United put dagger into Bullets' playoff hopes

Melbourne United has put a giant dagger through the playoff aspirations of the Brisbane Bullets with an emphatic 99-88 win at Nissan Arena on Monday night.

The Bullets' playoff hopes took a big blow already with a disappointing 29-point home loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix, which left them with precious little wiggle room in the run home if they hoped to leapfrog the Illawarra Hawks and Sydney Kings into a playoff berth.

While Brisbane steadied after a slow start to lead at quarter-time on the back of eight points from Lamar Patterson, Chris Goulding shot Melbourne into control of the contest in the second quarter and the ladder-leaders never relented.

The lead ballooned out to 21 as Melbourne once again showed their full array of quality depth which has them in the box seat still to finish on top with a two-game buffer over a Perth Wildcats team now minus Bryce Cotton the rest of the regular season.

The Bullets have now lost these two games to the two Melbourne-based teams by a combined 40 points to see them slip to 14-17 and make a finals appearance in Andrej Lemanis' farewell season decidedly unlikely.

Every Melbourne player who hit the floor scored showing their depth with captain Chris Goulding showing the way with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists with 6/11 from three-point territory.

Jo Lual-Acuil was imposing with 18 points and five rebounds while Shea Ili had 10 points, four rebounds and three steals, Yudai Baba nine points and four boards, Mason Peatling eight points and six rebounds, Sam McDaniel seven points and Jock Landale seven to go with four boards, three assists and two blocks.

Nathan Sobey shook off a slow start to top-score for Brisbane with 20 points with Lamar Patterson adding 19, Harry Froling 12 and Matt Hodgson eight to go with nine rebounds. Anthony Drmic's hot form turned cold with zero points on 0/7 shooting.

It was a fast start for United firstly through big men Mason Peatling and Jock Landale before a couple of baskets to Sam McDaniel to make 12-6. The Bullets responded well, though, with three-point plays from BJ Johnson and Tyrell Harrison as part of a 11-2 run that turned it into a 17-14 lead.

Patterson hit five more quick points for Brisbane too but Chris Goulding responded to keep Melbourne within three after one.

He then drew scores level with another triple to open the second quarter before Baba put them on top. Baba continued to provide his trademark energy at both ends and with Goulding hit another couple of three balls, Melbourne's lead got to double-digits.

United went on a 9-0 run just before half-time and led 50-38 on the back of holding Brisbane to 13/33 from the field and 3/14 from deep on top of the nine turnovers.

Things got ugly right at the start of the second half for Brisbane with Melbourne putting up seven points with virtually no resistance – including a three-on-zero fast break for United ending with a Landale throwdown.

The lead was 20 soon after with another three ball but to their credit, the Bullets stemmed the tide from there and it started with three-pointers from Jason Cadee and BJ Johnson. 

Nathan Sobey then closed the quarter with the last 11 points for Brisbane, but Melbourne was still up 15 thanks to a Scotty Hopson to Jo Lual-Acuil spectacular alley-oop on the buzzer.

Threes to Barlow and Goulding to start the fourth quarter, and a Goulding to Hopson alley-oop put the margin for Melbourne out to 21. It was virtually game over there even though there were a couple of brief flurries from Brisbane, United cruised to the 11-point win.

It's a short turnaround for the Bullets as they take on the Taipans on Wednesday who will be playing their last home game in Cairns for #NBL21. United is next up against another finals contender, the Sydney Kings, on Saturday in Sydney.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 19

BRISBANE BULLETS 88 (Sobey 20, Patterson 19, Froling 12)

MELBOURNE UNITED 99 (Goulding 22, Lual-Acuil 18, Ili 10) 

BOX SCORE