Four-time Olympian David Andersen has starred in his return from an eight-week injury lay-off, leading Melbourne United in their 89-76 defeat of the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena.
Andersen scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the second half on Saturday night, and was instrumental in keeping Sydney at arm's length when the game was on the line.
Melbourne's 12th win kept their season alive with three games remaining, while the Kings (13-14) face a daunting must-win game against titleholders Perth in next weekend's final round.
Melbourne led from start to finish but showed signs of cracking when the Kings closed the gap to two points early in the fourth quarter.
United's dynamic back-court duo Chris Goulding and Casper Ware combined for 34 points, and American centre Josh Boone was outstanding with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Sydney's Brad Newley was impressive in his return from a four-game absence with a hamstring injury, posting a team-high 19 points.
The round 18 clash drew 11,005 spectators, which is the Kings' third-largest crowd in club history and their best turnout since 2005.
Melbourne signalled their intentions from the opening whistle, knocking down 5/7 from three-point range in the first period.
Aside from Newley, the Kings were ice-cold at the other end, missing all seven of their three-point shots and falling behind 18-30 at quarter-time.
That was just a taste of what was to come, as Melbourne surged to a 40-21 lead with six minutes left in the half.
But Newley single-handedly kept his team in the game, scoring 15 points in the first half on flawless 7/7 shooting.
Inspired by Newley's aggression, the Kings fought back and cut Melbourne's lead to 45-39 at halftime.
Goulding had 14 points and Melbourne centre Josh Boone had a telling impact off the bench with six points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
The Kings won a dour third quarter 16-15 but were unable to make any serious inroads in the final period.
Melbourne have shifted their focus to Monday night's home meeting with second-placed Illawarra, while the Kings wrap up their regular season with next Friday's round 19 road game against Perth.
Share
