ROUND 6 PREVIEW – KINGS VS UNITED

These are the duels that get the juices flowing.

Big city vs big city.

A pair of teams with championship aspirations and expectations.

No matter the sport, these are the most intense of rivalries.

Think Boston versus Philadelphia in the NBA.

Barcelona against Real Madrid in soccer’s La Liga.

Or the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in Major League baseball.

The NBL’s version is Sydney-Melbourne, and it has a great deal of history.

From the old Kings-Tigers wars in 1992, to Sydney finally conquering Melbourne in a memorable 2003 playoff series and the purple and gold getting past the second city club in a pulsating three game semi-final in 2020.

When the nation’s two largest cities meet, there’s always a little bit more on the line than usual.

Bragging rights, for one thing.

Infamously, there used to be a sign hanging up at Melbourne United’s home stadium – ‘Go hard or go to Sydney.’

That gives you an idea of how the United hierarchy feels about the Kings.

So, when the purple and gold enters John Cain Arena this Sunday, they’ll be walking into a building where they will have very few friends – it’s going to be us against the world.

It’s also going to be a game against a team that will come in desperate, after an underwhelming start to the season sees United with a 3-5 record and in ninth place on the NBL ladder.

Melbourne entered NBL27 as one of the most hyped teams in league history, given an offseason spending spree that netted them no fewer than four guys who have played in the NBA and a head coach who was a rising star in the San Antonio Spurs program.

But so far, it hasn’t quite gelled for United, who are coming off a loss on the road to Perth on Friday and have become the first team in NBL history to lose 4 games by 2 points or less in the first six rounds of a season.

Which means of course that they have been competitive in every game and will provide a significant challenge to Sydney on late Sunday afternoon.

Start with that NBA talent, led by former first round draft pick Cole Anthony (23.0ppg, 4.3rpg, 3.6apg, 1.4spg, 40.1% FG, 32.0% 3PT FG, 79.5% FT), an explosive scorer with great quickness who will put immense pressure on the Sydney D.

Olympic bronze medallist Joe Ingles (11.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 4.5apg, 61.8% FG, 44.4% 3PT FG, 73.3% FT) comes off the bench to provide outside shooting, facilitation, and veteran nous.

Import power forward Josh Oduro (17.9ppg, 7.0rpg, 67.5% FG, 74.5% FT) is already one of the best big men in the league and a difficult cover in the low post.

And Luke Travers (14.9ppg, 6.8rpg, 3.8apg, 50.5% FG, 29.0% 3PT FG, 64.0% FT) has great size and mobility for his position and can score inside and out.

That’s a lot of talent in a group that also includes the likes of Sam Waardenburg, Shea Ili, Fabian Krslovic and Kyle Bowen, all more than serviceable NBL players.

Melbourne will attack the Kings with their depth, size, and mobility up front, and they will play with speed up and down the floor – Sydney must be prepared to run hard and hunker down defensively for all 40 minutes.

But if last Thursday night was any indication, the defending champions are well equipped to meet the United threat head on.

A devastating win over Illawarra in Wollongong hopefully set the tone for what is a difficult four-game road trip for the Kings. They placed six players in double figures, played inspired ball at both ends of the floor and dominated from the second quarter onwards.

Forward Andrew Carr (11.6ppg, 9.4rpg, 1.0bpg, 57.4% FG, 31.6% 3PT FG, 86.7% FT) pulled down a whopping 20 rebounds against the Hawks and will be a huge key against the Melbourne frontline.

Point guard Kendric Davis (22.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 8.4apg, 1.3spg, 42.3% FG, 22.0% 3PT FG, 76.3% FT) hasn’t quite found his three-point stroke just yet but as usual is doing everything else at an MVP level.

Most Improved and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Makuach Maluach (15.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 74.5% FG, 63.0% 3PT FG, 81.8% FT) is on a record-breaking pace for offensive efficiency.

And swingman Torrey Craig (17.7ppg, 6.3rpg, 51.1% FG, 37.0% 3PT FG, 73.3% FT) is the kind of guy who gives opposing coaches nightmares when they are scouting the Kings given his ability to significantly impact the game both offensively and defensively.

Not to mention the positive effect of the kids – Will Johnston, Jayden Stone and Harry Wessels – to the squad and the leadership of team captain Xavier Cooks.

There’s no doubt Sydney will have their hands full at John Cain Arena this Sunday.

Melbourne will hit them with everything they’ve got.

But the Kings are ready to rise to the challenge.

Let’s go, Sydney.

WHO

Sydney Kings vs. Melbourne United

WHEN

Sunday 25 October, 5:00pm AEST tipoff

LOCATION

John Cain Arena, Melbourne

TV

ESPN/Disney+

THE PLAYERS

KINGS

Projected Starters: Kendric Davis, Makuach Maluach, Torrey Craig, Xavier Cooks, Harry Wessels

Bench: Andrew Carr, Tyler Robertson, Jason Spurgin, Jayden Stone, Will Johnston, Lachlan Bofinger

UNITED

Projected Starters: Cole Anthony, Luke Travers, Malith Machar, Josh Oduro, Sam Waardenburg

Bench: Joe Ingles, Shea Ili, Kyle Bowen, Fabijan Krslovic, Tom Wilson, Jensen Bradtke, Harry Wilson

THE COACHES

KINGS

Brian Goorjian (9^th season with Kings, record with Kings 215-88, NBL career record 602-277, 7 NBL championships)

UNITED

Jacob Chance (1^st season with United, NBL career record 3-5)

NBL26 REGULAR SEASON

Kings won 3-1

NBL27 STANDINGS

Kings 5-2, second

United 3-5, ninth

KEY MATCHUP

Kendric Davis vs Cole Anthony

One player has played in the NBA. The other is determined to get there. What a mouthwatering matchup in prospect. Anthony has great speed and balance and can score at all three levels, and while his assist numbers aren’t quite where they need to be at the moment, has proven to be a quality facilitator. Then you’ve got Davis, who always seems to be in complete control of the situation. He was utterly dominant against the Hawks who had no answers to him, and his floor leadership might have gone to another level in NBL27. Both these guys are one and two in usage rate in the NBL – meaning they have the ball in their hands more than anyone else in the competition every night – so whoever is more successful at exerting his influence will likely lead their team to victory on Sunday.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings get their transition game into overdrive against United?

Will the team be able to keep a big Melbourne frontcourt off the boards?

HISTORY

All-time Head-to-Head

49 games played; United leads 31-18

In Melbourne

24 games played; United leads 17-7

At John Cain Arena

23 games played; United leads 16-7

DID YOU KNOW?

The Kings’ superstar point guard Kendric Davis is lauded for his exceptional scoring ability, and rightly so. But his real superpower is his ability to facilitate and get his teammates involved offensively. Remarkably, Kendric’s 14 assists against Illawarra on Thursday night equalled the fourth-most assists dished out in a single game in Sydney Kings history. Kendric now appears four times in the franchise all-time top 10 for assists in a single game, with Thursday’s game added to the career-high 15 assists he dropped against Adelaide in Game 3 of the NBL26 Championship Series and two other 14-assist efforts, both against the 36ers in the NBL26 season, one of those in the legendary Championship Series Game 5, helping KD secure the NBL26 Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award.

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