Why Melbourne is "incredibly dangerous" in NBL26

Everyone around the Hungry Jack’s NBL knows how dangerous a scorer Milton Doyle can be.

He's shown it time and time again across his three seasons in Tasmania, before powering his new club, Melbourne United, to a pair of strong opening-round wins over the JackJumpers and Breakers.

But during Monday's episode of NBL Overtime, expert Pete Hooley said he believes Doyle’s switch to United now gives them two of the most clutch players in the competition.

“For Milton, to write the script like he did in game one [back in Tasmania], he’s as clutch as they come,” Hooley said.

“Yes, people are going to knock that his field goal percentage is down, but there are only a few guys in the whole league, who time and time again, who have the ability to put their teams on the back when they going gets tough.

“It’s Bryce Cotton, it’s Tyler Harvey, it’s Milton Doyle and it’s Chris Goulding.

“He [Doyle] scored the last seven points [against Tasmania], while consistently play-making and hitting big shots like the other three do - he’s got that clutch gene and the IQ to make the right play down the stretch.

“So when Goulding comes back [from injury], Melbourne are going to have two of those guys - that’s going to be incredibly dangerous.”

Hooley’s thoughts were echoed by fellow NBL expert Damon Lowery on the show.

“This is why I say there are two types of shooting percentages, there’s in-game percentage and then there’s clutch percentage,” Lowery said.

“Everyone is banging on about his [Doyle's] 7/21 but who cares, it’s the last five minutes of the game that counts.”

Doyle had 22 points against Tasmania and 15 against the New Zealand Breakers in Round 1, shooting at 50 per cent from three in the second leg of a weekend double.

The signs are bright for a United lineup still set to welcome back Chris Goulding.

Melbourne hosts South East Melbourne in the first Throwdown of the NBL26 season on Thursday night at John Cain Arena.

Watch live from 7.30pm via ESPN.