NBL Round 7, news, results: White, Delly, star as Melbourne United beats Oliver-led Sydney Kings

Two huge Jack White threes in the dying seconds has seen Melbourne United serve up a Halloween night treat for its fans in a hard-fought 87-83 victory over the Kings.

Two huge Jack White threes in the dying seconds has seen Melbourne United serve up a Halloween night treat for its fans in a hard-fought 87-83 victory over Sydney Kings at John Cain Arena on Thursday.

The Kings are not spooked by their trips down south, having won five of their past six matches in Melbourne, but United are the Thursday night specialists, making it 11 consecutive wins in that day slot.

United, led by 16 points off the bench from Matthew Dellavedova and 14 each to White and captain Chris Goulding, made it three wins in a row to improve to 7-3 on the season, while the gutsy Kings slumped to a three straight loss to be split at 5-5.

You could sense the importance of the game from the outset with the amount of yapping over calls from both of the benches.

Melbourne United’s Chris Goulding looks to pass the ball. Picture: Getty Images

The coaches were on the money though with both United coach Dean Vickerman and Kings counterpart Brian Goorjian successfully challenging calls in the first quarter.

Despite the stop-start nature of the contest early, the quality and intensity on show was that of two contending teams.

The Kings inserted a small lineup out of the gates, allowing United veteran Rob Loe to rule the airwaves with six first quarter points as United went to quarter time with a 21-20 lead.

Powerful centre Cam Oliver was the first big off the bench for the Kings and he impacted immediately in an 18-point, 16-rebound game.

Oliver had ceded minutes to Keli Leaupepe in recent games and this was a show of faith from Goorjian.

Two of the stars with NBA experience, United forward White and Kings big Xavier Cooks, asserted their influence as the arm wrestle continued in the second quarter.

United stretched its lead out to a game high 10 after 50-gamer Kyle Bowen drained a corner three and veteran Ian Clark scurried up the court to land a triple.

Melbourne United’s Marcus Lee gets up high to rebound the ball. Picture: Getty Images

DEFENSIVE TRICKS

It was United’s squeezing on defence that turned the trajectory of the game with everything the Kings tried becoming contested.

But there was urgency needed for the Kings and they went on an 8-0 run late in the second to breathe life back into the game.

With Cooks taking over, the Kings started to showcase their offensive qualities, zipping the ball around to have United on the back foot, utilising a number of kick outs to find shooters in better position, but it was still United by three at the half.

The Kings came out and asserted themselves in the third with Oliver soaring for a highlight reel dunk.

The best version of Oliver was on show with the 28-year-old American showing effort and intensity.

Cameron Oliver had one of his best games for the Kings. Picture: Getty Images

HEAD CHEF

Cooks continued to play at an MVP level with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, picking up the Kings off the canvas at times.

His dunk early in the fourth restored parity after United had taken a slender three quarter time lead.

With a heavy schedule to start the season, both teams needed to dig deep late and it was becoming a war of attrition with one of United’s most clutch shooters Ian Clark nursing an eye injury and Jaylin Galloway injuring a shoulder, but United clinched it with a pair of threes from White.

Originally published as NBL Round 7, news, results: White, Delly, star as Melbourne United beats Oliver-led Sydney Kings