# 2020–21 Melbourne United season

The 2020–21 NBL season was the 38th season for Melbourne United in the NBL, and the 7th under the banner of Melbourne United.

## Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

## Transactions
### Signings

* Mitch McCarron, Shea Ili, Casey Prather, Jo Lual-Acuil and Sam Short all remained with the club after they previously signed multiple season contracts. Head Coach Dean Vickerman and assistant coach Ross McMains also remained with the club under their multiple season contracts.
* On 15 July 2020, United signed their first new contract for the season. Jack White of Duke University signed a three-season deal with the club.
* On 17 July 2020, guard Chris Goulding re-signed with the club on a three-season deal, which will take his total seasons with the club to eight.
* On 19 July 2020, United signed Yudai Baba on a one-season Special Restricted Player deal.
* On 22 July 2020, David Barlow also re-signed with the club on a new one-season deal.
* On 24 July 2020, Mason Peatling was signed to a three-season deal, with him being assigned as a development player for the first season.
* On 14 August 2020, Sam McDaniel was re-signed for his third season with the club on a one-season deal.
* On 20 August 2020, United released Casey Prather from the final season of his contract.
* On 21 August 2020, United also released assistant coach Ross McMains from his contract.
* On 30 November 2020, Scotty Hopson signed a one-year deal with the club, filling United’s first Import slot.
* On 10 December 2020, Jock Landale signed one-year deal with the club.
* On 9 February 2021, following multiple injuries Dillon Stith was added to the squad as an injury replacement player.
* On 13 March 2021, C. J. Asuncion-Byrd was signed as the injury replacement player for Baba.
* On 8 April, David Andersen signed as the injury replacement player for White.

## Game log
### Pre-season

2020 pre-season game log Total: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–0) :
December: 1–0 (home: 0–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
31 December
@ Cairns
W 81–97
Chris Goulding (17)
Jock Landale (8)
Mitch McCarron (5)
Cairns Pop-Up Arena not announced
1–0 :

