And with star Breakers guard Corey Webster calling out his Melbourne United opposite Chris Goulding for flopping on the play that ultimately robbed the New Zealand club of probable victory, the battle lines would appear to be well and truly drawn.

The Breakers have one ready-made arch-rival in the form of the Perth Wildcats who come to Vector on Friday for a much-anticipated matchup between second and third on the National Basketball League standings. That should be another willing encounter between two quality outfits.

The two clubs have had a succession of epic battles as they have shared the last six championships between them (four to the Breakers, two to the Wildcats). As the league has vacillated in quality and stability, these two have been the constants.

But a revamped and retooled Melbourne United outfit have emerged as the new kid on the block in 2015-16. They want what the Breakers have (the championship) and after exploding to a 9-0 start have made clear their ability to take it.

After that thriller in front of over 9000 fans at Hisense Arena on Sunday, where Melbourne pipped the undermanned Breakers (without Mika Vukona or Tai Wesley) 87-86 on the back of an acknowledged referee cockup at the end, it appears the new rivalry has been set in stone.

Experienced Breakers small forward Tom Abercrombie agrees it certainly has that love-hate feel about it. Both teams love to beat and hate to lose to each other.

"That's how those sort of things are born, out of intense moments like that," Abercrombie said.

"You have close games, something out of the ordinary happens and it tends to spark something.

"I think we're going to have some great battles this year. They're a good team, and have been playing well, and I feel like we're starting to hit our straps. Obviously we'll remember that one [on Sunday] for a while. I'm certainly looking forward to playing them again."

Webster has probably added some fuel to the fire with his comments - even if he was just repeating what so many neutrals have been saying since that game ended in such controversial fashion.

Webster said Goulding "flopped" on the play that ultimately decided Sunday's game and added it was not a practice he would stoop to, referring to the dark art of over-selling contact to influence referees' decisions.

The situation arose when Webster was whistled for pushing off Goulding when the Breakers inbounded the ball with nine seconds left (and leading 85-84). The Melbourne player recoiled like he had been shot out of a cannon, and the referees brought it, ultimately making an incorrect ruling on dual fouls that cost the Breakers their chance to close out the win.

Webster was asked if the NBL's subsequent apology and "mea culpa" that the referees had got it badly wrong had added to the Breakers' feeling of injustice.

"For us it's pretty disappointing to end a game like that but right now we're trying to move on and worry about Perth. We're trying to forget about that one," he said.

Webster agreed "there were things we could have done better down the stretch" but felt ultimately the referees should have come together as a group and got it right.

Then one reporter asked the NBA hopeful whether Goulding flopped. Webster said: "Yep."

Asked if it was a fine line between selling calls and flopping, he replied: "It's just a personal thing. If that's how he wants to play, then he's going to do it."

Was it something he would ever do? "No, never," replied Webster.

Goulding told media after the game: "There was certainly contact and at the end of the day we are here to win basketball games. We were fortunate to do that."

"I haven't seen the footage but I knew they were going to try to put the ball in Corey's hands, he tried to free himself and the referee called what he called."

The Webster-Goulding matchup had been heavily hyped beforehand, though neither had what would be termed one of their better games. The Tall Blacks sharpshooter had 15 points on seven-of-22 shooting and Goulding finished with 21, but was just three of 10 from three-point country.

"I think people were focused on it more than me," Webster said. "I was just trying to play the team game. I felt I didn't play too well but I've got another chance on Friday."

And for those wondering, he will have another chance against Goulding and that Melbourne team in Auckland on Sunday, November 22. Mark it down. It should be something special. Again.