THE 2023/24 National Basketball League (NBL) Championship Series continues this evening, with Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers set to resume hostilities at John Cain Arena.

The JackJumpers levelled the series with an impressive comeback victory in Tasmania on Friday night, and looked improved over their disappointing showing in game one.

Now the matchup returns to Melbourne, where United had their way this time last Sunday, so Tasmania will need to be even better if it is to knock off a dangerous opponent.

Melbourne United (1st) vs. Tasmania JackJumpers (3rd)

John Cain Arena
Sunday, March 24 @5:30pm

The Championship Series is well and truly alive after Tasmania made proceedings sit at one game apiece with a crucial win over the Bass Strait. The race for the championship will likely come down to which side can win on the road first, so an upset would be crucial for the JackJumpers.

LAST GAME

History looked as if it was going to repeat itself in game two, after the JackJumpers once again found themselves in a 15-point hole and looked in serious danger of letting another game slip away. Melbourne was playing at an excellent level in front of a hostile crowd, and certainly had the star power to finish the job. However, Tasmania showed resilience at MyState Bank Arena and made the right adjustments to claim a thrilling five-point win.

THE TEAMS

United will not be too fazed by their loss in Tasmania on Friday, as they still showed the capability to get into a match-winning position on the road. Although they coughed up the lead in the end, United will be favourites going into this match after a dominant performance at John Cain Arena last week. If Melbourne can find the mindset to maintain the high level of play that helped it to a big win in game one and a significant lead in game two, it will be tough to stop.

Game two was a defining moment for the JackJumpers, as it would have likely been season over had they lost at home before heading to Melbourne’s home court for game three. The result will have placed a high level of belief in the NBL’s newest team, and will give them a bit of momentum heading into an intimidating clash at John Cain Arena. Scott Roth ensured his side’s offence kept rolling despite a big deficit on the scoreboard, and a similar level of adjustment will be required today. If the JackJumpers do manage to pull off the boilover, heading back to MyState Bank Arena with a 2-1 lead would be massive.

KEY PLAYERS

Despite having an outstanding postseason to date, star point guard Matthew Dellavedova had a very quiet performance in game two. The NBA Champion posted just six points on 3/12 shooting from the field and 0/5 shooting from behind the arc. He has shown what he is capable of with a record-breaking 30-point, 10-assist performance a few weeks ago, so if he can recapture that form, it makes Melbourne a tougher task defensively.

It was not his most efficient outing, but Milton Doyle got the job done in game two when his side needed it most. With the series essentially on the line, the guard delivered a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, but shot just 5/15 from the field. He has built himself a reputation as a big game player, and if he get Tassie over the line on the road, it could be a pivotal moment in the series.

PREDICTION

Melbourne United by 10 points.