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Melbourne United have recorded an important 10 point victory over the Sydney Kings in the opening game of round 13.
Coming into the game off the back of a win against the Perth Wildcats United were looking to consolidate their top four position and build some momentum into their season, which they were able to do running away with the game during the second half.
Daniel Kickert lead United with 26 points not missing a shot. Chris Goulding was also solid with 19 points while Stephen Holt had nine assists.
On return from injury, Josh Childress was the game high scorer with 27. He added to his tally with eight rebounds. Apart from a few notable inputs from Angus Brandt and Tom Garlepp though, he played a lone hand for the Kings.
Final score
Sydney Kings 90
Melbourne United 100
With Josh Childress back on the floor, the Sydney Kings are out to cause another massive upset when they host Melbourne United, who are clinging onto their top-four position. Join The Roar for live scores from 7:30pm (AEDT).
The Kings’ injury-ravaged, season which has them sitting in last place, finally showed signs of life in recent weeks, despite still losing a majority of their matches.
That trend was bucked though just two weeks ago when they travelled to Melbourne and turned on one of the upsets of the season, taking the win by 15.
Childress now returns after another long injury lay-off, just in time to take on fellow former NBA star Hakim Warrick. Despite Childress’ lack of court time and match fitness, this is still shaping as the key battle of the game.
Each player brings immense experience to their respective teams, and their skill sets can’t be questioned.
Since the two sides met last time, the Kings have suffered losses to the Illawarra Hawks and New Zealand Breakers, while United suffered a loss to the Adelaide 36ers and then beat the Perth Wildcats.
The win against the Wildcats was massive for United, as it helped stop their slide. Having lost seven of their last nine going into that game, and dropping to third on the ladder, there looked to be a serious threat of them falling out of the top four. The win alleviates some of that fear.
Both teams have had a similar problem with offensive creativity this season. For the Kings, it has lasted the whole season, while for United it has really only set in throughout their last ten or so games – in simple terms, throughout their dramatic fall from the top of the table.
United need to get creative in offence, as the Kings have a strong defensive structure under new coach Joe Connelly, which will only improve with Childress back on the floor.
Chris Goulding and Stephen Holt will take on Jason Cadee and Marcus Thornton in the creativity department, and whichever duo does better should see their team take the win.
Prediction
The Kings look stronger, so expect them to compete with United right throughout the match, before losing it down the stretch.
United by 5.
Join The Roar for live coverage of this clash from 7:15pm (AEDT), and don’t forget to comment if you’re following along with the action.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde