R1 Preview: Sydney Kings vs Melbourne United

When: 3pm (AEDT), Sunday 5 December

Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; 10 Peach; 10 Play; Sky Sports NZ


Who won last time?

Sydney 100 (Bruce 21, Ware 16, Vodanovich 13) d Melbourne 98 (Landale 23, Goulding 16, Hopson 11, Ili 11) - 2OT, Round 20, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

Round 20 saw a remarkable game of basketball between two great rivals, Mitch McCarron tying the game late in both regulation and the first overtime period to momentarily silence a ravenous Qudos Bank Arena crowd. In the second extra period Craig Moller made the decisive bucket before Jock Landale squandered two free throws to put Melbourne ahead.

Shaun Bruce was the Kings’ ultimate hero in this one, wearing some relentless trash talk from the United bench in the opening half, before unleashing 18 second-half points for which Melbourne had few answers. He then hit a clutch go-ahead three in the second overtime, opening the door for Moller’s key basket and shutting the gate on the champs.


Who’s new?
Jaylen Adams is in Sydney after tearing up the G-League to the tune of 21.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists to finish second in MVP voting. He will team with former Celtic and Basketball Champions League superstar RJ Hunter to deliver all sorts of perimeter scoring punch. Up front, freaky-skilled seven-foot Next Star Makur Maker brings serious athleticism to complement Jarell Martin and Jordy Hunter. His cousin, Matur Maker, Biwali Bayles and former Wildcat Wani Swaka Lo Buluk round out the recruiting haul.

While the Kings went young and athletic, Melbourne went for experienced and savvy, Boomer stalwarts Matthew Dellevedova and Brad Newley jumping on board in the off-season. Well-travelled Nigerian Olympian Caleb Agada brings serious shotmaking ability, having pipped Casey Prather for the Israeli scoring title last season. Melbourne brought in a long, athletic Next Star of their own in German Ariel Hukporti, who turned heads with his incredible block and putback dunk combo in the Blitz clash with South East Melbourne.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE BLOCK. THE DUNK. ARIEL HUKPORTI WOW??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLBlitz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLBlitz</a> | ? <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> <a href="https://t.co/s50qbZiiio">pic.twitter.com/s50qbZiiio</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1464824362284949504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s in form?

Xavier Cooks – Almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for Sydney last season, nothing more so than the injury run that kept Cooks to just eight games. But the Blitz saw ‘X’ closing in on his all-around best, averaging 12.3ppg, 11rpg, 3.3apg, a block and a steal. New coach Chase Buford wants to play fast and furious, and Cooks’ two-way game is key to that. 

Jo Lual-Acuil – Last year’s Best Sixth Man announced his intentions on day one of the Blitz, destroying Illawarra early to finish with 20 points at 75 per cent, along with nine boards and a pair of dimes in just 25 minutes on court. Jo went 2/3 from three and 13/17 from the foul line in pre-season, and his uncanny inside-out game will be a handful for the Kings’ bigs.


Who needs to be?

Makur Maker – This rookie can play, and his raw skills as a seven-footer are almost unmatched, but after missing the entire Blitz he faces a huge ask coming up against a disciplined Melbourne team featuring Lual-Acuil and Hukporti, especially with Jordy Hunter on the sidelines. Currently ranked 91 amongst NBA Draft prospects, folks all over the world are looking forward to seeing Maker’s debut, which could have some spectacular moments.

Caleb Agada – With Chris Goulding’s hamstring still on the mend, Melbourne desperately need Agada making plays if they are going to post a winning score. While his mixed pre-season form has created some doubts amongst NBL pundits, this is a man who rained in 43 points on the might of Macabbi Tel Aviv in his penultimate game in Israel last season, shooting 67 per cent from inside and 3/5 inside. If he gets going tonight, watch out Kings.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Before jetting to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> with Nigeria, Caleb Agada was a major key in their stunning exhibition game win over Team USA.<br><br>New <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnitedHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MelbUnitedHQ</a> recruit Agada finished with 17 points ? <a href="https://t.co/3s9le3xrkC">pic.twitter.com/3s9le3xrkC</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1430322521472045058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s statting up?

