IT WILL be an important matchup for either side in Round 13 of the National Basketball League (NBL) tonight, as the Illawarra Hawks travel south to take on Melbourne United with both sides looking to get back on the winners’ list.

Two of the competition’s biggest clubs will lock horns despite being out of form in a Thursday night encounter at John Cain Arena, with the matchup set to be definitive in the campaigns of both Illawarra and Melbourne. They already had a memorable encounter earlier in the season when the Hawks knocked off a red-hot United team in a terrific boilover.

With the Hawks sitting out of the top six as it stands and United on a four-game losing streak, the stakes are incredibly high tonight and with the second half of the fixture well underway, it will be crucial to claim a win.

Melbourne United vs. Illawarra Hawks

Thursday, December 18 @ 7:30pm
John Cain Arena

After previously being the championship favourite, United have slipped down to second on the standings, overtaken by the Adelaide 36ers in recent weeks. Following a perfect 10-0 run to start the year, Melbourne has now lost four on the trot, and desperately needs a win to stay in touch with the Sixers moving forward.

Sunday’s loss to the Sydney Kings was a bitter pill to swallow given Melbourne should have been miles in front, but could not find the bottom of the net from long range. United shot a dreadful 1/28 from three-point land, but still had the defensive presence to send the game to overtime, where they ultimately lost. Although the loss is disappointing, the fact that they were still in the contest despite their shooting is a positive.

It will be a big contest tonight for United sharpshooter and captain Chris Goulding, who was one of the main culprits in the poor shooting performance. It is well-known how important his perimeter impact is for Melbourne, but he has not found success from three-point land over the past month and it has seen his team’s offensive production drop off. If he can get off the chain and get his eye in from range once again, it gives United a huge boost on the scoring front.

The Hawks are sitting in a less-than-ideal position on the ladder, occupying eighth spot with a record of six wins and 10 losses. The defending champions have found the going tough at times, headlined by a disappointing loss at the hands of the cellar-dwellers in the Cairns Taipans over the past fortnight, showcasing how much improvement they still have ahead.

The Hawks’ biggest issue this season has been their inability to hold onto the ball, and that will be ten-fold tonight given Melbourne’s defensive pressure. With reigning NBL Best Defensive Player Shea Ili looming and Dean Vickerman‘s men renowned for putting plenty of pressure on the ball-carrier, Illawarra will need to get any sloppiness out of its game if it is to win.

One of the biggest individual matchups whenever these two sides clash is the battle of the big men in JaVale McGee and Jesse Edwards, which is always enthralling storyline within the contest. McGee has had the better of his counterpart over the past two encounters, but the teams have split the results. Regardless, look for the three-time NBA champion to assert his dominance early.