### Regular season

2020–21 game log Total: 28–8 (Home: 14–4; Road: 14–4) :
January: 3–0 (home: 1–0; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
15 January
@ Adelaide
W 65–89
Goulding, Lual-Acuil (16)
Jo Lual-Acuil (12)
Scotty Hopson (4)
Adelaide Entertainment Centre 6,539
1–0
2
25 January
@ Cairns
W 85–87
Jock Landale (19)
Jo Lual-Acuil (11)
Ili, McCarron (4)
Cairns Pop-Up Arena 1,896
2–0
3
31 January
S.E. Melbourne
W 96–90
Jack White (22)
Jock Landale (7)
Mitch McCarron (6)
Bendigo Stadium 2,000
3–0 :
February: 3–0 (home: 1–0; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
4
5 February
@ Brisbane
W 96–109
Chris Goulding (27)
Jock Landale (13)
Mitch McCarron (8)
Nissan Arena 2,234
4–0
5
7 February
Perth
W 75–71
Jock Landale (16)
Jack White (8)
Scotty Hopson (6)
Bendigo Stadium 1,953
5–0
6
10 February
@ Illawarra
W 88–91
Scotty Hopson (21)
Scotty Hopson (9)
Mitch McCarron (7)
WIN Entertainment Centre 3,459
6–0 :
NBL Cup: 4–4 (home: 2–2; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
7
20 February
Perth
L 85–89
Jock Landale (20)
Jock Landale (10)
Hopson, Landale (4)
John Cain Arena 3,711
6–1
8
22 February
Cairns
W 88–81
Jock Landale (18)
Jock Landale (11)
Mitch McCarron (7)
John Cain Arena 2,313
7–1
9
25 February
@ Adelaide
W 73–82
Mitch McCarron (18)
McCarron (10)
Scotty Hopson (4)
John Cain Arena 1,991
8–1
10
27 February
Sydney
W 83–80
Jock Landale (20)
Jo Lual-Acuil (10)
Mitch McCarron (6)
John Cain Arena 4,206
9–1
11
5 March
@ New Zealand
W 84–87
Jock Landale (23)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Mitch McCarron (7)
John Cain Arena 3,421
10–1
12
7 March
Brisbane
L 88–96
Chris Goulding (21)
Jock Landale (11)
Baba, Ili (3)
John Cain Arena 3,696
10–2
13
10 March
@ S.E. Melbourne
L 97–92 (OT)
Goulding, Landale (22)
Jo Lual-Acuil (9)
Shea Ili (6)
John Cain Arena 3,675
10–3
14
13 March
@ Illawarra
L 77–69
Mitch McCarron (16)
Jock Landale (8)
Landale, McCarron (4)
John Cain Arena 4,183
10–4 :
March: 3–1 (home: 1–0; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
15
19 March
@ Sydney
L 103–75
Jock Landale (18)
Ili, Landale (7)
Chris Goulding (6)
Qudos Bank Arena 5,089
10–5
16
21 March
Illawarra
W 75–65
Jock Landale (19)
Mitch McCarron (11)
Goulding, McCarron (5)
John Cain Arena 2,552
11–5
17
25 March
@ New Zealand
W 79–82
Ili, McCarron (16)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Bendigo Stadium 1,150
12–5
18
27 March
@ S.E. Melbourne
W 60–80
Chris Goulding (25)
Mason Peatling (12)
Mitch McCarron (6)
John Cain Arena 3,370
13–5 :
April: 7–0 (home: 6–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
19
2 April
Cairns
W 95–85
Jock Landale (20)
Jock Landale (11)
Hopson, McCarron (4)
John Cain Arena 3,673
14–5
20
4 April
@ Cairns
W 73–83
Chris Goulding (15)
Landale, Lual-Acuil (10)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Cairns Pop-Up Arena 1,847
15–5
21
10 April
New Zealand
W 84–78
Scotty Hopson (19)
Jock Landale (11)
Mitch McCarron (5)
John Cain Arena 2,717
16–5
22
12 April
Brisbane
W 98–89
Jock Landale (23)
Jock Landale (13)
Mitch McCarron (12)
John Cain Arena 3,422
17–5
23
18 April
Illawarra
W 87–76
Jo Lual-Acuil (15)
Jock Landale (11)
Jock Landale (5)
John Cain Arena 3,794
18–5
24
24 April
Adelaide
W 92–78
Mitch McCarron (21)
Landale, Lual-Acuil (10)
Mitch McCarron (5)
John Cain Arena 3,034
19–5
25
28 April
New Zealand
W 90–76
Scotty Hopson (25)
Jo Lual-Acuil (9)
Barlow, Goulding, McCarron (3)
John Cain Arena 2,173
20–5 :
May: 6–3 (home: 2–2; road: 4–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
2 May
Sydney
W 103–78
Chris Goulding (21)
Jo Lual-Acuil (9)
Mitch McCarron (8)
John Cain Arena 2,214
21–5
27
5 May
Perth
L 69–82
Jock Landale (11)
Jo Lual-Acuil (10)
Mitch McCarron (5)
John Cain Arena 2,011
21–6
28
8 May
@ S.E. Melbourne
W 82–93
Jock Landale (27)
Jock Landale (11)
Yudai Baba (3)
John Cain Arena 3,899
22–6
29
13 May
@ Perth
W 91–99
Chris Goulding (26)
Jock Landale (7)
Mitch McCarron (6)
RAC Arena 9,987
23–6
30
16 May
S.E. Melbourne
L 83–94
Jock Landale (19)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Mitch McCarron 6
John Cain Arena 3,460
23–7
31
18 May
@ Illawarra
W 87–102
Chris Goulding (25)
Jock Landale (10)
Scotty Hopson (8)
WIN Entertainment Centre 1,794
24–7
32
24 May
@ Brisbane
W 88–99
Chris Goulding (22)
McCarron, Peatling (6)
Mitch McCarron (7)
Nissan Arena 1,614
25–7
33
29 May
@ Sydney
L 100–98 (2OT)
Jock Landale (23)
Jock Landale (12)
Mitch McCarron (9)
Qudos Bank Arena 6,238
25–8
34
31 May
Cairns
W 101–76
Jock Landale (19)
Mason Peatling (11)
Scotty Hopson (5)
Qudos Bank Arena closed event
26–8 :
June: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
35
4 June
@ Perth
W 64–78
Jo Lual-Acuil (16)
Mitch McCarron (6)
Mitch McCarron (5)
RAC Arena 12,185
27–8
36
6 June
Adelaide
W 102–80
Hopson, Landale (19)
Jock Landale (9)
Shea Ili (8)
Adelaide Entertainment Centre 1,817
28–8 :

