Brisbane Bullets coach Stu Lash was irate with the physicality afforded to Melbourne United players by the referees in Saturday night’s 99-93 loss at John Cain Arena.
Lash pointed to the lopsided 27-17 foul count that saw United venture to the free throw line 36 times to the Bullets just 11.
It was almost fitting that United’s Shea Ili knocked down some pivotal free throws late to seal a game that saw the undermanned Bullets fight back from 18 points down at three quarter time to get to within three with a minute to play.
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“I’m having a hard time on the foul count,” Lash said.
“Our guys are not getting the same level of respect as others in this league do – 36 to 11.
“They hold, they grab, [centre] Tyrell [Harrison] gets no calls.
“It is what it is, but there has to be some explanations.”
Lash has confirmed he will follow up the foul discrepancy with the league this week.
The stats would suggest the Bullets sit in the middle of the pack when it comes to the decision makers, ranked fifth on both fouls committed and fouls drawn.
Asked if it was a trend in Bullets games, Lash responded: “Pretty ongoing, but tonight 36 to 11, it’s a wide disparity, very wide disparity”.
Responding to Lash’s questions over his team’s tactics, victorious United coach Dean Vickerman said he wants his team to play with an edge and was an advocate for a physical NBL, within reason.
“We want to play with a physicality, but if we’re stepping over the line, we expect to be called for it,” Vickerman said.
“I think we had one possession where we had three fouls called in that one possession.
“I think our league is encouraging physicality right now and hopefully we’re good enough to do it the right way.
“At times you get rewarded for really attacking the paint and that was part of our success tonight.”
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Vickerman was “really excited” to see Ili made a successful return to United’s line up from a hamstring injury, playing 14 minutes for 10 crucial points, including 8/9 from the free throw line.
New recruit Milton Doyle exploded for a United-best 28 points on 11/18 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists.
It was the first time this season that Vickerman had his full squad together, but one lingering concern will keep him up at night, their lax defending of the three-point line.
While United converted just 6/22 threes on the night, the Bullets were lethal from long range with 15/35, leading to a whopping 39-point fourth quarter from the visitors.
“I don’t think we’re defending the three-point line as well as we can right now,” Vickerman said.
“I’m a little hot on that from what I’ve felt in the last little period of the season.”
DOYLE LEADS UNITED PAST BULLETS
American import guard Milton Doyle and Melbourne United just love to beat the Brisbane Bullets.
Noted Bullet dominator Doyle was instrumental in United’s 99-93 win over a desperately undermanned but gutsy Bullets at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.
It was too close for comfort for United, who had to fight back from a shock 12-point first-quarter deficit before staving off a late fourth quarter challenge to register their 15th win from their past 16 games against the Bullets.
Trailing by 18 at three quarter time, the never-say-die Bullets incredibly cut the deficit to just three with a minute to go, with Mitch Norton (19 points) and Lamar Patterson (18) lighting up the scoreboard in the fourth.
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But to the relief of the home fans, United steadied to close out the game.
The best three scoring games in Doyle’s NBL career have all come against the Bullets.
The 32-year-old produced his best scoring game in United colours with a season-high 28 points on 11/18 shooting from the field, six rebounds and four assists in a dominant performance.
A middle of the road side looking to close the gap on a title contender, the last thing the Bullets could afford was to lose premier scorer Casey Prather to a season-ending knee injury on Thursday night.
The departure of star guard Jaylen Adams followed and it has left the Bullets unsettled.
But you have to credit the attitude of the visitors who not only kept it from turning into a blow out that most predicted but made it a nervous outing for the ladder leading United, who improved to 11-2 on the season.
Bullets centre Tyrell Harrison produced a lion-hearted display with a double-double 16 points and 11 rebounds.
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Bullets fire early
The Bullets came out of the blocks scorching hot, opening up a 19-7 lead, knocking down three of their first four three-point attempts.
They were up for the challenge physically with Taine Murray throwing imposing United big man Jesse Edwards, who had 14 points, to the floor to set the tone for the visitors.
The tide of the quarter turned on the back of two gutsy three-point plays from Dash Daniels and Shea Ili.
Shea’s back
Ili, returning from a hamstring injury, came into the game midway through the first period to thunderous applause.
The two-time reigning NBL defensive player of the year is a crowd favourite.
He played 14 minutes for 10 points, including 8/9 from the free throw line, which was crucial late.
Damaging Doyle
With Milton Doyle starting to take over, United erased a 12-point deficit with a level the score at 24-piece at quarter time.
A 23-7 United run prompted Bullets coach Stu Lash to hit the panic button with a clear focus on tightening up the defence in the time out.
The time out didn’t work as United brought out the showtime moves to quickly build a double-digit lead.
Doyle was as active as he has been all season.
The Bullets stuck with United until half time, trailing 47-38, but an 8-0 United run to start the third, including triples to Tyson Walker and Finn Delany, blew the game out the water.
Another three from Walker and United’s lead was out to 20 midway through the third.
Not going away
But the Bullets weren’t ready to wave the white flag.
Patterson caught fire in the fourth and the travelling side somehow cut the deficit to just fove with 1.15 to go.
When Norton drained a three, it was just three points the difference with under a minute to go.
NBL SCOREBOARD
Melbourne United 99 (Doyle 28 Edwards 14 Goulding 13) d Brisbane Bullets 93 (Norton 19 Patterson 18 Harrison 16).
At John Cain Arena, Melbourne.
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