DrinkWise Preview: NBL25 - Round 18 v Brisbane Bullets

Melbourne United are set to bring our long road trip to a close on Sunday afternoon when we face the Brisbane Bullets at their home in Boondall.

Having won four of our six games across this stretch, one final regular season victory away from home would secure us the best road record of all teams in NBL25.

Winning in Brisbane is nothing new for us either, having taken home the W in our past seven games on the Bullets home court.

For Brisbane, a second victory in Round 18 would keep hopes of a Play-In spot alive.

WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT

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

Bullets - L, L, L, L, W

Having lent on their interior play for much of the season, injury woes for the Bullets have made a shift in game plan necessary.

In Friday night’s win over the Breakers, Brisbane recorded an equal season-high 14 three-point makes, while scoring an equal season-low 28 points in the paint.

Throughout NBL25, we have been one of the league’s best teams at limiting perimeter shooting, allowing just nine made threes per game.

In contests where we have allowed nine or fewer long-range makes, we hold a 13-3 record.

STARS COLLIDE

Stopping Brisbane’s attack from the outside will mean stopping first-year import guard Keandre Cook, which will likely fall to Matthew Dellavedova.

Cook has produced a pair of great games against us, averaging 25 points per contest, and is coming off a 26-point effort on Friday evening.

Also fresh off a strong performance is Dellavedova, who’s 17 points and seven assists helped lift us to a much-needed victory to close Round 17.

If Dellavedova is able to use his strength to slow down the hot-shooting American, it will go a long way in handing the Bullets a loss in front of their home fans.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs Brisbane Bullets

Tip-off: 2:30pm AEDT, Sunday 26 January, 2025

Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall

Watch: ESPN