NBL24: Melbourne United import Ian Clark remains sidelined with hamstring injury ahead of clash with Cairns Taipans

Melbourne United has had its full gang together for all of 47 seconds in NBL24. The ladder leaders will have to wait at least another week with a star ruled out. Supercoach users, take note.

Melbourne United star Ian Clark will miss a third consecutive game as the club plays the long game on the import’s gammy right hammy.

The 2017 NBA champion took contact at training this week but was ruled out on Saturday, meaning coach Dean Vickerman has had his full arsenal at his disposal for a grand total of 47 seconds this season.

He remains the final puzzle piece with Matthew Dellavedova cleared to suit up in Sunday’s clash with Cairns after he recovered from a calf strain and trained strongly this week.

Ian Clark took contact in training this week but Melbourne United has taken a cautious approach with its hamstrung star, ruling him out of Sunday's clash with Cairns. Picture: Melbourne United Media

Clark’s flashes of brilliance have been curtailed by a battle with his body — the 32-year-old twinged his hamstring in the pre-season NBL Blitz and missed the first two games of the season. He copped a knock in Round 5 against Tasmania and missed the next game, before returning and reaggravating the hamstring in a November 6 loss to Perth — booting a door in frustration as he went down the race.

United’s lean schedule and the FIBA break mean he’s only missed two games since, but that’s over a month off the floor — His next chance to prove his fitness won’t be until next Sunday, December 10 against Brisbane.

Ian Clark has been brilliant for United when he’s been able to stay on the floor. Picture: Getty Images

Captain Chris Goulding urged his squad to “keep that hunger” that has United sitting top of the NBL table at 10-2, reminding them “we haven’t done anything”.

“There’s teams we haven’t played yet so we need to be as hungry as we were 11-12-13-14 games ago before the pre-season started and keep that momentum going,” Goulding said.

Goulding applauded his team’s role players in stepping up as the club dealt with a raft of injuries to the likes of Clark, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr, Dellavedova and Luke Travers.

“(It’s) going to be a process as guys come back into the line up and we figure out who plays where and who plays more minutes or less minutes,” he said.

“Guys have done a great job of stepping up when they need to and guys have been ready when they come back to come in and impact.”

Chris Goulding is in redhot form for Melbourne United. Picture: Melbourne United Media

Cairns is the only team United is yet to play — and beat — in NBL24. Vickerman got a good look at the Taipans on Friday night as they came home like a tsunami from 20 down with 8.36 to go in the game to fall short of Brisbane by just four points.

“It’s Important we find a way to beat every team in the league,” Vickerman said.

They have fives that can shoot it, (Sam) Waardenburg, (Sam) Menenga, (AK) Gak as well, so that stretches the floor out.

“They just have good size and length around the floor, a lot guys who play multi positions, so (we) try to get the match ups right.”

The Taipans are the equal best team in the league at defending the three-point line, holding opponents to 31.7 per cent from deep.

That length Vickerman mentioned will be a great test for Goulding, who is by far the league’s best three-point shooter — his 52 three-pointers are 17 more than next best Bryce Cotton (35), in one less game — and he’s coming off a stunning 25-point, eight-trey opus against Sydney before the FIBA break.

Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding with members Archer and Oscar Mclauchlan. Picture: Melbourne United Media

It’s United’s member appreciation game on Sunday and the club gave a couple of youngsters Archer and Oscar Mclauchlan the opportunity to ask Goulding a couple of questions, resulting in a cute moment between star and fans.

Member: “How many threes do you think you’ll get on the weekend against Cairns?”

Goulding: “I’m not sure how many, I dare say I’m going to shoot some … hopefully we can get a lot of threes, a lot of dunks but, at the end of the day, as long as we score more than Cairns.”

Member: “Who’s your biggest threat as a defender you’ve ever faced.”

Goulding: “I faced Kevin Durant once at the Olympics. That didn’t go well … for me.”

Originally published as NBL24: Melbourne United import Ian Clark remains sidelined with hamstring injury ahead of clash with Cairns Taipans