### Postseason

2021 finals game log Total: 5–1 (Home: 3–0; Road: 2–1) :
Semifinals: 2–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
11 June
S.E. Melbourne
W 96–78
Jock Landale (26)
Mason Peatling (6)
Mitch McCarron (5)
Qudos Bank Arena 500
1–0
2
13 June
@ S.E. Melbourne
L 90–79
Scotty Hopson (19)
Lual-Acuil, Peatling (7)
McCarron, Lual-Acuil, Peatling (4)
Qudos Bank Arena 500
1–1
3
15 June
S.E. Melbourne
W 84–74
Jock Landale (27)
Landale, McCarron (8)
Mitch McCarron (6)
Qudos Bank Arena 500
2–1 :
NBL Finals: 3–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 3–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
18 June
@ Perth
W 70–73
Chris Goulding (23)
Mitch McCarron (11)
Mitch McCarron (6)
RAC Arena 9,951
1–0
2
20 June
@ Perth
W 74–83
Chris Goulding (21)
Jock Landale (17)
Mitch McCarron (7)
RAC Arena 11,097
2–0
3
25 June
Perth
W 81–76
Jock Landale (15)
Jock Landale (9)
Mitch McCarron (5)
John Cain Arena 4,507
3–0 :

## Ladder

| Pos | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte | 2020–21 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Melbourne United | 36 | 28 | 8 | 77.78% | 4–1 | W3 | 14–4 | 14–4 | 3189 | 2956 | 107.88% |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 36 | 25 | 11 | 69.44% | 3–2 | L2 | 13–5 | 12–6 | 3133 | 2900 | 108.03% |
| 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 36 | 20 | 16 | 55.56% | 4–1 | L1 | 11–7 | 9–9 | 2962 | 2954 | 100.27% |
| 4 | S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 36 | 19 | 17 | 52.78% | 2–3 | L1 | 9–9 | 10–8 | 3217 | 3124 | 102.98% |
| 5 | Sydney Kings | 36 | 19 | 17 | 52.78% | 4–1 | W3 | 11–7 | 8–10 | 3112 | 3087 | 100.81% |
| 6 | Brisbane Bullets | 36 | 18 | 18 | 50.00% | 4–1 | W1 | 9–9 | 9–9 | 3204 | 3274 | 97.86% |
| 7 | Adelaide 36ers | 36 | 13 | 23 | 36.11% | 0–5 | L7 | 10–8 | 3–15 | 2985 | 3156 | 94.58% |
| 8 | New Zealand Breakers | 36 | 12 | 24 | 33.33% | 2–3 | L1 | 8–10 | 4–14 | 2937 | 3021 | 97.22% |
| 9 | Cairns Taipans | 36 | 8 | 28 | 22.22% | 1–4 | L2 | 6–12 | 2–16 | 2940 | 3207 | 91.67% |
Updated to match(es) played on 9 June 2021. Source: NBL.com.au

### Ladder progression

* Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top four.
* Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
* Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
2020–21 NBL season vte :
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NBL Cup | NBL Cup | NBL Cup | NBL Cup | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Adelaide 36ers | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Brisbane Bullets | 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Cairns Taipans | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Melbourne United | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| New Zealand Breakers | – | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Perth Wildcats | – | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Sydney Kings | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

## Awards
### Player of the Week

* Round 7, Mitch McCarron

### NBL Awards

* All-NBL First Team: Jock Landale
* All-NBL Second Team: Chris Goulding & Mitch McCarron
* Best Sixth Man: Jo Lual-Acuil
* Executive of the Year: Mark Boyd

### Melbourne United Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Jock Landale
* Best Defensive Player: Yudai Baba
* Coaches Award: Yudai Baba
* Best Club Person Award: Fiona Gant

### Finals Series

* Grand Final MVP: Jock Landale