Melbourne United vs Perth Wildcats Tips - Wildcats to stay alive in NBL Finals

Melbourne United will play the Perth Wildcats in game no.3 of their best-of-five NBL Finals on Friday, June 25. Having won the first two matches in this series, Melbourne are just one win away from winning their second NBL championship in the last three seasons. Perth must win Friday’s game to stay alive in these finals. 

Melbourne and Perth played each other five times during the 2021 regular season, with United finishing 3-2 up. Perth clearly have the beating of United, and now the pressure is on them to prove that’s the case. Melbourne finished top of the NBL Season Ladder with Perth in second place. The Wildcats’ chances at redemption and winning an 11th NBL championship will be over if they lose on Friday.

I’m backing the Perth Wildcats to prove that they aren’t a spent force and defeat Melbourne United on Friday by 10 points or less to keep these finals alive. 

Melbourne United and the Perth Wildcats played each other five times during the 2021 NBL season, with Melbourne leading that head-to-head 3-2. In their most recent regular-season game in June, United defeated the Wildcats 78-64.

In the semifinals of the NBL Playoffs, Melbourne United defeated their city rivals the South East Melbourne Phoenix 2-1 in their best-of-three series. United got off to a convincing start against SE Melbourne, winning the first match by an 18-point margin 96-78. It was therefore something of a surprise when the Phoenix hit back strongly in the second match, winning 90-79.

In the deciding game, United won 84-74, with 27 points scored by Jock Landale. Melbourne have appeared far more focused in their final against the Perth Wildcats, and they needed to be in the first game which they barely won 73-70. In the second match last week, Melbourne defeated Perth 83-74. In both of those wins, Chris Goulding has been leading points’ scorer for United.

Despite being the defending NBL champions, the Perth Wildcats were consistently made to play second fiddle to Melbourne United for most of the season, eventually finishing runner-up to their rivals in the NBL Season Ladder. In the NBL Playoff Semifinals the Wildcats defeated the Illawarra Hawks 2-1, losing the opening game to Illawarra 74-72, then winning the next two by identical 79-71 score lines.

If the Perth Wildcats are going to successfully defend their NBL title and win an 11th National Basketball League championship they must first of all defeat Melbourne United on Friday or it’s all over. United are firmly in the driving seat having won the first two games in this best-of-five series.