ONE OF the most exciting nights on the National Basketball League (NBL) calendar, Melbourne United will welcome the Tasmania JackJumpers to an open-roof John Cain Arena for a game that is always a spectacle.

The NBL’s open-air clash will see Tasmania lock horns with Melbourne under the night sky, and adding to the intrigue of it all is an exciting matchup between two sides with plenty of history. The most memorable being the 2024 NBL Championship Series, which saw the JackJumpers take home the ultimate prize, and there have been some thrilling contests since then.

Now, the two sides will lock horns for an engaging battle, with both teams looking for a win as they battle for position inside the top six, and with the second half of the fixture well and truly underway, it could be a vital result.

Melbourne United vs. Tasmania JackJumpers

MyState Bank Arena
Tuesday, December 23 @ 7:30pm

United claimed a crucial bounce-back win over the Illawarra Hawks over the weekend in what may be a turning point for the remainder of their season. Following 10 wins from 10 games to start the fixture, United went on a form slump, and lost top spot to the Adelaide 36ers as a result in a poor drop off from the previous title favourites.

However, Melbourne got the job done over the reigning champions, and it was the type of performance that United delivered in the start of the season when they were the most feared matchup in the NBL. If they can get back to their best for the remainder of the home and away fixture, it may spell trouble for opposition teams.

Following the loss of Shea Ili to a hamstring injury, there is a big hole in United’s lineup, particularly on the defensive end, where Ili is one of the best in the business. Tasmania has an import in Bryce Hamilton who is capable of getting off the chain, so someone will need to closely check him. Next Star Dash Daniels was given the role of shutting down Tyler Harvey last week, and may be asked to do something similar with Hamilton tonight.

The JackJumpers have gotten some key names back in recent weeks, which has seen the team make a charge into the top six of late, which is crucial given there is not a whole heap of the home and away season remaining. However, it is a tight tussle between Tasmania and the New Zealand Breakers for that sixth spot, so every result matters.

After claiming a pair of impressive wins the weekend prior, the JackJumpers had their winning streak broken when they fell to the Perth Wildcats down in Tasmania on Sunday afternoon. Now in the midst of a short turnaround – this is the second of their three games in six days – Tassie will be looking to waste no time getting back on the winners’ list.

The JackJumpers have a lot of important players on their roster, but none more so than Will Magnay, with the big man crucial to the team’s production on both ends of the floor. He was in foul trouble early against Perth and Tasmania suffered as a result. Tonight he will be facing off against Jesse Edwards, who is a dominant force in his own right, so if he can stay out of foul trouble, it will go a long way to getting the JackJumpers a big win.