Sydney Kings have foiled Melbourne United’s bid for a club record 10th straight win to start the season in a 95-92 Cup eve upset at John Cain Arena on Monday night.
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Kings point guard Kendric Davis put a marker down to say he should be in the conversation with Bryce Cotton for the title of best guard in the league with a simply irresistible display to bring down the championship favorites.
Davis gave United the runaround en route to 34 points, including 4/8 from three, five rebounds and three assists.
While Davis did the flashy stuff to keep United at arm’s length, his partner-in-crime Matthew Dellavedova stuck it up his former employers with 12 points and seven assists.
A national treasure, Dellavedova was subjected to an unsavoury chorus of boos from the United faithful from the first moment he touched the ball, but his three first half triples were crucial in laying the foundation for the Kings victory.
Kings flex muscle
The Kings brought a noticeable physicality to the game from the outset.
The visitors did what few teams have done this season and bullied United in the first quarter.
It led to United conceding a season-worst 30 points in the first quarter.
Kings star Xavier Cooks set the tone early, burrowing his way into the paint with force and it rubbed off on his teammates.
Cooks fouled out with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists, but he exited with his job well and truly done.
Shedding the soft tag
Leading 54-50 at half time, Cooks said it was the Kings focus to muscle up and create chaos for United, who had six turnovers and a woeful 3/14 (21%) from three point land.
“I think that’s the key to our success, bringing the physicality, using our pace, using our advantages,” Cooks said.
“I think we were a little bit soft to start the year, we’re trying to turn it up a little bit.”
The Kings stretched their lead to double digits late in the third with Davis running amok.
Kings centre Tim Soares was locked in a constant arm wrestle with United big man Jesse Edwards, while Bul Kuol had a night to remember, keeping Chris Goulding in check and producing 17 points of his own.
Goulding, United’s leading scorer, was strangely quiet with just 10 points.
The Kings went into the fourth with an eight-point lead and United’s winning streak was hanging by a thread.
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Never say die United
A huge three pointer from youngster Dash Daniels cut the margin to two before Walker – who led United with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists – soared for a layup to somehow level the scores.
While Davis had the better of Walker for three quarters, it was Walker who exploded to life in the fourth as United mounted an incredible comeback.
But just when United took the lead, of course Davis answered back,snatch back the lead for the Kings with a huge three, before Kuol had his teammates out of their seats with a three to make it a five-point lead.
Consecutive shot clock violations from the Kings gave United a chance to steal the game at the death, but down one with 15 seconds left, Edwards froze at the free throw line for United, missing two freebies.
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