DrinkWise Preview: NBL25 - Round 6, Game 1 v Illawarra Hawks

Melbourne United are set to kick off our double-header round on Thursday night in a road test against the top-of-the-table Illawarra Hawks.

A rematch of NBL24’s semi-final series, expect a physical contest as both teams look to establish dominance early.

For Melbourne, a win would be the perfect start to a hectic period which will see our group play six games in 17 days.

On the flip-side, an Illawarra victory would keep the Hawks atop the NBL ladder.

LISTEN TO DEAN VICKERMAN AND IAN CLARK PREVIEW THE ROUND HERE

WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT

(Past five games)
United - L, W, L, W, L

Hawks - W, W, L, W, W

Consistency has been the biggest challenge for United this season, with the team alternating wins and losses across the last six games.

A clear trend in our victories has been ball strong ball movement, having tallied over 20 assists in each of the last three victories.

On the defensive end, we’ve been able to limit opponents to a league-low 83.6 points per game. Repeating this will be a huge priority against the Hawks, who are averaging a league-best 101.2 points per game.

STARS COLLIDE

Sitting atop many MVP leaderboards early in the season is Illawarra’s Trey Kell III, who has thrived since joining the Hawks in the offseason.

The American ranks fifth in the league in scoring, but is sure to be tested going up against our own sharpshooting import, Ian Clark.

Playing his fourth season in the competition, Clark is averaging a career-high in scoring (15.1 points) on ultra-efficient shooting.

Seeing which one of these two stars can gain the advantage early could go a long way in determining the result of the game.

GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks

Tip-off: 7:30pm AEDT, Thursday 24 October, 2024

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Watch: ESPN via Kayo