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Two 30-point performances from import guard Jordan McRae have lifted Melbourne to two thrilling NBL overtime wins and given them breathing space in the battle for fourth spot.
United led at Wollongong by nine at the last change on Friday and Sydney by 13 in the third quarter in Melbourne on Sunday, but were forced into an extra period in both games.
McRae scored eight points in overtime – connecting on 11 of 16 field-goal attempts in the 103-98 victory over the Hawks, who got 31 from import Gary Ervin.
On Sunday, McRae buried 12 of 19 from the field in a wild 105-101 shootout against Sydney, in which the two teams combined for 29 successful three-pointers.
A hamstring injury prevented Sydney’s star import Josh Childress from playing, but there was no shortage of drama.
Sydney hit the front near the end after overturning a 13-point third quarter deficit, but Melbourne’s Daniel Kickert, who scored 22, hit a late trey to force the game into overtime.
Further long bombs from former King David Barlow and McRae in overtime secured Melbourne the victory and moved them two wins clear of fifth-placed Sydney.
The Kings’ Ben Madgen and Jason Cadee scored 22 and 21 respectively, combining for 11 three-pointers from 18 attempts.
In Sunday’s other game, ladder leaders New Zealand Breakers were handed their heaviest defeat of the campaign and held to their lowest score of the season in an 83-59 drubbing at Cairns.
The Breakers missed all 17 of their three-point attempts and were outrebounded 44-31 by the Snakes.
Earlier in the round, the Breakers scored a 96-84 home win over Townsville, in which Corey Webster notched 21 and Rhys Carter made five of six three-point shots in his 19-point haul.
Cairns hit back against the Breakers after a 90-86 away loss to lowly Adelaide, despite a red-hot shooting performance from Taipans’ import Torrey Craig, who missed just two of his 14 field goal efforts in a 28-point display.
The win over the Breakers lifted Cairns into outright second place over Perth, who lost 78-74 at Sydney on Thursday.
“It’s disappointing that we can’t seem to put four quarters together,” Perth coach Trevor Gleeson said.
It was Sydney’s first win in their past 17 NBL games against the Wildcats.
Perth slashed a 17-point third quarter deficit to two in the final term, but Childress steadied the Kings nerves with a block quickly followed by a basket.
He celebrated the latter with a high-stepping run, which some suggested may have caused his hamstring issue, but he finished that game with 17 points, ten rebounds, seven assists and four blocks.
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