Speedy point guard Corin Henry dominated the second half to lead Sydney to a dramatic 85-82 NBL win over the Melbourne Tigers on Friday night at The Kingdome.

Darnell Lazare sealed the win with four free-throws in the final 11 seconds after the Kings chased down an eight-point half-time deficit thanks to the hot hands of Henry.

Henry produced an electrifying second half, pouring in all of his 23 points and collecting four crucial steals to single-handedly carry the Kings down the stretch.

Lazare also finished with 23 points along with 13 rebounds, while James Harvey added 14 points in a thrilling home opener for Sydney.

Liam Rush had 15 points and Lucas Walker and Seth Scott each added 14 points for the Tigers, who were hampered by 13 turnovers in the second half.

The Tigers had their noses in front 24-22 at quarter-time after a crafty drive by Nate Tomlinson capped a 9-2 flurry for the visitors.

Harvey and Kevin Braswell exchanged long-range jumpers early in the second, but it was a pair of crushing blows by the stocky American that created Melbourne's first solid buffer at 36-29.

Rush joined the party and racked up 10 points, he and Braswell combining for 18 of the Tigers' 23 second-quarter points as the visitors surged to a 47-39 lead at halftime.

Henry and Lazare opened the third term with a bang for the Kings, collecting their team's first six points and paving the way to lock the scores at 49-49.

Henry came up with a string of steals and a pair of incredible finishes to snatch the lead for the Kings and hold on for a 65-63 edge heading into the fourth as the crowd reached fever pitch.

The Tigers grabbed a short-lived lead on a Benny Lewis triple, only to have Henry explode for an individual 7-0 run, capped by a acrobatic reverse lay-up.

The Kings then made the plays down the stretch to secure victory.