Preview: Round 1 Game 1 v Adelaide 36ers

When Melbourne United finally hits the hardwood on Friday night in Adelaide, it will have been 316 days between NBL games.

To say it’s been a long off-season would be an understatement, but with the likes of Scotty Hopson, Jock Landale, Mitch McCarron and Chris Goulding all on deck, the wait will be worth it.

The first challenge for a new-look United squad is the Adelaide 36ers – a team that boasts some extremely exciting and tough players.

KEY MATCH UP

There were some massive signings for United this off-season – highlighted by Jock Landale and Scotty Hopson – but a guy who has been in Melbourne for a couple of years and never disappoints is Mitch McCarron and he will have a slightly different role this year.

McCarron will be the starting point guard for United and as he has demonstrated from the moment he arrived in Melbourne, he won’t back down from a challenge. His first head-to-head battle in his new role will be against teenager and son-of-a-gun Josh Giddey.

Giddey is a supreme athlete, but we all know McCarron can get some serious airtime in the open floor too. It will be interesting see how Giddey goes in his first official professional game and both players will be looking to push the pace for their respective teams.

Look for McCarron and Shea Ili to bring plenty of pressure to Giddey and Adelaide’s other guards.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Who else but Jock Landale?

The Australian Boomer signed with United over the off-season and he is a player that can do it all on the court. He’s dominated in Europe, played a key starting role for the Boomers at the 2019 World Cup and now he’s in Melbourne ready to give it his all in the search for an NBL Championship.

At 211cm, Landale is a dominant force in the paint and with a plethora of scorers and facilitators around him, opponents won’t be able to double Landale in the post, because that will leave the likes of Hopson, Goulding, McCarron and Dave Barlow open on the perimeter.

Pick your poison.

Speaking on Wednesday, Coach Dean Vickerman was full of praise for Landale.

“He’s had some [pre-season] games where he’s really scored heavily in, he’s had some games where he’s rebounded heavily, and where he’s passed the ball really well,” Vickerman said.

“We just believe his mobility at the centre position, his ability to stretch the floor and post up smaller guys. He can do so many different things on a given night and we just need to give him enough information about what we need from him against every team.”

THE OTHER GUYS

Adelaide has a new coach and plenty of new faces.

With experienced coach Connor Henry at the helm, the 36ers will be looking to make some noise. Henry coached the Perth Wildcats in 2009 and has experience in the NBA and NBA G-League.

Aussie Isaac Humphries is back in the NBL and he will form a deadly big man duo with Daniel Johnson. Landale, Barlow, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Jack White will have to be at their best to compete with that pairing.

Adelaide’s two imports, Donald Sloan and Tony Crocker will bring world-class experience to the 36ers. They’ve played all over the globe and know how to score the ball.

Playing in Adelaide is always an experience and after all the schedule changes and challenges to get to this point – the first game of the season – Vickerman is excited to get this season underway.

“I’m looking forward to that atmosphere and a game that just means as much as a first game of a season always does.” He said.

GAME INFO

Who: Adelaide 36ers v Melbourne United 
Tip off: 7:30pm (AEDT), Friday 15 January.
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide.
Watch: ESPN and SBS On Demand.