I'm feeling this is 50/50 game after the first two games. Illawarra has been just as good as Melbourne over the past 2-3 months (albeit with United coasting in top position), and they've played 3 times recently with all three going down to the wire. Gary Clark has been the best player in this series and could easily win it for them.

But history and logic suggests home teams, and experienced teams, win deciding playoff games. (Not to mention teams who were better over the entirety of the season- which is also implied by the fact they're the home team)

On that basis United by 11.

Hawks been great can they continue, can Hickey keep going as is, Froling as well. Jla is either going to wimp away or stand up. I think he'll stand. Just to many experienced players, united for mine by eight.
Hopefully both Clark’s back next season, both exceptional with Gary being unstoppable at times.

Keen af for this game. (don't think I can manage to stay awake for the matinee, which is on par)

Have a feeling we're going to get a beast game from someone. Bubbles/Clark or Clark/Harvey.

Tipping United by 5, but honestly wouldn't be surprised if the match went either way. Just hope the result isn't clouded by a ref's call that everyone bitch tits about.

Come on Hawks. Do this.

Melbourne shooting the lights out, to many soft fouls called imo.

Foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul

LOL imagine buying a ticket to watch this LOL

LOL The Hawks have 3 defensive rebounds the ENTIRE qtr
Second best league in the world most definitly

LOL The Hawks have 3 defensive rebounds the ENTIRE qtr
Second best league in the world most definitly

Robertson turning up at both ends, hawks back to six after being very average first quarter.

F off Jacket. The adults are enjoying the game.

This games gonna finish on Friday will all these fouls being called.

Foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul, foul

Hukport with an almost charge then surely a push of, gets a favourable no call on the charge and a foul called for shoving his defender away lol. Hopefully perth get similar calls

13 mins gone and 17 fouls called?

Second best league in the world LFMAO

What a call!

Push off and home cooking, come on nbl even Gaze called it a push off. Gary Clark can't make a bucket.

If they're calling that on Froling instead of Hukporti, there's really no point in the Hawks being here.

Hawks hanging around despite zilch from Harvey and Clark.

Harvey gets mauled by three players. No call.

Hawks looking tired, hanging tough though.

The NBL will lose too much money if the Hawks get to the GF instead of United.
Its a simple as that.
Its a business. Not a proper competition

Hawks getting absolutely screwed by the officials again

Would help if they could hit a free throw.

MU - 12 PF

Hawks - 10 PF

Froling has drawn a lot of fouls in the NBL this season, but his style of offense doesn't work in the NBA or FIBA. If he wants to get to the top leagues, he needs to develop his perimeter shooting.

Slow start. Not playing well. Only 7 down. If either Clark or Harvey can get hot then it's game on.

Credit to United for keeping them quiet so far.

Goulding

3P

4-9 44%

2-10 20%

0-4 0%

Come on...whats with these calls?

@LoveBroker

Its almost like the referees are desperate to have a certain amount of points be scored.

What a BS call on Robinson.

Embarrassing call. Simons did nothing wrong. The refs are helping the united

Robinson

Goulding absolutely milking the calls on the 3 with his overt simulated contact reations.
It really devalues his game IMO

Would love to know what Robinson did wrong on the Goulding foul!

Nothing Glen.
It was just a typical Goulding over-reaction where the refs took the bait.

Delly is making a BIG case for Paris

37 fouls in 30 minutes LOL

Olbrich should have been injected into the game for energy at the expense of Petling minutes

Gary Clarke is a warrior, unbelievable performance under duress

Notice when there is a drought in scoring the refs start going crazy with the whistle and sending players to the line?
Something very suspect is going on here.

Goulding just pulled off the slowest step back, cross over 3 in NBL history

Hawks just a little off the pace all game.

100% at heating snail, got length as well.

Just left too many points at the stripe.
Should have been a different level of scoreboard pressure on MU at this point.

Very soft call on Lee.

Rebounds and missed free throws killed hawks. Imo Blanchfield has always been rated better than he is and this season backs that up.

Ah Melbourne win. You hate to see it.

58 free throws in 40 minutes of basketball
This is why the TV ratings are so good
Oh wait LOLOL

58 free throws in 40 minutes of basketball
This is why the TV ratings are so good
Oh wait LOLOL

Sorry, 68 FTs in 40 mins LOL

I didn't think you watched the games Jacket? Why do you care about TV ratings?

Don't you find it odd that you’re engaging in and watching something you don’t like?

MU

FT 21-30

Hawks

FT 24-38

Total

45-68

You don't get that many free throws in FIBA Ball. That's why I don't judge players based on their records and performances in the NBL.

Good thing that there will be barely any NBL players in the Boomers team for the Olympics.

These players will have no idea what to do when the referees dont call a foul every 30 seconds.

Jacket, as soon as I see your name I move onto the next post, no one reads your rubbish.

Yeah, reffing too soft. United took advantage early then somehow ended sending Illawarra to the line 38 times themselves

Clark, Froling, Delly huge all series, Travers big too. The best semi final series I can remember. Hawks. Just. Kept. Coming. Back. Unbelievable fight.

Jacket seems like a professional hater lol

Unfortunate finish but proud of how the Hawks turned around under Tatum and made a really good run to the semi-finals almost making the finals.

Refereeing certainly didn't help the Hawks though...

LOL even Andrew Bogut tweeted that this game was "UGLY".
You cannot tell me this was not pre meditated by the referees.

Perfect, Jacket's a moron and follows Bogut. Who would have thought lol

Rucker had a great line about the Hawks -

"They continue to manufacture mini comebacks"