Warrick back on a 2 game losing streak. Im going to go with the mini upset and say United by 8.

All the "floppy43" haters would've loved that play just before half time haha

How are the breakers allowed to have a band play while the opposition shoots free throws!! Every other stadium has silence and relies on the crowd. Cheap tricks.

Goulding throws up some absolute trash.

Maybe United are not as good as we think. Heading for 3rd loss in a row, and should have lost previously to Breakers, and possibly to the Wildcats if we'd played with half a brain down the stretch.

The true test was always going to be how United played once everyone had the chance to scout them and see what they could do. And the true test was always going to be if Melb had a plan B on nights when threes weren't falling.

It's a long season but today shows that NZ becomes the clear favourite for now at least.

Interesting United have definitely lost that invincibility I thought they had. Kept to 69 yikes! Pressure now mounts that bit more. The NBL season is well and truly alive.

Corey Webster with a huge game.
39 points at 52% and 7/9 from behind the arc and played just under 39 minutes.
The only other Breaker in double figures was Ced Jackson with 10 points.

A combined defensive effort from Webster and Abercrombie kept Chris Goulding to just 19 points at just 37% and 0/7 from behind the arc.

NZ won the rebound count 30/36 but Melbourne surprisingly beat out NZ on the O Boards 14/13.

Melbourne have now dropped 3 in a row (should have been 4) and aren't as invincible as everyone thought. They have Perth and NZ breathing down their necks on the ladder and face a road trip up to Townsville in Round 8 which won't be a cake walk.

NZ head to Perth to see if they can do it on the road but they will be very happy with how they closed out this game and went 2/0 for the round.

Is Webster the best player in the league right now (barring Childress who hasn't been playing)? He has to be close.

Well done again to the New Zealand national team!

Baller
Relevant?

NZ have a special one in Webster. Said it when he went to NBA, he is as good as an import for them. If he stays in the NBL will be highest paid guy within a few seasons. So much confidence and ability to follow through with it.

As good as an import, that's a real old school comment, love it! If he was 6'5 he'd a be a starter in the NBA, but he's 6'1 so we get the pleasure of watching him here!

Anon, you do realise the Breakers have six guys from the NZ national team?

Surely no ones surprised Melbourne have come back to the pack? They have good talent and started well with a great draw but they've always had defensive and rebounding weaknesses, which show up when the shots stop dropping.

NZ and Perth are the benchmarks in this league every year and its no different this season. The good news or Melbourne is those two have back-to-back games so someone has to lose!

Shame the refs let this one be so physical, just let it amplify throughout the game, which stopped it being a great spectacle. Oh well, the result certainly makes the race for top spot interesting.

Did I say six played at the World Cup? Vukona, Abercrombie, Bartlett, Webster and Te Rangi all played in their most recent tournament against Australia and Pledger missed through injury.

Pledger also missed the WC through injury and Te Rangi wasn't available due to his legal proceedings, but all six of those guys are in NZ's best team.

"Pledger not national team worthy?? When healthy he is our second best center behind Adams"

Agreed Anon, Alex Pledger's actually our 1st choice Centre (when healthy) until Adams actually makes himself available for National duties.
For the Anon above you to say he's not up to standard either shows he's a Troll or has absolutely no idea.

As I always say, if Corey had Tai's body, he would be a legitimate NBA player in the rotation.

Anon is obviously grabbing at straws after realising he/she hadn't done any research on the matter.

Te Rangi was a revelation on the Euro/China tour this year and played the fifth most minutes in the Oceania series, scoring 17p in 32mins against Australia. That's reasonably worthy.

Bartlett has become and important spark off the bench for the TB's, scoring 13p in 22mins in the Oceania series. He played important cameos in the two wins on the trot that put NZ through to the knockout rounds at the WC too.

As for Pledger, across six major FIBA tournaments from 2008-2013 his per 40 minute stats are 16p and 13r. He was 3rd in rebounding and 2nd in o-boards at the 2012 Olympic qualifying tournament. That's reasonably worthy.

mystro - NZ only had fewer offensive boards because they had fewer opportunities. They did marginally better than Melbourne for the opportunities they had.

NZ won 13/43 offensive rebound opportunities = 30%
Melbourne won 14/50 offensive rebound opportunities = 28%

"Is Webster the best player in the league right now (barring Childress who hasn't been playing)? He has to be close."

On his day he is, but in seven games back he's had three really good games, two decent games and two poor ones so I wouldn't put him clear of the field just yet. Certainly one of the best though.

"mystro - NZ only had fewer offensive boards because they had fewer opportunities. They did marginally better than Melbourne for the opportunities they had.

NZ won 13/43 offensive rebound opportunities = 30%
Melbourne won 14/50 offensive rebound opportunities = 28%"

thanks Peter, yeah I guess it's hard to get offensive boards when the opposition are plucking the ball out of the net.