Made for the moment

Matthew Dellavedova is simply made for the big moments.

Whether it be as part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 championship team, wearing the green and gold of the Boomers or even in his college days at Saint Mary’s, 'Delly' has a way of impacting a game like not many others.

If you were to use the NBL’s mantra to describe a player, ‘Every Moment Matters’ sits perfectly alongside Dellavedova’s name. He fights, he scraps, he does everything for the team.

So when Melbourne United needed someone to step up in Game 3 of the Championship Series, down 10 during the third quarter on the back of an 18-1 run, guess who stood up?

“This was all about Matthew Dellavedova,” Pete Hooley said following United’s win.

“He absolutely took control of this game in the second half, especially the fourth quarter.

“Defensively he was a menace. You saw he was gassed and he just found another level to continue to go.”

Hooley said Dellavedova’s experience came to the fore.

“He had the tempo at his fingertips like a puppet-master and said ‘I’m putting everybody in their right spots, I’ll find them when I have to’,” he continued.

“11 assists, zero turnovers ... on the biggest stage away from home, that’s poise personified.

“This was the Matthew Dellavedova masterclass.”

Hooley and Lanard Copeland believe Dellavedova is the clear favourite for Championship Series MVP honours, as United looks to raise the trophy in Melbourne on Wednesday.

“He’s been there, he’s done that and in the clutch moments, was more important than anything anyone else could throw from the Hawks,” Hooley added.

Dellavedova has averaged 16 points and 6 assists across the three games so far.

Melbourne hosts Illawarra on Wednesday night, live on ESPN, 10 Bold and 10 Play from 7.30pm AEDT.