R8 Preview: Brisbane Bullets vs Melbourne United

When: 3pm (AEDT), Wednesday 26 January 2022

Where: Nissan Arena, Brisbane

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sports NZ


Who won last time?
Melbourne 99 (Goulding 20, Lual-Acuil 18, Ili 10) d Brisbane 88 (Sobey 20, Patterson 19, Froling 12) - Round 19 2021, Nissan Arena, Brisbane

United and Brisbane fought out a highly-entertaining season series last year, but it was Melbourne who had the last laugh thanks to 19-5 run into half-time, sparked predictably by a pair of Chris Goulding triples and ended with back-to-back Jo Lual-Acuil dunks.


What happened last start?

It was a 25-9 second-quarter burst that set up Melbourne’s win over Adelaide, Goulding landing three treys in that stretch. While the 36ers battled hard, the defending champs were simply on another level, dishing 24 assists to seven miscues in an untroubled display.

Brisbane’s inconsistent form would certainly be troubling for coach James Duncan, the Bullets not “playing the right way” nearly often enough. Their lethargic starters were smashed in Sydney, and will need a big response to match Melbourne’s talent and depth.


Who’s in form?

Brisbane’s d-boards – Take out the Bullets’ poor post-COVID showing against New Zealand – where the Breakers grabbed 17 o-boards from just 41 misses – and Robert Franks and Co are pulling in an impressive 76 per cent of available defensive rebounds. That’s crucial against United, who have almost doubled second chance points in Ws compared to Ls.

Jo Lual-Acuil – Big Jo’s past four games have delivered 17.5ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.8 o-boards and 2.5 blocks in just 25 minutes per game while connecting at 29/50 from inside the arc. However, Lual-Acuil is 20/25 inside the no-charge zone, but just 9/25 on longer twos and 2/6 on threes. The Bullets will be hoping Tyrell Harrison’s shoulder is cleared to man the paint.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tyrell Harrison denies Chinese big man Zhou Qi as the Bullets come out the blocks like a shot ?<br><br>? Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL</a> live on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/pUPMa6TPzA">pic.twitter.com/pUPMa6TPzA</a></p>&mdash; ESPN Australia &amp; NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1482243789490376705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who needs to be?

Jekyll and Hyde – Inconsistency has previously been a Brisbane trademark, but this season they’ve taken the roller-coaster to a new level, with a lethargic start in Tassie followed by a classic double-overtime win in Perth. A no-show out west the next week followed by a toppling of the Hawks 40 hours later. Then a memorable comeback over the Kings followed by a pathetic performance at Qudos Bank Arena. Will the real Bullets please stand up?

Caleb Agada – As Melbourne line-up, Agada looks the likely starting match-up for Lamar Patterson, which is a mighty-tough task for the Nigerian shooting guard, and he will need to be proactive to beat Patterson to the spot and limit his touches. Jack White is probably the ideal marker for Lamar, which would allow Agada’s athleticism to lock onto Nathan Sobey. But for that to happen Melbourne would need to change rotations that are working well.


Who’s statting up?

 - In their seven-game win streak, United are +68 on points in the paint, +48 from the three-point line, +2 from midrange and -1 from the free-throw line for an average winning margin of 16.7

 - In wins, Melbourne have grabbed 31 per cent of o-boards and averaged 14 second chance points. In two losses those numbers were 26 per cent and 7.5

 - In four Bullets wins, Robert Franks and Tyrell Harrison combine for 14.8 d-boards. In four losses that number shrinks to 9.3. Harrison averages 4.5 o-boards in wins to 0.5 in defeat

 - In Brisbane wins, Nathan Sobey averages 21ppg on 7.3 free-throw attempts. In four losses he contributes 14.3ppg on 3.5 trips to the foul line


Who’s matching up?

Nathan Sobey v Chris Goulding – History tells us Dean Vickerman will rotate a crew of Matthew Dellavedova, Shea Ili and Caleb Agada onto Sobey, whose long-stepping athleticism makes him a tough cover for any guard in the NBL. Like the Bullets, Sobes has been up-and-down this season, and the ups usually coincide with Brisbane wins.

Anthony Drmic should get first crack at Goulding, but his team lacks an array of strong defensive options to roll through. Can Tanner Krebs do the job for limited minutes? Or will Sobey have to chase CG off countless screens? That would be a win for United. Goulding has hit four or more triples in five of his past six games, hitting 47 per cent in those five outings.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Feeeeeeelin&#39; it - 6?? 3PM ? <a href="https://t.co/UJkGz7Kpm4">pic.twitter.com/UJkGz7Kpm4</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1484797390028967937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s talking the talk?

