Thursday night brings one of the most anticipated matchups of the NBL27 season, with the South East Melbourne Phoenix hosting Melbourne United in the latest Throwdown at John Cain Arena.
Both sides come into the clash looking to bounce back after opening-round losses. Melbourne will be hoping their star-studded roster can start to gel, while the Phoenix will look to their trademark defensive pressure to disrupt United and make an impact on the game.
The Throwdown is one of the hottest basketball tickets in town, and with both teams desperate to get their first win of the season, this should be a fascinating contest between Melbourne’s talent and the Phoenix’s defensive intensity.
Here is a South East Melbourne vs Melbourne United Prediction for Thursday, September 24th 2026.
South East Melbourne Phoenix vs Melbourne United
Venue – John Cain Arena
Tip Off – 7.30pm EST
Season Record
| Team | W-L | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEM | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 |
| Melbourne | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
Season Scoring
| Team | PPG | Opp PPG | Game Total Ave |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEM | 95.5 | 87.5 | 183 |
| Melbourne | 95 | 97 | 192 |
Prediction
Melbourne United will be looking to bounce back in this Throwdown clash after their opening-round loss, but they face a Phoenix side that welcomes back Nathan Sobey for his first game of the season. United are loaded with talent across the roster, but there are still question marks over their defence and whether young coach Jacob Chance can get all of those pieces working together.
The Phoenix will look to bring their trademark high-pressure, full-court defence and try to make United work for every possession. Talented teams can sometimes thrive against this style if they are able to break the press and make the most of their offensive weapons, but the constant pressure can also wear an opponent down as the game progresses.
The likes of Cole Anthony, Joe Ingles, Luke Travers and Chris Goulding give United plenty of firepower and could prove difficult for the Phoenix to contain. With Melbourne coming off a disappointing opening game and having plenty of talent to respond with, this could be a traditional bounce-back spot for United in what should be a lively Throwdown.