Preview: Melbourne vs Tasmania (Round 2)

Friday, October 6, 2023

Melbourne has the chance to continue its unbeaten start to the new season, but can Tasmania come in a earn a clean sweep of its Round 2 fixtures?

Sunday, October 8 at 2pm AEDT | John Cain Arena

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo Freebies | 10 Peach and 10play - International viewership details
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We’re barely one-and-a-half rounds into the new season and only two teams currently remain undefeated, and even that could change after Saturday’s clash between Brisbane and Cairns.

The Bullets’ unlikely 2-0 start has taken some shine off Melbourne’s identical record, but even though United did suffer a scare against Adelaide last week, they look back at the top of their game for NBL24.

Those injury issues that plagued the side last season have yet to surface in the new campaign – touch wood – and the team is loaded with threats at both ends of the floor.

That being said, those who underestimate the JackJumpers do so at their own peril, and a massive win over Sydney on Friday night has the Tasmania faithful bouncing into another high-profile clash.

Captain Clint Steindl lamented the self-inflicted errors made by his side in its high-scoring six-point loss to Perth, and allowed the Kings to score 19 fewer points than the Wildcats had against them just a week before.

Melbourne
82-74 win over Adelaide
82-67 win over South East Melbourne

Tasmania
80-72 win over Sydney
95-101 loss to Perth

Ian Clark

After missing Round 1 with a hamstring issue, Ian Clark looks set to make his Melbourne United debut this week, and how the former NBL and NBA champion adapts to his new side across the whole campaign is an interesting storyline in the team's larger season.

Clark was imperious in the Kings’ title run two seasons ago before, once again, flashing his immense quality while at Adelaide last season. The difference is he joined both those sides mid-season, and now he has a chance to build from the ground up with a new team from day one.

Whether Clark is on any restrictions as he searches for match sharpness in a rolling team remains to be seen, but the clash with Tasmania will likely represent the first step in new colours for one of the NBL’s most storied imports.

"I can’t see how they (Melbourne) shouldn’t be positioned as number one. I thought what they did with the recruiting in the off-season … I can’t’ see anything but them finishing one-two this season. It’s going to run through them and deservedly so." – Kings legend Brad Rosen on NBL Now.

Ian Clark celebrates winning the NBL22 title.

Marcus Lee

In Melbourne United’s fascinating free agency documentary Behind the Blue, it was revealed the club was considering re-signing Marcus Lee for NBL24. With the signing of Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and the continued presence of Ariel Hukporti however, the American centre was allowed to walk and sign for Tasmania.

The fit between Lee and the JackJumpers just feels perfect, but it would be remiss to deny he came in and changed Melbourne’s campaign last season, and his presence in the paint alongside Isaac Humphries helped steady the side’s post-season push.

Lee’s impending battle with both Hukporti and Rob Loe will be an interesting watch, but given how close it seemed United were to re-signing the 29-year-old, it’s almost a case of what might have been.

"I’ve said to Marcus he can be one of the best players in the league. I think he has so much growth and it’s no doubt it’s going to take time. He’s played different roles in his pro career so far than what we’re asking him to play." – JackJumpers assistant Mark Radford to News Corp.

Marcus Lee playing for Melbourne last season.

Shea Ili and Matthew Dellavedova vs Milton Doyle

Milton Doyle has been on fire to start the new season. Hit the scoreboard easily in both games in NBL24, and was instrumental in guiding the team home to victory against a Sydney side that refused to be put away.

This week he faces a brand new prospect though, in the one-two punch of Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili in Melbourne’s backcourt.

Outside of Doyle and Jack McVeigh, the JackJumpers have struggled for consistent scorers. The high-profile pair have combined for over 40 per cent of Tasmania’s points so far this season.

The JackJumpers certainly have a myriad of strong offensive weapons including Jordon Crawford, Anthony Drmic and Majok Deng, but should Ili and Dellavedova find a way to slow down Doyle, someone else will need to step up alongside McVeigh for Tasmania.

Doyle has scored 20 or more points in both of Tasmania’s last two games against United though, so it’s up to Melbourne to switch things up to try and stop the All-NBL First Team nominee.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get a teammate like Milton Doyle, a guy who gets past his man and gives you the bucket on a platter ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/DVzDsz2ypo">pic.twitter.com/DVzDsz2ypo</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1710222539337724245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Melbourne has won its last six home games, with its last home loss coming at the hands of Tasmania in Round 8 last year. Doyle led the way with 23 points.