It's no secret that Melbourne United are the intensity kings of the Hungry Jack’s NBL, but come tip-off in Adelaide last Sunday, it was the 36ers setting the standard.

“We really wanted to jump them at the start and have a defensive mindset – I thought over the last couple of games we dropped our level just a fraction – and we didn’t come out the right way,” Dean Vickerman said.

“But the luxury of our team is when some of the guys come in off the bench they can just turn it up another level and I thought … Shea Ili, Mason Peatling, Ariel, Newley, everybody that came off the bench lifted a level and allowed the second five minutes of the first quarter to go from six down to two up, (it) was a big play in the game.

“If we can continue to rotate people and wear teams down, somewhere at some point we’ll find a little margin and it will get difficult for teams to score, and I thought early in the fourth quarter that was the case tonight.”

Impressively, Melbourne’s reserved scored 40 points at 55 per cent, dished 11 dimes to just three turnovers and Ili, Peatling and Newley were all top four for plus/minus.

Another bench man who made a huge impact was Next Star Ariel Hukporti, who added 12 points and six boards in 15 minutes, turning the tide after Cam Bairstow had claimed the interior for Adelaide.

“Ariel had a little patch there where he was quite dominant in the post,” Vickerman said.

“I thought the lob he caught was ridiculous when I saw that thrown up, he can do some amazing things, he’s so fast, it’s one of the traits of him, he just continues to run both ways. NBA teams have to look at that and say it’s an absolute elite skill that I think we can use.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good feed, great finish <a href="https://t.co/KYx35pg4d6">pic.twitter.com/KYx35pg4d6</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1484793938146131969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“His ability to set screens and get on the rim, but what we say tonight was a him showing a little patience in the post and getting to his spots and finishing,” Vickerman added.

“We played him 15 minutes, he just plays at such a high energy level that trying to stretch him to four minutes or five minutes he’s getting to a point where he’s exhausted, and that’s what we love about the energy he brings to his team.”

He and Jo Lual-Acuil combined for 30 points and 14 rebounds – they’ve averaged 25 and 11.5 the past four games – which will have Brisbane sweating on the fitness of giant centre Tyrell Harrison, who was sidelined with a shoulder complaint less than three minutes into Sunday’s game.

“Obviously a huge, huge piece missing for us with what Ty does, staying on the glass and changing shots,” coach Duncan said.

“At the same time there are 11 or 12 other guys on the team who should be ready to step up and take those minutes and perform.

“That’s part of being a basketball team, if somebody goes down or somebody gets a sub, somebody else comes in and picks up the slack.”

Where Melbourne always seem to have players ready to cover for teammates who are having quiet nights, when things go bad for Brisbane, the whole boat starts sinking.

“The learning experience is when we have success there is a complete focus and energy and extra effort about us. It’s clear,” Duncan said.

“So now this is game eight, the games we've done well in it’s clear with our effort, we’re getting up-and-in and we’re just active, the ball’s flying around we’re playing the right way.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SCENES IN BRISBANE!<br><br>The Bullets score the first 8 points of the final quarter and take the lead ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> live on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/bJLNeqNka4">pic.twitter.com/bJLNeqNka4</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1484467014550753281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Brisbane were burned in the open floor by the Kings – the least efficient transition team in the competition – and if they repeat that lethargic effort against Melbourne, the second most efficient side, they could get run out of their own gym.

“Even when we scored they were taking the ball out and pushing it down the floor and we weren’t able to match up,” Duncan said.

“It’s not new for us, either we get better and we put ourselves in a better chance to win games, or we stay the same and it’s just going to be very difficult for us.”

With games against Melbourne and South East Melbourne in the next four days, the Bullets are in danger of losing touch with the top four.

For all the talk of their star power, Brisbane’s starters sans the injured Harrison were an average of -19.3 in less than 25 minutes in Sydney, and they need to make a stand against the reigning champs.

“If you're not prepared to go early in games and you give a team a chance to feel good it’s a long night. I feel like we missed the boat at the start of the game, it was a sluggish start by them but we were just as bad,” Jason Cadee said.

“Right now we’re an OK team, we’re very good some nights and some nights we’re ordinary. We've got to find a level where we can continue to increase it and be very good every night, not just some nights.”