DrinkWise Preview: NBL26 - Round 14 v Brisbane Bullets

We are set to begin our long stint away from John Cain Arena on Saturday evening when we face off against the Brisbane Bullets on the road.

Having won 15 of the last 16 games against the Bullets, we are hoping our lone Round 14 game will provide an opportunity to regain some momentum following our loss on Tuesday.

This will be the first time we will have faced Brisbane under the leadership of former United assistant coach, Darryl McDonald.

WHAT’S THE WORD?

Having now dropped out of a top-two spot on the competition table, Head Coach Dean Vickerman talked through what it’s going to take to produce a winning effort on Saturday.

“Every game is important in this league,” Vickerman explained.

“If you come off a poor performance, you want to respond. They (Brisbane) played with great passion the other night and we’re going to need a lot of that to go up there and put together a great performance.”

Currently sitting in 9th on the ladder, McDonald broke down how he’s looking at the remainder of the season for the Bullets.

“I don’t like to lose, I hate losing,” McDonald said.

“When you look at the league, it’s very very close… I’m definitely not counting (making the Play-in) out.

“You get a win, it gives you more confidence.”

WHO’S HOT, WHO'S NOT

Milton Doyle is poised for a big game on Saturday as he looks to help lead us to a victory in our lone Round 14 game.

Averaging 22.5 points per game against the Bullets this season, the import guard has already showcased an ability to do damage to the Brisbane defence.

Looking to slow Doyle will be Javon Freeman-Liberty, who has produced some strong performances since returning to the lineup.

The athletic wing is averaging 12.8 points and 1.8 steals per game in his last four games.

DETAILS

Who: Melbourne United vs Brisbane Bullets

Tip-off: 7:30pm AEDT, Saturday 27 December, 2025

Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane 

Watch: ESPN

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