Can the Cairns Taipans be the first team to stop the undefeated Melbourne United in this 2015-16 NBL season? Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEDT).
Melbourne United have had an absolutely incredible first third of the season, winning nine from nine games to leave them flying ahead of the rest of the league at the top of the table.
While they have been under pressure a couple of times, they have never really looked like losing by much more than a handful of points, and realistically losing at all.
Chris Goulding already has his name in the ring as a possible league MVP for the season. He has been on absolute fire with his shooting, which is just off the charts. Averaging over 20 points per game and sitting in the top five for that stat, his ball movement and defence has also been fantastic.
While he has been the best player for United, he has been backed up superbly by big men Majok Majok and Daniel Kickert. Majok in particular has been fantastic on the glass, averaging over 10 per game.
Melbourne’s last game of course was that controversial one point victory over the New Zealand Breakers last Sunday.
The Taipans, last year’s runners up have been inconsistent, and well below their best so far this season. They currently sit sixth on the ladder, having won three of their eight games. While that is below a 50 per cent winning percentage, they are right in with the pack, as only two games separates second and sixth place at this stage of the season.
Mark Worthington has been their best player, although when Markel Starks gets going his shooting can be as good, if not better than that of Goulding. Starks of course, hit that massive three point shot against the Adelaide 36ers to grab a last second victory.
The Taipans really need to increase their inside presence if they hope to match it with United, who are one of the strongest rebounding teams in the competition.
Prediction: As good as the Taipans have proven to be at various points this season, particularly when under pressure – United have too many shooters and their all round game is just too good.
United by 8.
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Preview written by Scott Pryde
Josh
Expert
Go Taipans! Big win.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Great win for the Taipans. Wasn't expecting that
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Goodnight for now and thank you for joint me tonight, join us tomorrow night for Adelaide 36ers and Townsville crocs from Adelaide
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
NBL ladder after tonight: Melbourne United 9-1 Perth Wildcats 6-4 N Z Breakers 5-4 Adelaide 36ERS 4-5 ------------------------------ Illawarra Hawks 4-5 Cairns Taipans 4-5 Sydney Kings 3-7 Townsville crocs 3-7
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Game wrap. The bubble has burst at Melbourne United following there 12 point loss to the impressive cairns taipans in cairns. Former United player Mark Worthington got the Taipans off to a fast start and led at quarter time 30-18, United were clearly struggling especially trying to hit the trade mark three's. Second quarter was more like the United we know when they bounced out and won the quarter 27-13 to take a narrow 45-43 lead into half time, superstar player Chris Goulding was having a night to forget but he wasn't alone to half time. After a bake from the coach the taipans took control in the third and put United under a supreme amount of pressure as Melbourne only scored 7 points for the whole third quarter as there poor shooting continued, taipans were able to get 18 to take a 61-52 lead into the final break. United just couldn't get it going all night and continued to shoot poorly with Goulding ending the night with just 7 points, holt and Kickert led the way with 17 apiece but United lowered there colours to a pumped up taipans at home 70-82, for the taipans it was cam Gliddon with 18 and Markel Starks with 16 who led the charge. Big win for the Taipans who certainly come to play with plenty of intensity and passion and got the win at home. Cairns Taipans 82 Melbourne United 70
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Cairns Taipans 82 Defeated Melbourne United 70
