Maluach confident Kings to defeat his former team United

Sunday's blockbuster between the Sydney Kings and Melbourne United is shaping up as one of the matches of the season - pitting first place against second.

Between the two arch-rivals, they have 17 wins and just five losses in NBL24 - highlighting the enormity of this round eight showdown.

One player who knows the two sides better than most is Kings wing Makuach Maluach, who played with United in NBL23.

"It’s a big game [on Sunday] - we want to keep the momentum going into the FIBA break and it would be nice to get a quality win against a great team like United," said NSW product Maluach.

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"It will be very fun [coming up against my former team at John Cain Arena] - I am excited for the game.

"I made some great friends during my time there so it will be good to play in front of them again and hopefully come out with a victory."

The Hoops Capital side head into Sunday's 4pm AEDT clash on the back of three straight wins, including last round's thriller against Brisbane at Qudos Bank Arena.

"Our depth and our ability to guard has been crucial in this recent stretch," the 25-year-old said.

"We have so many guys who play their roles very well, so it’s hard for teams to focus on just certain guys.

"We have also been doing a good job following the game plan and executing it.

"[From a personal perspective] I’ve been playing alright - just going out there and trying to make the right plays on both ends."

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If Mahmoud Abdelfattah's side are to make it four wins on the trot, the University of New Mexico alum knows what his team need to do.

"Just like us, it’s hard to really focus in on one guy [against United]," he said.

"They have depth and a lot of guys that make plays that contribute to winning.

"If we guard the three-point line and rebound, we give ourselves a great chance."

Sunday's fixture will be broadcast live on ESPN via Kayo Sports, 10 Peach and 10 Play.