DrinkWise Preview: NBL25 - Round 11, Game 1 v New Zealand Breakers

Melbourne United will kick off Round 11 of the NBL25 season with a top-three matchup on the road against the New Zealand Breakers.

Having won nine of our past 11 games away from home against the Breakers, we will head into the contest full of confidence.

A victory would be our fifth in a row, which would build on our already league-best four-game winning streak.

For New Zealand, a pair of double-digit losses coming out of the FIBA Break has them in a precarious position on the competition table.

HEAR DEAN VICKERMAN AND ROB LOE PREVIEW THE GAME HERE

WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT

(Past five games)
United - L, W, W, W, W

Breakers - W, L, W, L, L

When it comes to scoring the ball, our past four games have been otherworldly.

Across our current winning streak, the team is scoring over 135 points per 100 possessions, and have for only the fourth time in club history, tallied four consecutive 100-point games.

While Chris Goulding has led the way during this stretch (28.5 points per game), his teammates are well equipped to fill in for his scoring prowess, with the likes of Flynn Cameron (7.8 points in under 14 minutes per game) and Tanner Krebs (40% from three) ready to step up.

The Breakers will also be hoping for a more varied scoring approach, with only two players (Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Sam Mennenga) averaging double-figure across their past two games.

STARS COLLIDE

Looking to avenge our last defeat of NBL25, Jack White will look to slow down impressive Breakers Nest Star, Karim Lopez.

The Mexican NBA hopeful had his best NBL game the last time the teams met, scoring 17 points, pulling down 10 rebounds and swatting four shots.

Conversely, White has been playing some of his best basketball since the loss, averaging a double-double (14 points and 11 rebounds) in our next three wins.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs New Zealand Breakers

Tip-off: 5:30pm AEDT, Thursday 5 December, 2024

Where: Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand

Watch: ESPN via Kayo