R7 Preview: NZ Breakers vs Melbourne United

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Friday 14 January 2022

Where: MyState Bank Arena, Hobart (closed to fans)

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sport NZ


Who won last time?

Melbourne 83 (Goulding 21, Agada 20, Lual-Acuil 12) d New Zealand 60 (Delany 14, Wetzell 12) - Round 3, John Cain Arena, Melbourne

United led the entire game in Round 3, their defence suffocating as New Zealand failed to score more than 17 in any quarter, and when Chris Goulding landed three straight triples in the final term the floodgates opened, Melbourne finishing on a dominant 20-5 run.


What happened last start?

United repeated that defensive dose on Tasmania on New Year’s Day, a 13-3 run in seven minutes across three-quarter-time proving the difference in a tight clash. The JJs shut down Melbourne’s perimeter game, but Jo Lual-Acuil and Ariel Hukporti literally stood tall.

The Breakers interior defence was once again a concern in Brisbane on Sunday, but thanks to Yanni Wetzell and Jeremiah Martin they owned the paint at their offensive end, and their ball pressure was at a new level to force the Bullets into a game-defining 20 turnovers.


Who’s in form?

Yanni Wetzell – The Pretzel is a walking mismatch on offence right now, averaging 20.3ppg at 66 per cent. The past two weeks he’s got to the foul line 21 times, his ability as a roller putting plenty of heat on the defence, particularly when in tandem with Jeremiah Martin. The challenge he’ll face from Melbourne is ball-screens galore at the other end.

Jo Lual-Acuil & Ariel Hukporti – Another challenge will be Melbourne’s twin towers, who combined for 23 points and 16 boards last time these teams met, then smashed Tassie for 30 and 14 last game. All 10 of their field goals against NZ came right at the rim in Round 3, so expect Lual-Acuil and Hukporti to target the Kiwi T-Rex inside once again.


Who needs to be?

Jeremiah Martin – The wily Martin dished 16 dimes in his past two games while shooting 10/15 in the paint, his high-IQ use of the high ball-screen exceptional. He was 2/11 against Delly and Co, however, their pressure eroded his composure on ball-screens and led to rushed decisions, while United also had success targeting him at the defensive end.

Caleb Agada – In three double-figure wins, Agada has averaged 21.7ppg on 10/19 long-range shooting. In two losses and a narrow escape in Tassie, those numbers shrink to 13ppg on 5/23 from deep. Melbourne needs their Robin to Goulding’s Batman, with Agada’s ability to attack mismatches particularly important against New Zealand’s switching defences.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That&#39;s tough Caleb <a href="https://t.co/JkHI1qMLiB">pic.twitter.com/JkHI1qMLiB</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1477191894006259714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Who’s statting up?

 - Melbourne have outscored their opponents 76-44 in their past four final quarters – allowing just 11 points per period – and are 6-0 in second halves this season

 - In United’s three double-figure wins they are +23 on second chance points, while in two defeats and a narrow escape in Tassie they are -18

 - Last round, New Zealand had 8 steals, forced 20 Bullets cough-ups and won points off turnovers 24-7. Across the rest of the season they average 3.8 steals and 9.2 opposition turnovers

- In Peyton Siva’s two full games, New Zealand are +15 in his 50 minutes on court and -34 in the other 80 minutes. In total, the Breakers are -83 without Siva this season


Who’s matching up?

Peyton Siva v Matthew Dellavedova – Opposition starting point guards are shooting just 17/70 from the field against Melbourne this season, managing only 14 assists in six games to nine turnovers. While United are a fearsome defensive unit, Delly is the head of the snake when it comes to shutting down star guards – will he get the job on Siva or Martin?

While he quietly goes about his business, Siva shapes as the key disruption target. The plus/minus shows the Breakers are clearly better when he’s on the court, and that has a lot to do with his organisation – against Brisbane they shot 47 per cent and got to the foul line 17 times with Siva in charge, compared to 38 per cent and 8 free throws with him resting.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Who else missed Peyton?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UNBREAKABLE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UNBREAKABLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/8mSrppHScr">pic.twitter.com/8mSrppHScr</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1480039024907612160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Who’s talking the talk?

There are few better sights in the Hungry Jack’s NBL than Chris Goulding catching fire from long range.

