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Illawarra Hawks vs Melbourne United Tips & Preview - Hawks to suffer defeat to in NBL top of the ladder clash

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: 17 Jan 2025

Jeremy Darke 17 Jan 2025

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Illawarra Hawks vs Melbourne United expert predictions for Saturday’s Round 17 NBL matchup
Melbourne United has won 7 of their past 9 away games
Chris Goulding predicted to play a key role with 4+ threes in a United victory

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Melbourne to take top of the table clash (Getty)

Illawarra Hawks vs Melbourne United Preview

I'm backing Melbourne United to snatch victory over the Illawarra Hawks in a high scoring top of the table clash. Chris Goulding will be on point again with 4+ threes for United.

Melbourne United has won 7 of their past 9 away games.
Melbourne have won 2 of their past 3 matches at WIN Entertainment Centre
Illawarra have shot just 24.76% from the three-point line in their past 3 losses.
Chris Goulding has 4+ threes in 5 of his past 6 games.

Head to Head

2024/25 Match Results

13/12/24 Melbourne 93 - 106 Illawarra

24/10/24 Illawarra 87 - 92 Melbourne

2023/24 Season Series

Melbourne United won 3-0

Illawarra Hawks Form

The Hawks are in a slight dip in their season winning just 2 of their past 5 games after their most recent loss to Adelaide on Monday night.

Illawarra went down 91-88 on the road to the 36ers after a sluggish start being out scored in each of the opening two quarters and heading into the main break, down 63-43, a 20-point hole they couldn’t completely dig themselves out of, losing the match 91-88.

The common trend in the Hawks past 3 losses has been the decline in their three-point shooting. With a season average of 35.8% from the perimeter, Illawarra hit just 27.3% against Adelaide, 28.0% against Cairns and just 19.0% against South East Melbourne.

Opposition coaches are putting scoreboard pressure on the Hawks. The Hawks offence is the best in the league by a country mile, so the way to compete is not to stop the offence but go with them and push the pace, which is where the 36ers, Taipans and Phoenix had their success.

Melbourne United Form

Melbourne’s season was tumbling down, however, in what is usually a tough period on the road for United has sparked the group who has now won 3 of their past 4 matches with victories over Cairns, Sydney and New Zealand and a loss to Adelaide.

With three more games on the road against the Hawks, Wildcats and Brisbane within eight days, before closing out with two home games, this period will be crucial for United heading into the finals and which road they will need to take with the top five so tightly compact in the standings.

The positive for Melbourne since heading on the road is the improvement in their defence which has averaged just 85.75 points against per game after averaging well above 100 points against in December.

Verdict

Illawarra Hawks v Melbourne United

Melbourne United can take over at the top of the NBL table covering the 2.5 points as the underdog and likely snatching victory over the Hawks in a high scoring matchup, where Chris Goulding will be on point again with 4+ threes for United.

Melbourne +2.5

Handicap/Line

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