Drinkwise Preview: NBL24 - Round 15 v New Zealand Breakers

After going 1-1 across Round 14, Melbourne United will look to return to the winners circle when they face off against the New Zealand Breakers on the road.

United have had success over the past few years when heading across the ditch, boasting six wins from their past eight games in New Zealand.

This will be the first time the sides have met since Round 4, where Melbourne came out on top at John Cain Arena.

For New Zealand, a loss in Round 14 to the Wildcats snapped a four-game winning streak which had the team close to breaking into a top-six position on the NBL24 table.

PLAYER TO WATCH

After missing the first meeting between the Breakers and United, Matthew Dellavedova is eager to help the ladder-leaders secure their 16th win of the season on Friday.

Missing backcourt mate Shea Ili, more of an emphasis will be on Dellavedova’s playmaking and creation.

The NBA championship winner has been dimming up his teammates at an elite level across the entire season, leading the league in assists per 36 minutes and registering 18 assists across his two Round 14 outings.

On the other end, look for Delly to nullify New Zealand’s guard threats with his physical play at the point of attack.

KEY MATCHUP

As he returns from injury, Luke Travers will have his hands full matching up with one of the league’s top imports in Anthony Lamb.

Travers’ ability to score the ball has been a barometer for United all season, with MU sporting a 12-1 record when the young star scores in double figures.

If LT can be aggressive and make Lamb work on defence, Melbourne will be well positioned to take home a big road win.

Lamb however has quickly established himself as one of the toughest players to guard in the NBL, averaging over 20 points per game.

THE OTHER GUYS

Lamb makes up one third of perhaps the most impressive import trio in the league, with the others being Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Zylan Cheatham.

On the season, the trio are averaging over 55 combined points per game, with the ability to score the ball from all over the court.

Surrounding these stars is a collection of strong talent able to impact the game in a number of ways, such as the evergreen Tom Abercrombie and athletic big-man Mangok Mathiang.

 The big X-factor will be the play of Next Star Mantas Rubstavicius, who has put together an impressive season to date, shooting the ball at over 45% from three-point range.

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GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs New Zealand Breakers

Tip-off: 5:30pm AEDT, Friday January 12, 2024

Where: TSB Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand

Watch: ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel