DrinkWise Preview: NBL22 - Round 3, Game 2 vs New Zealand Breakers

Melbourne United is set to host the winless New Zealand Breakers on Sunday afternoon in the defending champ’s final home game for over a month.

Coming off their historic drubbing of the Sydney Kings, United will be playing with confidence as they aim to square their record at 2-2.

For New Zealand, they will have to take as many positives away from their close 97-96 double-overtime loss to Illawarra on Friday as possible, as they look to register their first win of the season.

PLAYER TO WATCH

After facing criticism over his performances in Melbourne's opening pair of losses, import Caleb Agada showcased why he was brought in to help the defending champs for NBL22.

Agada tallied 21 points and seven rebounds in just 22 minutes as United thumped the Kings on Thursday.

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Assistant coach Darryl ‘Dmac’ McDonald, who played over a decade in the NBL as an import and won a pair of Championships with the Melbourne Tigers, said Agada’s production will give the Olympian a big boost moving forward.

“You see the ball go through the hole, now you start feeling it,” he said.

“We need to see that same energy… I think he’ll be ready, I think he knows what the league is about now. He’s got to bring it every day.”

KEY MATCHUP

Melbourne fans should expect some sweet shooting from both sides on Sunday afternoon, as perhaps the NBL’s greatest all-time marksman, Chris Goulding, will take on NZ’s Next Star, Hugo Besson.

CG43 returned for his first taste of NBL22 action on Sunday, finishing the game with 13 points in 22 minutes, while Besson has so far put together one of the best starts in league history for a Next Star.

The 20-year-old French scorer is averaging over 20 points per game, and very nearly secured the Breakers their first win of the season on Friday night, sinking a triple in the final seconds of double-overtime to give NZ a late lead.

Fan’s should expect each of these two elite three-point bombers to fire away from downtown.

THE OTHER GUYS

Missing import guard Payton Siva and without injury replacement Chasson Randle, the Breakers will be forced to run with a short rotation against United.

Yannick Wetzell is coming off his best game of the season (25 points, 16 rebounds), while the dynamic pair of Finn Delany and Will McDowell-White can cause issues both inside and out.

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Jeremiah Martin will need to move past a difficult first two NBL games for NZ to get its first win on the board.

The import guard is averaging 10 points per game, but has only connected on 33.3% of his shots, and has missed all six of his long-range attempts.

How effective NBL veteran Tom Abercrombie will be remains up in the air, as the forward injured his ankle on Friday night.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United v New Zealand Breakers
Tip off: 1pm (AEDT), Sunday 19 December
Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne.
Watch: 10Peach, Kayo Freebies, ESPN