- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Scores updated regularly. REFRESH NOW
Perth Wildcats vs Melbourne United |
||
|---|---|---|
2017/18 NBL Season, 20 October, 2017 |
||
| Perth Arena, Perth, WA | ||
| Perth Wildcats | Melbourne United | |
| 89 | SCORE | 84 |
| 20 | Q1 | 21 |
| 23 | Q2 | 23 |
| 30 | Q3 | 19 |
| 18 | Q4 | 21 |
Chris Goulding is set to make his return from injury as a stacked Melbourne United roster travel west for a blockbuster with back-to-back champions the Perth Wildcats. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 9:30pm (AEDT).
The star point guard is yet to hit the floor this season, having his appendix taken out on the opening day. However, all reports suggest he will return for the road game, with Casey Prather also likely to play.
Prather, who has been part of the Wildcats last two championships and was a large reason for their dominance, went down with a leg injury last week but is expected to not miss any time for United.
With the two stars on court, Melbourne, who lost to Oklahoma City in the NBLxNBA series by just a point, will be at full strength for the first time this season. Of course, with their loaded roster, it hasn’t slowed them down in the slightest, the club sitting with a perfect 2-0 record.
More impressive is that they have picked up two road wins, going past the Adelaide 36ers in both games. This one is expected to be a much tougher challenge, even if Adelaide have displayed some positive early form.
Perth are also off a 2-0 start to the season, but have had it in a more comfortable fashion with a pair of home games and no major injury complaints.
Matty Knight has been battling, but they have been close to full strength and it’s shown with ten-point wins over the Brisbane Bullets and then Illawarra Hawks in last week’s grand final rematch.
Perth were particularly impressive in defence last week, limiting a Hawks side who at one point had the lead. They put the brakes on in the second half though and will need to do similar against Melbourne, who are rated by many as the most dangerous side in the competition offensively.
Whichever way it goes, the last four games have been decided by three points or less, so expect another close one.
Prediction
This is outrageously difficult to tip. Ordinarily, Melbourne are stronger on paper but there is no tougher trip in the league than this one. With the form of Goulding and Prather an unknown quantity, the back-to-back defending champions are favourites and rightfully so.
We could get some overtime here.
Wildcats by 4.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this all-important Round 3 match from 9:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment below.