Preview: Melbourne vs Brisbane - Round 10, NBL24

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Can Justin Schueller walk out of his old home with a win in Nathan Sobey's 250th game?

Whenandwhere

Sunday, December 10 at 2pm AEDT | John Cain Arena

Watch: Live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies, 10 Peach and 10 Play | International viewership details
Box scores: Download the free NBL App

Melbourne head coach Dean Vickerman cited an increase in accountability and defensive intensity among Melbourne’s training group following last week’s defeat to Cairns.

Nathan Sobey has recovered from the illness that kept him out of Bullets training at the start of the week and will play his 250^th NBL game. Josh Bannan will miss the clash with concussion.

The clash will mark Justin Schueller’s second game against his former side. Brisbane suffered an 11-point loss when these teams played each other in Round 3.

Ian Clark has been named as returning for Melbourne. He hasn’t played since Round 6 due to injury.

Melbourne
103-115 loss to Cairns
105-93 win over Sydney
92-83 win over South East Melbourne

Brisbane
78-77 win over Illawarra
84-79 win over Cairns
76-79 loss to Perth

Ariel Hukporti
Ariel Hukporti’s early season form was immense and, although they were whispers at best, there was almost a feeling that Melbourne United could survive without Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and keep the Next Star as their starting center.

Since Lual-Acuil Jr’s return to fitness and form though, Hukporti has found opportunity harder to come by. While he’s been impressive in his time on court, he’s started to lack that true fear factor he was just exuding on the defensive end in the first few weeks of the campaign.

He’s not necessarily a prolific bucket-getter, but Hukporti’s overall performance in last week’s 12-point loss to Cairns was by far his best performance of the past few weeks and, in fact, it was the first time he’s scored 10 or more points in a game since his 21-point demolition of Illawarra in Round 4.

It looks like Dean Vickerman is still finding out how to get the most out of the fearsome twin towers of Lual-Acuil Jr and Hukporti, but when he does the rest of the league will be put on notice.

“I thought Ariel was really good with his numbers and just missed a couple of dunks and a couple of free throws for us in that fourth quarter and probably should have closed out the game, but it’s really pleasing what he brought us tonight.” – Dean Vickerman following the loss to Cairns.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Matthew Dellavedova and Ariel Hukporti combine for their third alley-oop of the game ? <br><br>Watch live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies | 10 Peach & 10 Play ? <a href="https://t.co/eKybB1jaQG">pic.twitter.com/eKybB1jaQG</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1731170561714192867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Chris Smith
Chris Smith arrived in the NBL with a reputation as a globe-trotting plug and play scorer, and while he took some time to find his feet in Brisbane, the Bullets look to be an incredibly dangerous prospect with him coming off the bench.

Smith was named Foot Locker Player of the Game in each of the Bullets’ Round 9 victories despite starting both games on the pine. While neither clash was the offensive slugfest you might expect from a team that features players like Smith, Nathan Sobey and Isaac White, the import made the most of his opportunity as number one option on the second unit.

He shot a combined 52 per cent from the field and 57 per cent from three across last week’s action, and he chipped in with a few rebounds in each clash as well.

The decision to sign the 29-year-old to a two-year deal was starting to look a little bit iffy, but Justin Schueller and the Bullets organisation look to have pulled off a masterstroke by locking an important piece down for the foreseeable future.

“It still took him a couple of games on the bench to understand it’s not a demotion, it’s more ‘we just want to get you some different looks’ … once he realised he was going to get out there and get shots up he’s been terrific. He’s shooting the ball at such a high rate over the last couple of rounds.” – Peter Hooley on NBL Now.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sixth man Smith ?<br><br>Is <a href="https://twitter.com/_ChrisCrosss?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ChrisCrosss</a> the front-runner for Sixth Man of the Year in NBL24? ?<br><br>Read more - <a href="https://t.co/vnXNWa1xvA">https://t.co/vnXNWa1xvA</a> <a href="https://t.co/chV7IjNcGZ">pic.twitter.com/chV7IjNcGZ</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1732946687403102639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Chris Goulding vs Nathan Sobey
Two long-term surefire scorers are set to write the latest chapter in one of Australian basketball’s greatest on-court NBL rivalries.

Chris Goulding celebrated his 6,000^th NBL point just a few weeks ago, but this time it’s Nathan Sobey who will hit an impressive milestone as this clash will act as his 250^th game in the NBL. Incidentally, this will also be Goulding’s 250^th game for Melbourne United.

Both veterans have had their names thrown into the MVP conversation at various points of the season. Sobey started the season on fire but has since been slightly quelled, while the loudest calls for Goulding as the competition’s MVP leader were coming as recently as two weeks ago.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nathan Sobey with a HUGE clutch block<br><br>Watch live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies | 10 Peach & 10 Play ? <a href="https://t.co/W6Uq7b7XR9">pic.twitter.com/W6Uq7b7XR9</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1731207269696549039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Regardless of whether either player ends up as the competition’s MVP they’re both going to – as usual – be crucial to their team’s hopes of winning.

Another aspect of this matchup is, although it’s been incredible watching the pair duke it out for almost a decade - Goulding is now 35 and Sobey is 33.

Enjoy watching these Olympic teammates on an NBL floor while you can, because while they’re still two of the best players in the competition, Father Time still remains undefeated.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Assist of the season? ?<br><br>Silver service from Chris Goulding ? <br><br>Watch live and free on ESPN via Kayo Freebies | 10 Peach & 10 Play ? <a href="https://t.co/7zptE4rAl9">pic.twitter.com/7zptE4rAl9</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1731152369553944887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Melbourne has won its last nine games against Brisbane. Last time the Bullets defeated United was in Round 8, NBL21, when 24 points from Mattew Hodgson led Brisbane to an eight-point win away from home.

Gettyimages 1203309003
Matthew Hodgson.