DrinkWise Preview: Round 20 Game 2 v Cairns Taipans

After falling just short in an incredible double overtime thriller against the Kings on Saturday night, United will be looking to bounce back on Monday night when they face the Taipans in a game that has been relocated to Qudos Bank Arena due to Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown.

With every game meaning so much in the race for the top spot, United – despite being away from John Cain Arena for the time being – remains locked in on ensuring home court advantage throughout the Finals.

There’s nothing like a rocking John Cain Arena in the Finals and whilst the team is grinding on the road at the moment, it’s time to unite in the hunt for the ultimate prize.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Shea Ili was a menace on defence against the Kings on Saturday night, and it’s exactly what Untied fans have come to expect from the tough guard.

There are simply no easy buckets for an opposition player being guarded by Ili and he played a key role in holding superstar Capser Ware to just 5/20 shooting from the field and 1/8 shooting from deep. Ili thrives on a difficult defensive assignment and he changes the game with unrelenting energy and effort.

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He was also a key offensive figure for Melbourne, knocking an efficient 3/4 shots from the outside on his way to 11 points and 7 rebounds. Teams are still leaving Ili open from the perimeter and he’s been making them pay all season long, shooting a very healthy 46% on three-point attempts.

KEY MATCH UP

Chris Goulding has been lighting up opening quarters this season with his ridiculous outside shooting and the battle between he and Mirko Djeric will be telling.

We all know what Goulding is capable of and he delivered in the first half against the Kings on Saturday night with four triples. His shooting confidence has never been questioned, but this season in particular he has been letting them fly and giving the opposition plenty of nightmares.

Djeric has had his ups and downs this season, much like his team, but in the comeback win over South East Melbourne on Friday night, he was electric. He nailed four triples on his way to 16 points and his energy is infectious.

In the last four games that he’s played at least 20 minutes in, Djeric’s scored in double figures each time and averaging 15 points.

Both players are key offensive weapons for their respective teams and have no issue in throwing up plenty of long-range attempts. Enjoy the show!

THE OTHER GUYS

Cairns have been unable to recapture their brilliant form from last season and find themselves at the bottom of the ladder with an 8-26 record. Cam Oliver is no longer with the team after returning to the U.S.A and earning a place on the Houston Rockets roster to close out the NBA regular season.

Oliver is a massive loss for Cairns, but as they showed on Friday night, they aren’t going down without a fight this season. Trailing by 16 points in the final minute of the third quarter against the Phoenix, the Taipans finished the game on a 37-14 run to come away with an incredible 94-87 win.

Majok Deng (22 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds) was huge for Cairns, while Tad Dufelmeier (14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds) led the second unit in a classy display.

Scott Machado does the heavy lifting for the Taipans and has had another impressive season, averaging 15.6 points, 7 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Jordan Ngatai is capable of getting hot and he averaged 16 points across the double-header weekend against United in early April. He also hit four triples in the win over South East Melbourne.

Big man Nate Jawai provides valuable minutes for Cairns and did a bit of everything on Friday night with 6 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United v Cairns Taipans.

Tip off: 7:30pm (AEST), Monday 31 May.

Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney.

Watch: ESPN and SBS On Demand.