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Cairns Taipans STARTERS FG REB AS ST BS PTS C. Gliddon (C) 5-12 8 2 0 0 18 M. Starks 7-18 2 4 0 0 16 S. Weigh 1-4 6 3 1 0 5 M. Burston 2-5 6 0 2 1 8 M. Worthington 3-10 10 1 1 0 9 BENCH FG REB AS ST BS PTS T. Craig 3-7 7 4 1 2 6 D. Heuir 1-2 0 1 0 0 3 S. Bruce 2-4 1 1 0 0 4 W. Sinclair 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Tragardh 2-7 3 2 0 2 6 A. Fisher 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Loughton 2-4 3 0 0 0 7 TEAM TOTALS 28-73 46 18 5 5 82 Coach: Aaron Fearne Points from Turnovers: 10 Points in the Paint: 32 Assistant: Gordon McLeod, Jamie Pearlman Second Chance Points: 7 Fast Break Points: 0Melbourne United STARTERS FG REB AS ST BS PTS S. Holt 5-21 4 4 0 0 17 T. Blanchfield 7-13 9 1 0 0 16 D. Kickert 6-12 7 3 1 0 17 M. Majok 2-5 14 0 0 0 4 C. Goulding 2-12 3 1 1 0 7 BENCH FG REB AS ST BS PTS I. Hadziomerovic 3-4 1 0 1 0 7 C. Patton 0-0 1 0 0 0 0 N. Tomlinson 0-1 0 1 0 0 0 B. Hill 0-1 0 0 0 0 0 G. Jackson 1-1 1 0 0 0 2 TEAM TOTALS 26-70 40 10 3 0 70 Coach: Dean Demopoulos Points from Turnovers: 9 Points in the Paint: 26 Assistant: Simon Mitchell, Mike Kelly Second Chance Points: 6 Fast Break Points: 0 Commisioner: Referees: Legend POS: Position Played, MIN Minutes Played, FG: Field Goals, FG%: Field Goal Percentage, 3P: 3 Point Field Goals, 3%: 3 Point Percentage, FT: Free Throws, FT%: Free Throw %, OFF: Offensive Rebounds, DEF: Defensive Rebounds, REB: Total Rebounds, AS: Assists, TO: Turnovers, ST: Steals, BS: Blocked Shots, PF: Fouls, PTS: Total Points, EFF: Efficiency, ▌ On Court
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Summary Game Summary Cairns Taipans Melbourne United 28/73 (38%) Field Goals 26/70 (37%) 9/26 (34%) 3 Points 11/32 (34%) 17/21 (80%) Free Throws 7/17 (41%) 46 Rebounds 40 18 Assists 10 5 Steals 3 5 Blocks 0 7 Turnovers 7 14 (15) Fouls (Fouls On) 16 (13) 32 Points in the Paint 26 7 Second Chance Points 6 10 Points off Turnovers 9Scoring DevelopmentCairns Taipans Melbourne United
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Great win tonight by the taipans as they served it up to Melbourne United in front of a big crowd in cairns tonight. Thank you for joining me for this big game, please leave your comments and continue to follow this amazing NBL basketball season on the roar sports. Good night for now and game wrap to come.
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Cam Gliddon the MVP of the game tonight
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Weigh blocks Kickert. Missed three Gliddon. Game over. Taipans best United 82-70. Cairns Taipans 82 Melbourne United 70 Time left Final scores
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
United ball. Kickert missed three. Gliddon fouled. Too the line. Hits both. Cairns Taipans 82 Melbourne United 70 Time left 30.0 Quarter 4th
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
United call time out
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Inbound taipans. Gliddon missed three. Craig with the board. Starks to the line. Hits both. Cairns Taipans 80 Melbourne United 70 Time left 43.0 Quarter 4th
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Full time out
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Free throws to Gliddon. Gets both. Holt down the floor Holt hits a two at the basket and fouled. Hits s Fred throw. Cairns Taipans 78 Melbourne United 70 Time left 1.15 Quarter 4th
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Taipans down the floor Turnover. Blanchfield gets a two. Cairns Taipans 76 Melbourne United 65 Time left 1.29 Quarter 4th
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
United are battling tonight, taipans in full control
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Goulding draws a foul. Free throws to come. Missed first . Missed second. Starks missed two. Blanchfield hits a three. Turnover. Blanchfield missed two. Starks missed a three. Travel on holt. Cairns Taipans 76 Melbourne United 65 Time left 1.41 Quarter 4th
Jason Dowlin
Roar Guru
Holt missed three. Goulding gets fouled. Inbound United. Turnover. Goulding steals it back and fouled. Inbound United. Kickert gets a three. Starks missed two. Holt missed two. Gliddon gets a big threeeeeeeee. Cairns Taipans 76 Melbourne United 62 Time left 3 Quarter 4th