Kings prevail in OT over sloppy United

It was dramatic and tense the entire way with the game going to overtime but ultimately the Sydney Kings were more efficient and got the job done late for the 92-86 win to hand Melbourne United a third straight loss.

Ultimately Melbourne will point to their 1/28 three-point shooting and 24 turnovers for the loss which is a third in-a-row and also a second of the season already at John Cain Arena against the Kings.

Sydney took advantage of United's sloppiness and missed shots to end up taking 13 extra field goals and 13/36 from three-point range on the way to outscoring Melbourne 8-2 in the extra five minutes.

It completes a terrific weekend for the Kings coming off their biggest ever win at RAC Arena by 29 points on Friday against the Perth Wildcats and now backing up against Melbourne to improve to 9-7 on the season.

Kendric Davis was coming off a spectacular 38 points in Perth on Friday and was again instrumental for the Kings even with shooting just 7/18 from the field, but he went 9/10 at the line for 26 points with six assists.

He drove fiercely to the bucket then assisted for Xavier Cooks to level the scores late in regulation time, then nailed a pull-up triple in a low-scoring extra period - the Kings won it 8-2 - to ice the contest.

United started the season winning their opening nine matches but have won just four of the last 10 now including two this weekend in overtime firstly to Adelaide on Friday and now at home to Sydney.

Matthew Dellavedova (15 points, four rebounds) was at his fierce best against his former team, while Hunter Goodrick (six points, 10 rebounds) was effective off the bench as the Kings notched their second win over United this season.

Goodrick had to step up too after Kouat Noi left the game having hyperextended his elbow with Bul Kuol again massively instrumental with his defence in almost 35 minutes with the Kings +17 with him out there.

Milton Doyle top-scored for Melbourne with 21 points but went 1/9 from downtown even though he hit his team's lone triple for the game.

Fabijan Krslovic stepped up in the absence of Jesse Edwards with 16 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks, and Finn Delany 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

United scored the game's first 10 points as the Kings missed five straight field goals to begin the contest.

But they finished the quarter strongly, a Davis four-point play helping before a buzzer-beating layup made it 25-24 at quarter-time.

The Kings ratcheted up their physicality in the middle two quarters as the lead swung back and forth due to United's inability to hit a three-point shot, countered by their dominance on the glass.

Doyle hit his first field goal late in the half as they built a five-point buffer at the main break.

But again the Kings started with authority to surge past and lead by seven.

Dellavedova was in the thick of it, scrambling for a loose ball and somehow scooping a pass while covered in United defenders to allow Cooks an open passage to the rim.

Doyle found his range late, hitting United's first triple with their 18th attempt, as they again pushed clear before back-to-back Davis plays levelled the scores with 20 seconds to play.

Doyle kept possession for the final play of regular time, but his mid-range effort bounced off the glass and the rim to force overtime.

The hosts rushed their offence in the extra period, Chris Goulding (eight points, 0/8 triples) firing away without success.

They still could have led inside the final minute, the Kings' protest of a foul on Davis unsuccessful and Doyle, with his side trailing by one, at the line with two free throws.

But he missed both before Davis made one-of-two at the other end to make it a two-point game with 10 seconds to play.

Again Goulding rushed his three-point effort and it was curtains for United.

The Kings now head to Canberra to play the Adelaide 36ers in an Ignite Cup match up on Wednesday while United remain at John Cain Arena for another Championship Series rematch with the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

MELBOURNE UNITED 86 (Doyle 21, Delany 16, Krslovic 16)

SYDNEY KINGS 92 (Davis 26, Dellavedova 15, Noi 10)

BOX SCORE