DrinkWise Preview: Round 21 Game 2 v Adelaide 36ers

It’s time to unite, Melbourne! United were crowned 2021 NBL Regular Season Champions on Friday night when the team took care of business in the west against the Wildcats and with just one game remaining in the regular season, the journey to win it all really heats up.

Melbourne’s final game of the regular season is a Sunday afternoon clash on the road against Adelaide and the squad will be looking to keep the momentum going with Finals getting underway in a matter of days.

PLAYER TO WATCH

When Mitch McCarron joined United prior to the 2018/19 season, there were expectations that he’d be a great fit for the team. Fast forward to today and he’s a heart and soul type player for Melbourne, who incredibly hasn’t missed a single game since making the move south three years ago.

McCarron has been exactly what Dean Vickerman would’ve hoped for and in his 100^th game for the franchise on Friday night, the point guard put in a signature McCarron performance.

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With the Wildcats storming back into the game and cutting United’s lead to just four points in the early stages of the fourth quarter, it was McCarron who rose to the occasion and willed his team to victory.

First, he connected on a triple to give Melbourne some breathing room, then he grabbed a steal, followed by back-to-back assists for David Barlow triples. Suddenly, United’s lead was back out to 10 points.

It’s stretches like that through games that have typified McCarron’s tenure in Melbourne and he went onto finish with 11 points (3/3 from deep), 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in the win.

KEY MATCH UP

Jock Landale and Daniel Johnson both lead their respective teams in scoring and this big man battle will be a fun one to watch.

Landale (16.4 points and 8 rebounds per game) has been dominant from the opening game of the season, while Johnson (19.5 points and 7 rebounds per game) has been the leader for Adelaide for many years now.

Both players are more than capable of putting together a double-double outing with ease and both will be keen to finish the regular season in strong fashion.

When these two teams last met, back in late April, this match up lived up to hype. Landale (19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks) notched up a double-double and eventually led Melbourne to a 14-point win, while Johnson (16 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists) was impressive for Adelaide.

THE OTHER GUYS

Adelaide have been out of Finals contention for some time now and have lost their last six games. With that being said, they have an array of weapons capable of putting points on the board.

Johnson, as mentioned above, is the key for the 36ers, but Brandon Paul – who joined the team mid-season – has been a valuable contributor. Paul (13.7 points, 5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game) has been doing it all and will need to be kept in check.

Jack McVeigh (9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game) is an energy guy for the 36ers, while Sunday Dech (8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game) has provided a bright spark throughout the season for the 36ers.

Tony Crocker (10.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game) is another to keep an eye on, while Keanu Pinder – who has struggled at times this season – put in a strong performance in Adelaide’s last game, a 14-point loss to Illawarra, with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United v Adelaide 36ers.
Tip off: 3:00pm (AEST), Sunday 6 June.
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide.
Watch: SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.