In a low-scoring slugfest on Sunday afternoon, 12, 050 fans watched on at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena.

Melbourne trailed 60-49 late in the third quarter, but kept Sydney to just 25 points in the second half and scoreless for five minutes in the final quarter, outscoring the Kings 18-6 down the stretch.

"We knew we had to turn our defence up," said Melbourne captain Chris Goulding, who scored four crucial points in the closing moments.

"The first half, we were being way too reactive, we were just waiting to see what they did and then we'd try and defend it.

"I don't think we were really good tonight. Defensively, we probably stuck together a 15-minute block of really good defence in the second half that was enough to get us the win."

Melbourne ended the day on top of the ladder with Sydney second.

United were down 70-69 with just over a minute to go, but Goulding hit two free throws and made a jump shot with 15 seconds remaining.

Kevin Lisch and Jerome Randle each missed late shots for Sydney and David Barlow hit two free throws with three seconds to go to ice the win, Melbourne's tenth-straight over Sydney.

"I don't think it's a mental edge - they have been good enough to beat us," Kings coach Andrew Gaze said of the streak.

Goulding finished with a match-high 16 points with David Barlow's 12, the only other double-digit scoring contribution to Melbourne's cause.

Four Kings hit double figures, headed by Randle with 15 and Lisch 12.

Andrew Bogut tallied 11 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, but missed eight of his 12 field-goal attempts.

Gaze lamented his side primarily opted for perimeter shots rather than going inside during their dry spell and they shot just 36 per cent from the field for the match.

"I think a lot of our options that we had were either really good looks that we missed, or we had some forced opportunities," Gaze said.

Melbourne led for most of the first quarter, but never by more than four points and by just one at the end of the period.

"For them not to make a three in the second half was great, but we kept them off the foul line as well," United coach Dean Vickerman said.

"We rebounded pretty well so there was some box ticking we did in the second half in the way we played."

Lisch sparked Sydney's second-quarter surge, scoring 10 points, as the home side charged to a seven-point lead at halftime.

Sydney swelled their lead to 11 late in the third, but five-straight points to Goulding and two to former King Craig Moller slashed the gap to just four at the last change.

Australian Associated Press