THE National Basketball League (NBL) kicked off their third round of the 2021/22 season last night, with the Sydney Kings travelling to John Cain Arena to take on Melbourne United. The two sides first faced off in round 1, where the Kings were able to grind out a terrific win and start their season in style. The outcome was reversed this time around, with United producing one of the most dominant wins we have seen so far this season. It was a commanding four-quarter performance from the reigning premiers, as they claimed their first victory of their NBL22 campaign and finally begin their quest to claim consecutive titles, winning 89-47.

The result of the match was never in doubt, with the Kings unable to get themselves on the scoreboard for the better part of the first term. United started the match on a 26-0 run, as Sydney could simply not find the bottom of the net. Their reliance on the three-point shot ended up being their downfall, with their opponents punishing them on the inside. While the Kings put up more of a fight in the final three terms, they could not bounce back from the 34-5 opening term which essentially sealed the result of the game, with the side held to their lowest score in club history. In this article, we take a look at some of the crucial team and player statistics from the match that likely had an effect on the result of the match.

Team Stats:

It was a commanding performance from Melbourne United, who dominated almost every key stat on their way to the biggest win of the current season. However, this may have more to do with the Kings than United, who failed in just about every category. In what may be the most disappointing performance in this category by any team this year, the Kings made just 5 of their 36 shot attempts from behind the three-point line.

They backed their ability in this area to lead them to victory, however this was not the case, and when their long-range shooting came to a standstill, they did not have much of a leg to stand on, and it ultimately ruled them out of the match. The only positives for Sydney would be their ability to get to the free throw line, and trimming down their turnovers, which was an issue in the opening week.

For United, there is not much to complain about, with pure dominance in most key categories. While they did not set the world on fire in their shooting, it was still enough to keep them ahead of a lacklustre opponent. They crashed the boards and worked hard on the defensive end to keep themselves ahead of their rival.

Top Points Scorers:

United’s Agada earned Player of the Match honours, with the guard scoring a game high 21 points, making half of his shots from the field. He also pulled down seven boards in a terrific outing for the 27-year-old. Star teammate Goulding was strong in his return from a hamstring injury. After missing the first two matches of the season, the team captain finished with 13 points and was able to show the damage he can cause on the offensive end of the court when given the opportunity. For the Kings, Cooks performed strongly despite the loss, finishing with 12 points and six rebounds in an admirable effort.