Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman has taken a swipe at the referees following United's 15-point loss to the Adelaide 36ers, who levelled the NBL grand final series at 1-1.
Vickerman noted the free throw (40-16) and foul (30-18) counts were overwhelmingly in the Sixers' favour while expressing his disappointment at the fourth-quarter fouling out of game one hero Casper Ware.
Ware scored only six points on Sunday but followed all his coach's instructions defensively.
"Casper (played) 18 minutes (and) fouled out," Vickerman said, with NBL boss and United part-owner Larry Kestelman standing nearby.
"Our players are trying to slide and stay in front of someone, which I thought is what we're trying to achieve with this league - (if you) show your hands and use your chest, they're the ones that aren't meant to be called.
"At that point I just thought, 'I don't know how to coach right now'.
"The disparity in fouls called was large.
"All teams just want that consistency and I don't think it was the same from game one to game two."
In some positive news for Melbourne, star centre Josh Boone appears to be a certain starter for Friday's game at Hisense Arena after hurting his back in the opening quarter on Sunday.
Boone returned to the court in the second period before sitting out the entire fourth term, which Vickerman said was about the game situation, not the injury.
Australian Associated Press
