Delany "still ways away" from return

New Zealand has welcomed the successful returns of Zylan Cheatham and Will McDowell-White to its injury depleted roster, but head coach Mody Maor says local forward Finn Delany is “still ways away” from returning from a calf injury.

Delany last played in the Breakers’ Round 11 victory over Cairns and was initially ruled out of proceedings for six weeks according to ESPN, however Maor told the NZ Herald he was expecting the FIBA Champions League champion to be sidelined for another three to five weeks.

Maor says the performances of both McDowell-White and Cheatham have helped the side surge to its current run of four wins in five games.

“Zylan looks great,” he said. “He’s really been incorporated well physically. He played 34 minutes – not all of them at peak effort or intensity – but you don’t expect that the first time someone hits the 30 mark.

“Will is coming along. It’s still not exactly where we want it, but it’s definitely improving.”

New Zealand takes on a Melbourne side that has been hit by its own unavailability issues on Friday night. Shea Ili will be absent due to concussion, while Jo Lual-Acuil Jr will be absent for personal reasons.

Luke Travers will return from an ankle injury for United.

Catch the game at 5:30pm AEDT on Friday night live on ESPN via Kayo | Sky Sport in NZ.