NBL: Why bogey team Cairns Taipans have been so hard for Melbourne United to tame

In an NBL peculiarity, league heavyweight Melbourne United have been beaten by the Cairns Taipans in five of their last six meetings. United coach Dean Vickerman is determined to end the Snakes’ hex.

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman is wary of the challenge his side’s history with Cairns poses. Picture: Getty Images

NBL powerhouse Melbourne is facing its toughest challenge, at least statistically, as it prepares to welcome its legion of fans into John Cain Arena for the first time in NBL25.

Cairns Taipans have become Melbourne’s regular season bogey team, winning five of their six meetings in the past two campaigns — and all three last season, despite United’s top-of-the-table finish.

The Taipans accounted for 37.5 per cent of United’s eight losses last season, a problem coach Dean Vickerman says the club has put plenty of time into in the season wash up.

“We didn’t beat them last year and it was something in the review of the season that we really dug pretty deep into,” Vickerman said.

“What was it that didn’t allow us to beat Cairns? So hopefully the three or four things that out of that review we do better.”

United was the second-best defensive team in the NBL last season, holding teams to 87.6 points per game, but Taipans coach Adam Forde’s team shredded them for 102.3 points per contest, including a season-high 115 in December.

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman is wary of the challenge his side’s history with Cairns poses. Picture: Getty Images

At the other end, the Taipans’ stifling defence held United to just 27.9 per cent from deep (down from 36 per cent on the season) including just 78 in a New Year’s Eve loss.

United had fewer than 12 assists just once last season — you guessed it, 8, against the Taipans.

There’s only three players left from United’s last win over the Taipans in December 2022: Chris Goulding, Shea Ili and Marcus Lee, who left to win a championship with Tasmania and returned this season. Only Sam Waardenburg and Jonah Antonio remain from that 81-84 Taipans’ loss.

The personnel has changed significantly but Vickerman is acutely aware of the danger that remains under the tough-as-nails Forde, whose team heads into Sunday’s clash on a two-game winning streak, having accounted for Adelaide, then champions Tasmania in the return of point guard Taran Armstrong — who shredded the JackJumpers for a career-high 20 points on 9-10 from the field, to go with 5 assists and 4 rebounds.

“(They’re) playing really good basketball and Fordey is a hell of a coach,” Vickerman said.

“Any time you beat the JackJumpers it’s a good win … now they get Armstrong back.”

Forde isn’t buying into his team’s dominance over United.

“It’s a new group, new season, we’re not trying to do anything else other than what’s in the present moment, what’s in front of us right now,” Forde said.

The Taipans enter Sunday’s clash with United on a high. Picture: Getty Images

“I know it sounds cliche, old coaching terms, but … we go to Melbourne, we can sit there and talk about how we’re three and zip against them last year and then get absolutely pumped by 30.

“We’ve got to roll into a hostile environment and play a really good basketball team.

“We’re going into a tough venue in Melbourne and, like Tassie, they’re the gold standard in a sense of disciplined basketball.”

United has just the one blemish from four road games this season — against their nemesis Tasmania — and flies home from Perth on the back of a remarkable demolition where they held the Wildcats to just 68 points in a 29-point demolition — and into news of record membership that could top 6000 by season’s end and a likely Sunday sellout.

“We just look forward to playing the game on Sunday, this first four games we’re on the road so we really want to treat our fans and get back in there and play well,” Vickerman said.

United will welcome back Olympian Matthew Dellavedova after he missed Friday night’s win over the Wildcats, celebrating the arrival of the newest member of the Dellavedova family.

Armstrong is relishing the opportunity to go up against one of his childhood heroes.

“I grew up watching Delly and have followed his journey for a long time and even last year he was a step above a lot of the other point guards respectfully,” Armstrong said.

“His physicality and his leadership and the qualities that he brings is something that I can see myself doing and trying to implement into my game.

“It’s going to be a great challenge and I’m really excited for it.”

United star Matthew Dellavedova returns after missing Friday night’s win over Perth. picture: Getty Images

Taran Armstrong is excited to do battle with a childhood hero in Delly. Picture: Getty Images

MELBOURNE UNITED (FOURTH, 3-1) V CAIRNS TAIPANS (SIXTH, 2-1)

Sunday, 2.30pm AEST, John Cain Arena

UNITED

Coach: Dean Vickerman

Projected starting 5

Matthew Dellavedova

Shea Ili

Ian Clark

Jack White

Rob Loe

Key man: Ian Clark

Clark was a man possessed against Perth, shredding the Wildcats for 12 first-quarter points on his way to a game-high 25 on five triples. The NBA champion is one of the best shooters in the league and is coming off his best performance of the season.

TAIPANS

Coach: Adam Forde

Projected starting 5

Taran Armstrong

Rob Edwards

Pedro Bradshaw

Tanner Groves

Sam Waardenburg

Key man: Sam Waardenburg

Rob Edwards has been one of the better imports of the early season and Taran Armstrong returned with a bang but Cairns success might just rest on their unique giant sharpshooter. Getting the mix of crashing the glass while causing havoc with his unguardable deep shooting will be vital.

Originally published as NBL: Why bogey team Cairns Taipans have been so hard for Melbourne United to tame