 - Across three Blitz games, Melbourne were +18 on offensive rebounds and +29 on second chance points, with Newley, Lual-Acuil and Mason Peatling averaging 7.3 o-boards between them

 - In their Blitz game against Sydney, United won points from turnovers 27-7 despite only coughing the ball up four fewer times

 - The Kings were +38 on points in the paint in three Blitz games, holding SE Melbourne and United to just 41 per cent shooting from two-point range

 - Sydney were outscored by 30 points from the three-point line in the Blitz, giving up 12 made triples per night. The most allowed by any team last season was 10.5 per game


Who’s matching up?

Jaylen Adams v Matthew Dellavedova – Adams has a level of athleticism some may say is too much for the 31-year-old Aussie, and if Jaylen has time and space there are few who can stay with him. But few in the world are better at taking away space than Delly, who will try to make Adams uncomfortable for the best part of 40 minutes. At the other end, after going 2/9 from range in the Blitz, can Delly hit enough jumpers to keep the defence honest?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jaylen Adams is no stranger to that NBA range ?<a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyKings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/10jadams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10jadams</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> <br><br>Blitz streaming live and free on <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/4l7FMmhJbW">pic.twitter.com/4l7FMmhJbW</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1461252946897735686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s talking the talk?

What sort of team will the Sydney Kings be this year?

“We’re the Hollywood team, right?” new coach Buford said.

“I get it. I would love to come in and play some Showtime ’85 Lakers. But the thing that matters to us is what mattered to them: winning.”

With a roster oozing with talent, the Kings will have their fair share of Hollywood plays, make no mistake about that.

However, given they’re coached by Chase Buford, the man with perhaps the most infamous post-game outburst about referees in the sport’s history, expect a team that plays with passion and with their heart on their sleeves.

You only need to look at the instinctive backcourt Buford has put together in Jaylen Adams and RJ Hunter. This pair won’t back down from anyone.

“Jaylen does everything a modern point guard needs to be able to do,” Buford said.

“He is a high-level scorer and distributor, but what I really love about him is his competitiveness on the defensive end.

“He is strong and quick, and takes pride in guarding his man. He’s a terrific teammate and leader on the court.”

Hunter is a man with his eyes on returning to the NBA, and he knows committing to the Kings is exactly what he needs to achieve that.

“It’s the closest to the NBA since I’ve left the NBA in how they are very particular about details,” he said.

“They are very good at compartmentalising your improvement and your progression. I love that, and I feel like I can come here, boost where I want to be and still get better.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RJ Hunter had it going from deep tonight with 5? triples to go along with 24 PTS for the <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonRockets</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> action tonight! <a href="https://t.co/kDymUaN6mD">pic.twitter.com/kDymUaN6mD</a></p>&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1016136622696476673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

However, if Adams and Hunter want to start their NBL stint in style, they’ve got a serious roadblock to overcome in the form of Melbourne United’s backcourt.

In Matthew Dellavedova, Caleb Agada, Shea Ili and Dion Prewster, coach Dean Vickerman has plenty of fit, strong bodies to throw at opposition backcourts.

That was a key to United’s 2021 championship success, and Ili is confident his team can repeat the dose even with Mitch McCarron, Yudai Baba and Sam McDaniel now plying their trades elsewhere.

“With Sam, Baba and Mitch we just rotated and once someone was tired the next person was in playing their role,” Ili said.

“I feel like it’s the same thing this year, with Delly and Caleb who’s still trying to find his way defensively, but he’ll get there.”

Of course, while Delly will be one of the NBL’s best defensive players, and bring an intangible contribution reminiscent of Damian Martin, he will also be the straw that stirs the Melbourne offence.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">D3?LLY<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLBlitz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLBlitz</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/85lJ7w2w98">pic.twitter.com/85lJ7w2w98</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1461979007310655489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It’s a role he previously played with aplomb for St Mary’s and the Boomers, and while recent injury woes have seen his offence take a backseat, Delly is aware for Melbourne to succeed he’s “going to need to score and shoot with confidence”.

“They are definitely encouraging me to do that and it’s a mentality that I’ve got to have,” Dellavedova said.

“I have to keep being aggressive and when passing lanes open up I can do that as well. I feel like I’ve got better since being here (at) finishing around the rim and making different one-on-one moves. I’ve enjoyed it.”

For coach Dean Vickerman, the more aggressive his new point guard is and the more Delly treys we see, the better Melbourne United will be.

“As the lead guard and the passer that he is, I just believe if everybody plays you as a pass first guy, they can take away the other avenues," Vickerman said.

"If he has that really good balance of scoring and being that threat and does well at that, (defence) collapses and then he gets the other part that we want in making others better.”