Drinkwise Preview: NBL24 - Championship Series, Game 1 vs Tasmania JackJumpers

The Championship series is here!

Melbourne United will look to secure their third championship in seven seasons when they face off against the Tasmania JackJumpers in the best-of-five game series, kicking off on Sunday afternoon.

Fresh off their hard-fought Playoff victory over the Illawarra Hawks, United’s stars are ready to hit the ground running when they take to the court in front of a raucous John Cain Arena crowd.

Melbourne have enjoyed great success of late at John Cain Arena, having won their past nine meetings at the venue.

Tasmania will however be coming into the contest with momentum following their own Playoff triumph on the road against Perth.

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PLAYER TO WATCH

With a trio of championships to his name already, there isn’t a player in this series with more experience delivering on the biggest stage than Chris Goulding.

United’s captain played a pivotal role in both of MU’s previous title victories, including being crowned Finals MVP in 2017-18.

Across his 12 career NBL Championship games, CG43 has averaged over 17 points per game, while knocking down 42 three-pointers.

Look for Goulding to once again lead from the front on Sunday.

KEY MATCHUP

There’s no shortage of intriguing matchups heading into Game 1, however perhaps the most exciting comes in the backcourt between Matthew Dellavedova and Milton Doyle.

Dellavedova has played some of the best basketball of his career over the past three games, averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

Eager to do all he can to help guide United to a championship, Delly will have to contend with Doyle’s ability to score from all over the court.

A two-time All-NBL Team member across his two seasons in the league, the JJs star has showcased an ability to expertly orchestrate Tasmania’s offence regardless who is in front of him. 

Fans in attendance should expect these two stars to clash early and often come Game 1.

THE OTHER GUYS

While Doyle is the JackJumpers’ most established star, their most productive scorer this postseason has been sharpshooting forward Jack McVeigh.

In his third year with Tasmania, McVeigh has blossomed into an elite bucket-getter, averaging 23 points per game while shooting the ball at over 57% from deep during the Finals.

Surrounding McVeigh are a collection of role-players who are adept at doing whatever is needed for the JJs to enjoy success.

Will Magnay and Marcus Lee provide 40 strong minutes of rim protection, while Jordon Crawford can push the pace and get their offence moving.

A huge X-factor will be the play of the league’s Most Improved Player, Sean McDonald, who has continued his hot form into the Finals.

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GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs Tasmania JackJumpers

Tip-off: 4pm AEDT, Sunday 17 March, 2024

Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Watch: ESPN via Kayo Freebies, 10 Peach and 10 Play