Why a “pissed off” CG43 changes everything

It's only Round 12, but there is already a sense that some fixtures hold more weight than others.

That is true of Friday's top of the table clash between the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne United.

Not only will the winner claim top spot on the ladder, but also bragging rights, with the teams appearing destined to cross paths at some point in the post-season.

In matches like this, as is the case with most top level rivalries, form can be thrown out the window.

Despite the 36ers rattling off six straight wins and United losing their past two, three-time NBL champion Chris Anstey knows that will mean little when the teams step onto the court at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

"United been a little bit down, a little bit flat and haven't played to the level that they had been previously," Anstey said on Friday's NBL Now.

"I's a tricky thing to do (play at your best) all season long, so I'm not worried.

"I don't see Melbourne coming out flat [on Friday].

"[I know] they've lost two in a row no, but I'm expecting this game to be really close."

The two-time MVP believes a big part of United's return to form will be a Chris Goulding resurgence.

"He wasn't physically well the last two games [and it showed]," Anstey said.

"Hopefully he's a little bit pissed off [on Friday night]. When Chris Goulding comes into a game like this with a little swagger, he’s fun to watch."

Friday night's blockbuster tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.