time if he carried on like that.

So why are NBL refs so lenient when the game is played under FIBA rules? Has LK told the refs to go easy because he's coaching United (and he’s critical to their success), or because he’s a 'personality’ who stirs up the fans and gets the NBL more publicity, or ???

Players can’t say boo without getting T-d, but coaches can drop f-bombs and get in refs’ faces? SMH

It’s a very poor look for the game, regardless.

Roth threw a "f*cking BS* right in the refs face at the end when he couldn't get his time-out/challenge

LV - these refs are a laughing stock - what was the problem asking Roth if he wanted to challenge and wait for his response, instead Nico came up with a BS excuse - he already inbounded the ball !!! I can understand it's within the rules but the whole idea is to make the game interesting and the suspense would go through the roof if the challenge was allowed :)

It's not up to the refs to ask Roth if he wants a challenge, that’s for him and his team, they were to slow, game goes on.
I enjoyed the game United are very good and Illi is the key defensively. Magnay could be the extra size JJs require, McVeigh has developed into a very good player but is really three man size.
Totally agree about coaches yelling at refs, I’ve been complaining about it since the Gleeson days, it’s not right, and yes refs do get calls wrong, hopefully by seasons end you get an even share.

Good post Dunkman

Dankman - in general yes, the refs don't have to ask anything but this happened within last 2 minutes of the game when they actually should. If the ball went outside of the bounds they would have likely reviewed it, so why not this decision?

Coaches arguing with refs is as old as time

Goorjian in his heyday spent as much time on court as his star players

It's easy to stop. NBL is choosing not to for whatever reason, presumably they think it adds to the theatre. And it kind of does. It's very rare you see a coach absolutely lose it, save for Buford the dummy spitting man-child

So true LV, on goorg, and the nbl.

Scout,
Jump ball alternating possession call was the correct one.

12.6.6

A foul by either team:
• Before the start of a quarter other than the first quarter or an overtime, or
• During the alternating possession throw-in,
does not cause the team entitled to the throw-in to lose that alternating possession.

Crawford fouled Goulding prior to the ball being inbounded.



Roth couldn't get the timeout for the challenge as the ball had already been passed to the FT shooter and the buzzer was incorrectly pressed.

Anon, Scout is talking about the first quarter, where Melbourne appeared to receive two possession arrows in a row:

10:00 - Lee wins tip to Crawford = Tasmania ball
9:06 - held ball between Doyle and Hukporti = Melbourne ball
1.7 secs - held ball between Macdonald & Krebs = Melbourne ball

The JackJumpers players knew it should be their ball, and while they were trying to point that out the refs allowed Melbourne to inbound for an unconstested lay-up.

Anonymightymouse, I know what situation he was talking about.
You also need to see at 9:06 that Crawford fouled Goulding prior to the inbound.

A foul by either team:
• Before the start of a quarter other than the first quarter or an overtime, or
• During the alternating possession throw-in,
does not cause the team entitled to the throw-in to lose that alternating possession.

So Melbourne retains the arrow following 9.06 as they were unable to inbound the ball due to the foul.

The arrow doesn't actually change until the ball is inbounded.

That's a good explanation. The refs should have explained that to Roth at the time.