After starting the NBL season with a win, championship favourites Melbourne United will face an even bigger challenge when they head to the USA for a match with Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 6am (AEDT).
The Thunder have had a big off-season. After Westbrook single-handedly got them to the playoffs last year, taking out the NBA MVP award, he has plenty of support for the season ahead.
Oklahoma has done beautifully in the transfer window, acquiring the services of both Paul George and Carmello Anthony. While Westbrook missed their opening game of the pre-season, a loss to the Houston Rockets, he is due on the floor to play Melbourne.
The Thunder are playing in a loaded Western Conference this year and will want to be on from the get go as they attempt to reign in the all-conquering Golden State Warriors.
United, on the other hand are the NBL championship favourites. They have acquired maybe the best ever starting group in the history of the competition, with Chris Goulding, Casey Prather, Casper Ware, Josh Boone and Boomer David Andersen on the floor.
While point guard Goulding is out injured for this match, they still have a strong line-up under new coach Dean Vickerman.
It took some time for that to all gel in the season opener though, as they struggled to put the Adelaide 36ers away in a high scoring 99-97 victory, coming back through the second half.
This NBLxNBA series is about making history though, rather than the results for the NBL. A win for one of the visiting teams, after travelling halfway around the world would be an enormous upset, and that was shown last week.
In the opener of the three-match series, the Sydney Kings took on the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, with the Jazz taking a 25-point win after being 19 ahead at the quarter-time break.
Prediction
The hosts are quite obviously going to skip away with a big victory, but United, like the Kings before them should fight tooth and nail all the way.
Thunder by 21.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this NBLxNBA match from 6am (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment throughout the course of the coverage.
Swampy
Guest
RESPECT Just for the fact the starters all played 30 minutes plus and PG and Adams had to stay on the floor til the end was a win enough for me. Melbourne played smart. Executed well. Ran pick and rolls and two man games exceptionally well. Cuts off the ball were timed well. They only really struggled when they tried to take their man and generally ran into a wall of long arms at the hoop. Defence was excellent - so many times forcing long twos or bad threes with the shot clock going down. As for OKC, it still concerns me that they relied on individual isolation plays rather than any structured play. Melo looked a weapon off ball spotting up but OKC just didn't seem to have any plays that worked him opportunities. George was all iso. Russ was Russ and ware guarded him very well. I think Billy D gets boned at the All-Star break.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this morning on The Roar for our live coverage of this NBLxNBA series as Melbourne United almost upstaged the Oklahoma City Thunder, only going down by a point. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. Next up, the Brisbane Bullets take on the Phoenix Suns. We will have that match on Saturday afternoon from 1pm (AEDT) for you. Before then, the NBL season continues. Our Round 2 game of the week will be the Perth Wildcats taking on the Illawarra Hawks at 9:30pm (AEDT) on Friday. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Yeah not wrong Conks. Awesome match.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
The pleasing thing about that for Melbourne is that Carmello Anthony, Paul George and Russell Westbrook all spent more than half an hour on the court.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, that's a mighty fine effort from Melbourne. It might be the pre-season, but they were picked apart at times during that game by Melbourne. Plenty of issues on both ends of the court for them to sort out before the season tips off in just a little bit over a week.
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
The reaction from the Thunder said it all....they were pushed big time. Might have earned Westbrook's respect now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Oklahoma defend this last play of the game superbly. Prather has it from the baseline and looks to score, but the ball is rejected, goes to ground and the Thunder come up with it. That'll do it, but Melbourne United. What an effort. What a representation of the NBL and Australian Basketball. Without Chris Goulding, and on a single day preparation, they have almost upstaged the Oklahoma City Thunder. What a game. Oklahoma City Thunder - 86 Melbourne United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' From the inboud, it's Ware with control. Inside the final 10 seconds and Ware goes across the paint to Boone! He shoots, but what a rejection! 5.2 on the clock. Melbourne ball. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Following the missed three, United have the shot clock turned off. They have the ball and a chance to win it right here. Down 1. 15 seconds to go and here's a timeout! Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' The Thunder now through Christon and they are putting heaps of pressure on here. Shot clock running down and Goegre misses a three. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Melbourne with a huge possession right here. From the inbound it's Ware controlling, then going on the drive. He finds Wesley in the corner who misses, before the Thunder tip it out of bounds. From the next, it's Ware at the top, looking for a pick and roll with Boone, but he turns it over. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Melbourne call timeout. Important possession coming up right here. They trail by 1 with 70 seconds on the clock. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Paul George now misses a three from the left wing, before Melbourne go into Andersen and he kicks it to the corner for Prather, but he misses. Offensive board, Ware misses, then it's Prather with a board and he is fouled. Prather to the line, but it wasn't on the shot apparently. Paul George has five fouls. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' United around the arc from Boone to Ware and he misses, but it's Andersen there for the layup and he puts it back up and in on the reverse. Thunder - 86 United - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Prather, Boone, Ware! He sinks a three and now has 20. George misses from deep. Thunder - 86 United - 83
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Adams misses the extra. Thunder - 86 United - 80
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Thunder working through Paul George, then it's Christon to Ferguson who misses a three. Offensive board for Steven Adams and he goes back up, drawing the foul and making the shot. Things just starting to get away from Melbourne now. Thunder - 86 United - 80
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Adams gets it back to a two-possession game for the Thunder here, before George tips a pass out of bounds. Now it's Prather to Andersen, but he fires an air ball three which heads out over the baseline. Thunder - 84 United - 80
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' United with it through Prather at the top and he is rejected, but gets it back with Ware then missing a three. Thunder - 82 United - 80