He may be able to train with United’s development players if he improves enough to join in training drills.

“While we are on the road trip is a good chance for him to work with our younger players here,and we will see if he is ready for any kind of contact next week. It will be small steps,” Vickerman said.

Big man Rob Loe will stay with United for this weekend as a replacement for Dellavedova,having played in the opening rounds as an injury replacement for star centre Jo Lual-Acuil jnr.

Lual-Acuil jnr has been cleared to play this weekend after missing the first few games with a wrist injury. The South Sudanese-Australian big man has high hopes for this season,which he hopes will springboard him into the NBA and the South Sudan team for Paris 2024.

The 33-year-old Dellavedova has been among the early candidates for the most-valuable player title in the NBL this season after an injury-free run allowed him to power through a full preseason. An NBA championship winner,he has been hoping to use his second campaign with United to secure a late-season return to the world’s premier competition and a spot on the Australian Boomers for Paris 2024.

But after the leg of Bullets guard Sam McDaniel struck him on the face while he was prone on the ground,having just taken a charge,Dellavedova was immediately subbed out of the game and quickly ruled out of returning.

United’s medical team will treat him carefully,given his history and the club’s experience with starting guard Shea Ili,who missed several weeks of last season with ongoing concussion symptoms,while former guard Lachlan Barker also missed time with concussion.

“We’ve seen too much of this,” said United captain Chris Goulding,one of the first players at Dellavedova’s side after he copped the blow,said on Sunday.

“Whenever someone gets hit in the head,you just want to make sure they are OK,and I could tell that he wasn’t. He’s had a history with this during his time in the NBA.

He only knows one way to play and if he didn’t play like that,he wouldn’t be Delly.

Chris Goulding on Matthew Dellavedova’s style of play

“All that is important right now is that he is OK and on the mend soon.”

Throwing himself into physical situations has always been part of Dellavedova’s game,and it does come at a cost.

“That’s the way he plays,” Goulding said.

“He puts his body on the line,and no fast break is ever over when he is involved as he is a specialist at getting his body outside that line and taking the charge.

“He only knows one way to play and if he didn’t play like that,he wouldn’t be Delly.”

United has a busy schedule in the weeks ahead,playing Illawarra in Wollongong on Friday and the New Zealand Breakers at home two days later,followed by another away-home double the next weekend.

If Dellavedova is put into the 12-day concussion protocol,he could miss as many as four games. But that will all depend on how long his symptoms linger,with United coach Dean Vickerman making it clear Dellavedova’s health would come first.

Goulding led United,scoring 15 of his 18 points in the first half,while Ariel Hukporti had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

American teenager Trentyn Flowers has had a tough initiation to the NBL,but the Adelaide 36ers Next Star exploded in the final quarter of Saturday night’s win over Illawarra.

Flowers struggled to adjust to playing against men in the early games of the season,but he threw those woes aside on Saturday night,scoring 18 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead his side to a home win and take some pressure off coach CJ Bruton.

“That was amazing,” Flowers said. “That’s basketball – when you’re going,you’re going.

“My teammates were behind me the entire game.”

South East Melbourne Phoenix have battled injury and form to start the season,but they showed plenty of grit to overcome an in-form Tasmania JackJumpers 86-85 on Saturday.

The Phoenix were due some good fortune,and it came when reliable Tasmania forward Majok Deng missed a potentially game-tying free throw with just seconds left,allowing the Phoenix to run out the clock.

Gary Browne (20 points) and Mitch Creek (16 points) led the Phoenix,who improved their win-loss record to 2-3.

”It came down to one possession,and it was a bit of a grind,” Phoenix coach Mike Kelly said.

“Both teams played super hard and went at each other.

“A good fight ... our guys kept going.”

With AAP

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