DrinkWise Preview: NBL24 Round 4, Game 1 vs Illawarra Hawks

Melbourne United will look to continue their winning ways when they head on the road to face the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong.

Sitting at opposite ends of the ladder, United will hope to extend their buffer on top of the table with a third road victory of the season.

For Illawarra, Friday night is a chance to move past a difficult Round 3, which saw them pick up a pair of losses by an average of 19.5 points per game.

PLAYER TO WATCH

JLA. Is. Back.

The NBL22 MVP finalist will make his return to the court on Friday night in Wollongong after missing United’s opening five games of the season.

A record-setting player across MU’s history, Lual-Acuil Jr will look to get back to doing what he does best in the NBL; dominating at both ends of the floor with his game-changing talent.

KEY MATCHUP

Two of the league’s most dangerous sharpshooters will do battle as Chris Goulding and Tyler Harvey take the court.

Goulding has started the season in red-hot form, connecting on more three pointers (18) than anyone in the league this far. 

Half of these came in the last Round, as CG43 sank nine triples in a pair of 18-point performances against the Wildcats and Bullets.

For Harvey, finding consistency with his scoring is a must heading into the contest. The import averaged just 11.5 points per game on 15% shooting from beyond the arc.

THE OTHER GUYS

Harvey’s fellow imports Justin Robinson and Gary Clark have each shown their ability to break a game open, while Sam Froling has established himself as one of the league’s premier big-men.

Todd Blachfield and Hyunjung Lee will aim to stretch the floor with their long-range proficiency, while the combination of Davo Hickey and Biwali Bayles are able to attack defences with speed.

An X-factor in the contest will be what young Lachlan Olbrich can produce. After showing flashes in the preseason, the 208cm interior presence will look to deliver a breakout game against United’s stout front-line.

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GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks

Tip-off: 7:30pm AEDT, Friday 20 October, 2023

Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Watch: ESPN via Kayo