Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman is expecting a tough challenge from a well-rested New Zealand Breakers when they clash at Hisense Arena today.
Dean Vickerman Photo: PHOTOSPORT
While the Breakers must travel across the Tasman to play in Melbourne, United have also clicked up plenty of kilometres after their Friday night loss to Perth.
Throw in two away games against Adelaide to start the season and a trip to play NBA side Oklahoma City Thunder in there as well, and a lot of the home court advantage has been taken away from Melbourne for this clash.
Perth Arena was full of a record-crowd of fans celebrating the Wildcats five- point win on Friday night, handing Melbourne their first loss, and Vickerman's attention was already on the Breakers.
"Paul [Henare] has done a great job," Vickerman said of the Breakers' new coach.
"They were able to play people limited minutes [in their 90-73 win over Sydney on Thursday]; no one played more than 24 minutes.
"They will be well-rested.
"They are always a tough challenge with some of the shooters they put on the floor."
During their tough opening schedule, Melbourne has also had issues with personnel.
Chris Goulding played his first game on Friday, having missed the two against the 36ers due to appendicitis.
Casey Prather also had a limited preparation going in to the game against his old side, Perth, because of a knee injury that saw him miss the second half of last week's clash against Adelaide.
But Vickerman said being on the road had afforded the team extra time to bond.
"Yeah, the camaraderie in this group is outstanding. It's more a structural thing at the moment; putting the pieces together," he said.
"But it's good to get whole group back together, nearly, we still have Peter Hooley to add.
"There were moments in the game [against Perth] we were a little out of sync and this group hadn't played enough together and obviously Chris' first game with the group this season."
Despite the tough schedule to start the season, Melbourne heads home with a 2-1 record.
- AAP
