MELBOURNE United coach Dean Vickerman has warned the NBL champions must be more physical in the contest, especially when hunting rebounds.

United was unable to build any momentum against New Zealand Breakers at Melbourne Arena, unable to capitalise on the offensive end.

In contrast, the Breakers pulled down the first nine offensive boards unanswered to keep the reigning champions honest.

Vickerman, who last year introduced MMA-style combat sessions to steel his players, signalled the need for United to arrest the troubling trend after the pre-season was also marred by inconsistent in-game lapses.

“We got to arrest that issue because it’s hard to win a basketball game when the other team is shooting 20 more shots than you,” Vickerman said.

“We need people to really jam down and help with some of those rebounding situations, there’s a physicality there that we addressed last year and we’re going to have to address it again.

“It’s at an unacceptable level and we’re going to have to make a change.

“It’s a glaring issue for us right now, down an import and Casper and Josh certainly didn’t have their best game tonight, and certainly you got to say they were the most affected from the four overtime game.”

The Breakers pulled down 22 offensive rebounds which led to repeat shots, while United imports laboured trying to find their range.

Ex-United star Tai Wesley led the charge for the visitors, with a game-high 25 points and six rebounds.

Wesley dropped 15 in the second quarter alone as the Breakers turned a nine-point deficit into a five-point half-time buffer.

Melbourne went into the game with a plan to put time into Breakers playmaker Corey Webster, but it backfired as Wesley and Tom Abercrombie rained on United’s NBL championship banner unfurling parade.

Wesley opened up about the emotion of lining up against United for the first time.

“They were high, they were flowing, especially with the pre-game ceremony definitely got a little emotional for me,” Wesley said.

“You shake this guy’s hand you went to war with for two years, really, so it was an emotional game and that’s how I played because I needed that.”

United import DJ Kennedy (ankle) is considered a definite starter for Sunday’s assignment against Adelaide 36ers.

Kennedy, who rolled his ankle in the season-opener, was held out of Sunday’s game after failing a pre-game fitness test.