Chris Goulding inspires Melbourne United to late win over Adelaide to strengthen home court hopes
Melbourne United has tightened its grip on claiming home-court advantage for the NBL post-season following an inspired two-point win over Adelaide 36ers.
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Melbourne United has tightened its grip on claiming home-court advantage for the NBL postseason following an inspired two-point win over Adelaide 36ers.
The usual suspects did the damage, with Chris Goulding and Casper Ware coming up big in the clutch moments down the stretch to keep the dream of a top-two finish alive with an 89-87 victory in Adelaide.
The reigning champions could yet finish on top of the NBL standings with wins over Cairns and Perth, should the Wildcats and Sydney Kings both lose.
United trailed at every stage on Sunday as Anthony Drmic (early) and Nathan Sobey (late) sparked the 36ers, who face the prospect of having to win in Perth this week just to make the playoffs.
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A vintage Goulding jumper tied the game after United went into the last term with a four-point deficit, and the captain struck again, a finger roll lay-up putting the visitors in front with 42 seconds on the clock.
Ware iced the contest seconds later after DJ Kennedy stripped Sobey of the ball and won back possession under the 36ers ring.
Goulding brushed aside the relentless booing he received from 36ers fans, thrilled to get a season-defining win in Adelaide.
“I’ve got to the point in my career where it honestly doesn’t bother me one way or another,” Goulding said.
“That’s a good headspace to be going into gyms and knowing when the game is on the line it’s just like any other basketball game.
“I don’t go there as I’m dribbling the ball thinking about them booing me.”
Goulding, who combined with Casper Ware to sink the 36ers with clutch buckets late in yesterday’s win, said United has a multi-pronged attack is comfortable taking the “big shot”.
“We got a lot of guys on our team that have been you could say ‘the man’ on teams before so when it’s time to shoot a big shot or get the ball and put some pressure on the rim we got a lot of guys that are comfortable doing that,” Goulding said.
Goulding has been a revelation in the second half of the season, having an impact off United’s bench.
The Melbourne and Australia sharpshooter has embraced the previously unfamiliar sixth-man role following “conversations” with teammates about what is best for the club’s bid for back-to-back NBL crowns.
It won’t appear in the stats, but United’s effort at the defensive end and self-belief to keep peppering the basket was the difference between the two teams.
Adelaide big man David Johnson had a chance to make it a one possession game with six seconds to go but failed under immense pressure from United’s rim protector Josh Boone.
Ware dropped a game-high equal 20 points despite operating only in spurts, going at 7-18 from the field and 4-9 from the three-point territory.
But NBL legend Steve Carfino praised both Ware and United hanging tough as the 36ers mounted nine and 10-point buffers during a first-half shootout.
“His jumper has looked raggedy the whole game,” Fox Sports broadcaster Carfino said. “When it matters most, he just dials it in.”
United secured the pulsating come-from-behind win with strong defensive efforts and stops, especially in the first half as Drmic, who finished with a career-high 20 points, went berserk.
Ware and Kennedy combined for six of United’s 10 steals.
The adjustment was made yesterday, just two restless nights’ sleep after gifting Andrew Bogut’s Sydney Kings 17 turnovers, as Melbourne protected the ball with purpose in Adelaide.
United committed just three turnovers, including two inside 65 seconds at the end of the third term.
In comparison, the 36ers coughed up the ball on 14 occasions, which resulted in 22 points conceded from turnovers alone.
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