His array of makes, and the audacity of attempts is must-watch basketball, and for new Melbourne import Caleb Agada it was an eye-opener.

“Man, it's like Steph Curry. I have never seen, I have never played with somebody like that before. I am just shocked, it's amazing,” he said.

Agada was speaking after CG43 went 7/13 from long-range territory against New Zealand at John Cain Arena, his six second-half triples blowing the game open.

It was a special performance, but at half-time it looked like the Breakers had his measure, a top-blocking clinic from Will McDowell White limiting the Melbourne skipper to three points on 1/5 shooting.

“For me personally, just the way they guarded me when I was in certain positions on the floor was not very traditional,” Goulding said.

“I think in the first half I just tried to get physical and overpower, and I wasn’t playing at a good pace, so when I got the ball I was rushed to make a decision to get on the scoreboard.”

After using half-time to regroup, Goulding showed greater patience setting up his defender to hit screens, setting up his six triple masterpiece and a comparison to Steph Curry that he was pretty happy with.

“The greatest shooter ever? Yeah not bad,” Goulding laughed.

“I just changed the way I set up some cuts and the way I approached being guarded, it was a little unconventional but I've seen it before, I've been around long enough to figure it out.

“Just playing at a better pace coming off screens to try and get open, but sometimes if you see a couple go in it helps everything.”


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">7?? x 3??PM <br><br>No one better than CG43 <a href="https://t.co/ANlTyglyTU">pic.twitter.com/ANlTyglyTU</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1472750671355002880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


While Goulding’s 18-point second half was the talking point as Melbourne romped to a 23-point win, just as telling was the champs still led by three at half-time with their champion curtailed.

“We were able to get out and run and put points on the board in transition through our defence, because it allowed me to be bad offensively and we weren’t punished too much,” Goulding said.

United were relentless, allowing just 40 per cent shooting inside and 4/22 from the arc, giving up just 15 free throws, blocking nine shots and forcing 15 turnovers.

“There's a real commitment about our pressure and I think now that we've shown the group is fully back and we've got good depth, we just need to play as hard as we can,” coach Dean Vickerman said.

“The rim protection is something might be the best I've had in while, you see we had 9 blocked shots tonight.

“Jo set a club record the other day with seven, and (with) Ariel and Jack White we can continue to guard three-point line like we have been and have total belief that if people get downhill and get to the rim they have to get through a wall of guys.”

New Zealand were rattled that game, rushing headlong into help defence and never making the officials make tough choices, whereas when South East Melbourne defeated United they attacked with poise, drawing 29 fouls and shooting 29 free throws.

It was something the Breakers brought to the table in Brisbane, getting to the charity stripe 25 times and scoring 48 points in the paint as Siva, Martin, Wetzell and Co executed their ball-screen sets with aplomb.

“Yanni’s a very good player,” coach Dan Shamir said.

“I think today we used him a little bit better, both me with some play calls and stuff we ran for him, and his teammates. A lot of our assists are coming from his ability to create space and be in the right place.”



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yanni Wetzell highlight reel?<br><br>Yanni Weyzell highlight reel. <a href="https://t.co/rhhy7DCF2U">pic.twitter.com/rhhy7DCF2U</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1480419382366859267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Having a firing Wetzell alongside both import guards was a big relief for Shamir.

“Jeremiah distributed a lot, we had 20-something assists and Jeremiah had eight,” he said.

“Peyton’s presence, we really needed that guy on the court, having him back is great, it’s just game one basically for him.”

While their class was welcome, it was the grunt that made the biggest difference, the Breakers setting season highs in offensive rebounds and turnovers forced, and Shamir knows it’s about stepping up as a group to repeat the dose against Melbourne.

“I’m a big data guy, but in the NBL with a limited number of games sometimes the numbers are not the whole story,” he said.

“We want to work on playing together and playing hard. We felt it on the inside, we had a few good practices.

“I even enjoyed for the first time in a long time seeing practice and watching it after and just seeing our guys play, everything they brought to practice, the energy and the passing and just playing together.”

Wetzell agrees.

“I think we've had a void, a hole since Tommy Abercrombie went down and Finn was in iso, there wasn’t the leadership and I took that upon myself to not only lead by example, but be that vocal leader we so desperately need,” he said.

“It's a bit of momentum, but like coach said our record is nothing to be proud of. We’re doing our job, we’re supposed to win ball games.”