United stole home court advantage in the 2025 NBL Championship Series, defeating the Illawarra Hawks 96-88 in a performance that showed why many heralded their experience heading into the matchup. Dean Vickerman's team trailed by 10 points going into the half,

A trademark Chris Goulding scoring blitz was the impetus for Melbourne United to overturn a half-time deficit and take game one of its best-of-three semi final series 105-93 over Perth Wildcats at John Cain Arena on Thursday night.

Chris Goulding has scored 10 points in the final quarter to lead Melbourne United to an eight-point come-from-behind victory over the Illawarra Hawks.

Here's what to keep an eye on as the NBL Championship Series gets set to begin, from the big storylines, to the players primed to explode, and where each team might find their advantages.