Melbourne United took Game 1 on the road in the NBL25 Championship series against the Illawarra Hawks, and now they hold home court advantage as the best-of-five series heads to Melbourne for Game 2. It should be another entertaining battle between the two best teams in the competition, and we have you covered with a full game preview and best bet below!
Season record: 95-67 +33.2 Units
NBL25 Championship Series Preview & Betting Tips
Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks (Game 2)
Wednesday 7:30pm AEDT (March 12), John Cain Arena
Melbourne United head into Game 2 of the NBL25 Championship Series with a golden chance to go up 2-0 after a huge road win in Wollongong. They stayed composed under pressure and flipped the game on its head with a dominant second half to steal home-court advantage. The Hawks had won the last two games against United and looked well in control at halftime with a 53-43 lead, but United responded with a blistering 53-35 second half to snatch the victory.
The Hawks, who averaged over 101 points per game in the regular season, struggled to find their rhythm after the break. A big part of that was United’s defensive intensity, particularly from their backcourt duo of Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili, who made life miserable for Illawarra’s guards. Trey Kell and Tyler Harvey had nights to forget, combining for just 15 points on 7-21 shooting. Sam Froling had a strong first half with 16 points but was much quieter in the second. Will Hickey was the one who stepped up late, finishing with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. If the Hawks want to even the series before heading back to Wollongong, they need more out of their stars and a better overall offensive game plan.
United’s balanced attack was the difference in Game 1, with five players scoring 13 or more points. Jack White continued to struggle with his shooting, going 4-13 from the field and 1-4 at the free-throw line to finish with just 9 points, but Marcus Lee delivered a massive performance off the bench with 14 points and 15 rebounds—arguably his best NBL game to date. The ability of United’s bench to step up and make key contributions will be crucial as the series continues.
One of the biggest takeaways from Game 1 was United’s ability to dictate the tempo in the second half. The Hawks thrive when they can push the pace and play freely, but United forced them into half-court sets and disrupted their offensive flow. If the Hawks can adjust and find ways to get Kell and Harvey better looks, they’ll have a strong chance to bounce back. At the same time, United will be looking to keep the pressure on and continue to make things difficult defensively.
The Hawks have been the best team in the league all season, so they won’t go down without a fight. They’ll need to be smarter with their shot selection and tighten up defensively if they want to avoid going down 0-2. Given how United slowed things down in Game 1, another lower-scoring contest could be in store, making the under on the 193.5 total points line the preferred betting option.
Under 193.5 Points
$1.95 (1 Unit)
