Edwards: 'Every game counts' as United roll to 8–0

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Melbourne United can score the ball and defend the ball better than any other team in NBL26 and that's why the 2025 NBL Grand Finals have marched to an 8-0 record to start the season.

The Cairns Taipans were their latest victim 94-67 in Cairns on Friday night.

"it really just comes down to the fact that every game counts," Edwards said.

"You don’t know how the rest of the season’s going to go, so you just focus on getting each win that matters right now.

"Later on it’s going to get tough — there are a bunch of good teams in this competition — so we go into every game with a separate mindset.

"We lock in on that one, and then move on to the next. We try to keep it separate from whatever our record is."

Vickerman had five players in double figures, including Chris Goulding's game-high 14 in 18 minutes, but it was United's defensive that drew his main praise.

"Really solid defensive performance on the night," Vickerman said.

"You know, 18 was the most that they scored in a quarter, and in that second quarter, it felt like we’d held them to four or six, and then in the last three minutes they made three or four threes and came up with a few offensive rebounds.

"So yeah, we weren’t happy with that little patch there. But overall, our pressure up the floor, our physicality, and our connection through most of the screening action — I thought we were really solid tonight.

"We cleaned up the rebounding a little bit more after halftime. Really good spread of minutes.

"We didn’t shoot the ball well — only made six threes — but our ability to get to the line and make free throws was a bit of a deciding factor in the game."

Edwards said it was Melbourne's bench was the catalyst to their four-quarter dominance.

"There are a bunch of reasons, but yeah — we’ve got great depth," he said.

"There’s no drop-off when anybody comes in. I was looking at the scoreboard — everybody got a point today. Everybody literally contributed.

"There wasn’t a single lineup out there where you’d think there’d be issues.

"That gives everyone confidence to go hard, not be afraid of who’s on the bench — because whoever comes in is going to pick it up right where you left off. That’s one of the main reasons for sure."

United (8-0) face the Adelaide 36ers (5-1) on Sunday in what is shaping up to be the clash of the season.

Key Details

• Result: Melbourne United 94 def. Cairns Taipans 67
• When: 24th October 2025
• Where: Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Chris Goulding (Melbourne United) starred with 14 points, two assists and one steal in 18 minutes.
• Reyne Smith (Cairns Taipans) scored 13 points, had two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 27 minutes.

What Happened

Melbourne United established their dominance early, racing to a commanding 31-16 lead in the first quarter. The Taipans showed brief signs of life in the second period, narrowing the gap slightly as Melbourne won the quarter by just a single point (17-18). However, United reasserted control after halftime, outscoring Cairns 24-17 in the third and 22-16 in the final quarter to secure the 27-point victory.

United's superior offensive efficiency was evident throughout the contest. They shot 44.29 percent from the field (31-from-70) compared to Cairns' dismal 33.33 percent (24-from-72). Melbourne was particularly effective from the free-throw line, converting an impressive 26-from-28 attempts (92.86 percent), while the Taipans struggled at 9-from-14 (64.29 percent).

The visitors displayed a balanced offensive attack with six players scoring in double figures. Chris Goulding led all scorers with 14 points, including three triples, while Tyson Walker added 13 points and four assists. For Cairns, Reyne Smith and Andrew Andrews each contributed 13 points, but no other Taipan reached double digits besides Admiral Schofield (11) and Alex Higgins-Titsha (10).

Melbourne controlled the glass with a 45-43 rebounding advantage despite strong performances from Marcus Lee and Mawot Mag, who both secured 10 boards for Cairns. United's ball security proved crucial as they committed just 11 turnovers compared to Cairns' 16, allowing the visitors to attempt more shots and maintain offensive rhythm throughout the contest.

The win solidifies Melbourne United's position near the top of the NBL standings, while Cairns continues to struggle near the bottom of the table. United's ability to build and maintain a substantial lead, which grew as large as 30 points during the game, demonstrated the gap in quality between the two sides on the night.