Double head set for shaking the ladder

ROUND 11 of the National Basketball League (NBL) begins tonight with four teams in action in two exciting duels.

With the action starting late in the afternoon, the rankings are likely to change again as the two matchups represent teams from different areas of the rankings.

In the first game of the day, the New Zealand Breakers host the competition’s best team in Melbourne United on Thursday afternoon. It’s a battle between two of the NBL’s top three teams and a blockbuster start to this round.

United are currently top of the table with a record of eleven wins and three defeats and have thwarted just about every team likely to challenge for that spot. However, their biggest defeat of the season and in recent memory came to the Breakers as New Zealand handed Melbourne a whopping 34-point defeat, their heaviest defeat ever at John Cain Arena.

Positive for United, head coach Dean Vickerman are tactically as good as they come and he will no doubt have guided his team through the recording of this clash and will make the necessary adjustments.

An important factor in this duel will be the absence of Chris Goulding, who is out due to injury. Goulding has been one of the NBL’s best players over the last four weeks, highlighted by a 46-point performance on the eve of the international break. He carried that form over to the Boomers team, where he dropped 19 triples in two games. He will leave a big hole in the team’s rotation and someone else will have to fill the void on offense.

As for the Breakers, it is not confirmed at the time of publication if it is a big man Tacko case will compete after being injured in last week’s loss to the Perth Wildcats. Since the former NBA talent joined the team, New Zealand has struggled to maintain defensive consistency. Whether he hits or misses, expect some changes to the Breakers’ lineup.

The second meeting of the day pits the Tasmania JackJumpers against the Cairns Taipans across the Bass Strait. The JackJumpers have been disappointing in defending their title this season, but appear to have found some life over the last four weeks.

Tasmania’s biggest struggle this season has been the scoring, with a competition-low average of 78 points per game, largely due to the fact that Jack McVeigh, and although these problems have not completely disappeared, Tassie has found a way forward of late , to win. The return of Sean Macdonald has had a big impact on this as he gives the JackJumpers another ball-handling option.

The Taipans currently sit at the bottom of the rankings with three wins and ten losses and appear to be a step behind the rest of the competition. However, Cairns have been competitive in many defeats and have been missing some key players from their squad who are now returning.

An important factor in every Taipans game is Rob Edwards, and the import guard will greatly increase his team’s chances tonight. Edwards is one of the best scorers in the NBL and can decide a game with his own hands if he gets going on offense. So if the JackJumpers find it difficult to contain him, the game could swing in Cairns’ favour.