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AAP
AAP
Shayne Hope

Fully fit Melbourne unknown quantity in NBL title race

Matthew Dellavedova is one of six Melbourne Utd stars to have missed games with injury this season. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman doesn't yet know what level his NBL ladder leaders can reach when they get their full roster together this season.

And experienced guard Matthew Dellavedova doesn't even want to talk about it for fear of igniting another injury curse.

But Melbourne are about to become a much tougher proposition for their title rivals - at least on paper - when the league resumes after the FIBA break.

Vickerman's men have generated a 10-2 record despite having only played 47 seconds of the campaign with their full-strength line-up.

Ian Clark, Ariel Hukporti, Luke Travers, Shea Ili, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and Dellavedova have all spent time injured on the sidelines.

"We don't know (how good we can be)," Vickerman said.

"People are kind of challenging what it's going to be like for me as coach when everybody's healthy because we haven't seen it.

"(They're saying), 'How's that going to affect people's roles and are they going to be happy with that?'

"But we've done a good job communicating what's needed from everybody and we've been really happy with the performances of people that have played more minutes through this period.

"Hopefully when everyone's back we can just go to another level of intensity and work rate, and that should be difficult for other teams to deal with if everyone can buy into playing harder for shorter minutes."

Melbourne United celebrate a win.
Melbourne United currently sit top of the NBL ladder with a 10-2 record.

Melbourne briefly had a full roster available for the round-six clash with the Perth Wildcats, but lost Travers to a head knock in the opening minute and then had fellow starters Hukporti and Clark succumb to injuries.

That experience has left Dellavedova a little on edge as he prepares to return from a calf issue when United host the Cairns Taipans at John Cain Arena on Sunday week (December 3).

The likely return of fellow guards Clark (hamstring) and Ili (shoulder) from their latest setbacks should give Melbourne a clean bill of health.

"We're not going to talk about having the full group together because last time we did I think we lost three guys in the first quarter ... but it'll be good," Dellavedova said.

Dellavedova missed four games through concussion before his calf injury and has been restricted to six appearances this season.

The former NBA championship-winning guard played limited minutes during Melbourne's scrimmage on Wednesday but insisted he will be "100 per cent" fit to face Cairns.

"It's obviously been a little bit frustrating but the great thing is that we've been winning games," he said.

"It makes it a little bit easier when the boys have been keeping it rolling.

"This break has come at a perfect time to build up a bit of load in the legs and it should be a good second half of the season."

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