JLA's comeback helps United thump Brisbane

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr has made a spectacular return to the NBL, driving ladder-leading Melbourne United to a clinical 93-77 win against the Brisbane Bullets at Nissan Arena.

Lual-Acuil Jr, who missed the previous two rounds for personal reasons, roared in his return, amassing a career-high 33 points at 70 per cent, 13 rebounds and three steals in just 23 minutes off the bench on Friday night.

Lual-Acuil Jr and captain Chris Goulding (23 points, six-of-12 three-pointers) helped United strengthen their grip on top spot.

Nathan Sobey (19 points) top-scored for Brisbane but shot at 28 per cent, hounded relentlessly by the hard tag of former NBA stopper Matthew Dellavedova.

With their skipper and best player blanketed, the Bullets struggled to find the basket early, missing 17 of 22 opening-quarter shots to trail 21-13 at the first break.

The hosts trimmed the margin to three points in the second before Lual-Acuil Jr helped Melbourne streak away again.

Lual-Acuil Jr repeatedly attacked the slower 37-year-old Baynes, pacing a 9-0 United burst to stretch the visitors' lead to double-digits at halftime.

Sobey got to the free-throw line regularly in the third term and reduced the Bullets' deficit back to seven points before again being ragdolled by Lual-Acuil.

Goulding bombed three more treys in the fourth period while Lual-Acuil Jr continued to add to Brisbane's pain, scoring at will on Baynes and finishing the match with another dunk on 220cm Bullet Rocco Zikarksy.

The only concern for Melbourne was a final-quarter injury to import Ian Clark, caught by Baynes' left elbow in a bone-rattling screen.

BRISBANE - 77 (Sobey 19, McDaniel 12, Prather 9)MELBOURNE - 93 (Lual-Acuil Jr 33, Goulding 23, Dellavedova 8)