Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman says Rio Olympian Chris Goulding is no certainty to return to the starting five following Monday's 114-91 belting of the Adelaide 36ers.
Goulding, the league's leading scorer in 2014 and last year's grand final MVP, came off the bench and scored 16 points, including five-of-nine three-pointers in Monday's 114-91 belting of the Adelaide 36ers.
Prior to this season, Goulding had been a starter in all of his 84 games in United colours but this season he has come off the bench seven times.
Given Mitch McCarron's impressive form at off guard in recent weeks and Goulding's return to top form following a knee injury, there are no guarantees the long-time Melbourne sharpshooter will automatically be promoted back to the starting line-up as soon as he's fully fit.
"It will be an interesting one," Vickerman said.
"I've always talked about this team that we've got so many people who could start. There's going to be match-ups that we really like throughout these next few games.
"Right now, he (Goulding) is still getting to 100 per cent health and he improved this week."
United jumped out of the blocks in back-to-back wins over Illawarra and Adelaide and Vickerman is reluctant to tinker with a successful formula as the reigning champions hit the season's business end running.
"This group is more than willing to accept that if we believe we have a better advantage in an area that they're more than willing to come off the bench and play that role," he said.
"This group that's starting right now has got great starts, so right now there's no reason to change it."
