NBL 2014/15 Round 6: Taipans drop two in a row after Melbourne's second half rout
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#457092982 / gettyimages.com A scintillating second half performance from Melbourne has seen them break their duck against Cairns, winning 91-76 after losing two games to the Taipans earlier this season. The match was predominantly played in half-court sets for the first two quarters, which suited Cairns perfectly. However, coming out of the main break, United flicked the switch and got their running game going as Mark Worthington forced himself to the basket. Jordan McRae and Stephen Dennis followed suit, moving away from their mid-range jumpers and isolation plays. A baseline cut from McRae that led to a two handed dunk exemplified the type of basketball that United’s two imports can play and perhaps this match will give them the confidence to stay away from settling for outside shots. Trailing by 11 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, Melbourne went on to out-score the ladder leaders 52-31 in the second half. They defied a -20 disadvantage in points off turnovers by shooting 53% from the field and hitting 14-28 from the three point line for the match. The Taipans began the game with a clear intention to attack Melbourne’s front court, feeding the ball through Matt Burston who was happy to take the points or be fouled. His interior play helped the Taipans to a 14-6 edge in the paint by quarter-time while their zone defence restricted United from their desired running game. That static offence continued to plague Melbourne in the second term as the deficit drifted to 12 points. Cairns’ ploy to attack the United bigs paid off as Daniel Kickert, Lucas Walker and Chris Patton all fell into foul trouble by half-time. Hitting 4-5 from downtown for the quarter was their only saving grace as they managed to trim Cairns’ lead to 6 by the main break. There were no signs of the Melbourne onslaught that was to come when Cam Gliddon caught fire for the Taipans at the start of the third term. He poured in 10 points in the opening four minutes, showcasing his long range shooting ability while also proving his quickness as he blew by McRae several times. With the shot clock running down, Scottie Wilbeken then hit an off balance three from straight away that banked in off the backboard. That stroke of luck seemed to point towards an inevitable third straight victory over Melbourne but the sudden tempo change turned the game on its head as United christened Margaret Court Arena in style. Speaking of the victory, Coach Darryl McDonald noted the change in game-play after half-time.
NBL 2014/15 Round 6: Taipans drop two in a row after Melbourne's second half rout
NBL 2014/15 Round 6: Taipans drop two in a…
NBL 2014/15 Round 6: Taipans drop two in a row after Melbourne's second half rout
#457092982 / gettyimages.com A scintillating second half performance from Melbourne has seen them break their duck against Cairns, winning 91-76 after losing two games to the Taipans earlier this season. The match was predominantly played in half-court sets for the first two quarters, which suited Cairns perfectly. However, coming out of the main break, United flicked the switch and got their running game going as Mark Worthington forced himself to the basket. Jordan McRae and Stephen Dennis followed suit, moving away from their mid-range jumpers and isolation plays. A baseline cut from McRae that led to a two handed dunk exemplified the type of basketball that United’s two imports can play and perhaps this match will give them the confidence to stay away from settling for outside shots. Trailing by 11 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, Melbourne went on to out-score the ladder leaders 52-31 in the second half. They defied a -20 disadvantage in points off turnovers by shooting 53% from the field and hitting 14-28 from the three point line for the match. The Taipans began the game with a clear intention to attack Melbourne’s front court, feeding the ball through Matt Burston who was happy to take the points or be fouled. His interior play helped the Taipans to a 14-6 edge in the paint by quarter-time while their zone defence restricted United from their desired running game. That static offence continued to plague Melbourne in the second term as the deficit drifted to 12 points. Cairns’ ploy to attack the United bigs paid off as Daniel Kickert, Lucas Walker and Chris Patton all fell into foul trouble by half-time. Hitting 4-5 from downtown for the quarter was their only saving grace as they managed to trim Cairns’ lead to 6 by the main break. There were no signs of the Melbourne onslaught that was to come when Cam Gliddon caught fire for the Taipans at the start of the third term. He poured in 10 points in the opening four minutes, showcasing his long range shooting ability while also proving his quickness as he blew by McRae several times. With the shot clock running down, Scottie Wilbeken then hit an off balance three from straight away that banked in off the backboard. That stroke of luck seemed to point towards an inevitable third straight victory over Melbourne but the sudden tempo change turned the game on its head as United christened Margaret Court Arena in style. Speaking of the victory, Coach Darryl McDonald noted the change in game-play after half-time.