{"id":397739,"date":"2026-01-07T15:16:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T15:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/397739\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T15:16:13","slug":"rival-challenges-united-to-find-spark-amid-slump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/397739\/","title":{"rendered":"Rival challenges United to find spark amid slump"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having lost five of their past seven games, pressure is starting to mount on Melbourne United.<\/p>\n

Most recently, Dean Vickerman’s side lost to Tasmania 84-75, marking their second-lowest scoring output of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 season.<\/p>\n

It isn’t just on the offensive end that the six-time champions are struggling, with Melbourne conceding the fourth-most points per game (94) since Round 10.<\/p>\n

NBL champion Damon Lowery believes United’s “major issue”<\/a> during this stretch is the poor play of import trio Milton Doyle, Tyson Walker and Jesse Edwards.<\/p>\n

While Adelaide 36ers sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic, whose side defeated Melbourne 114-105 during that stretch, has called on one of the team’s leaders to step up during this time of adversity.<\/p>\n

“They haven’t been playing good basketball as of late, only managing 75 points against Tasmania last game,” Vasiljevic said on Wednesday’s NBL Now.<\/p>\n

“Alarm bells are ringing, but they need to figure out who’s going to step up.<\/p>\n

“I feel like it needs to be CG (Chris Goulding). He’s done it throughout his whole career here in the NBL.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In the same vein, the two time NBL champion has faith that United will turn it around sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

“It might be this game, might be the next game, but I wouldn’t worry too much about United. It’ll come,\u201d Vasiljevic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey’ve been the best team in the league for the last few years for a reason, and always up there. Dean Vickerman and United know what they’re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wednesday night presents United with an opportunity to return to the winners circle, hosting Cairns in an exciting Ignite Cup fixture in Bendigo from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.<\/p>\n

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