The Illawarra Hawks added another road win to their ledger on Saturday night, coming away with a ten-point victory.
Final score
Brisbane Bullets 88
Illawarra Hawks 98
The Brisbane Bullets will be looking to get back to their best and stop a losing streak when they host the in-form and offensively exciting Illawarra Hawks at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEDT).
Less than a fortnight ago, the Bullets were the taste of the NBL having won a few games in a row, buried their offensive woes and handed the Perth Wildcats their biggest ever loss at the Perth Arena.
At that point – the start of Round 9 they had worked their way up to ninth on what is a ridiculously tight NBL ladder.
All that has come crumbling down though in the last week, losing two games straight. The first of those was at home against the Cairns Taipans in what was a major upset.
Their offence, which has been a problem all season came under intense scrutiny from the Cairns defence, before they went down to the struggling New Zealand Breakers by seven points on Thursday night away from home.
This game for the Bullets will present more issues to their defence than anything given the Hawks impressive form recently.
It’s not all that long ago the Hawks looked like the basket case of the competition. But with Rotnei Clarke turning his form around after a move to the bench and their youth – namely Mitch Norton and Nick Kay backing up well the Hawks have been able to win some big games.
Before they ran into the Sydney Kings last Monday in a game they arguably should have won given their start and level of offence, the club had won three on the trot including their first win in Perth for over a decade.
Given they still put 93 points up against the Kings, their offence has been firing on all cylinders. Rob Beveridge has done a brilliant job getting his side going, and if they can come out of the gates firing against the Bullets they could blow them off the court.
Their defence is still a problem though and while the Bullets offence has been inconsistent, the likes of Jermaine Beal could come to life at home in a big way during this match.
Prediction
This is going to be one very interesting game. Essentially it’s offence vs defence, but you just feel the Bullets offence, which does have enough weapons to get going – as they have proven a few times this season will score enough points and at home, they will pick up an important victory.
Bullets by 6.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Round 10 NBL match from 7:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
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Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2016-17 NBL Season as the Illawarra Hawks ran away with a ten-point victory over the Brisbane Bullets on the road. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage! I'll be back Monday night for the Cairns Taipans vs Adelaide 36ers. Before then though, it's Connor Bennett to take you through the Sydney Kings vs Melbourne United from 3pm (AEDT) tomorrow. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Rotnei Clarke is man of the match then leading all scorers with 24 points on 9 of 12 shooting.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, a quality win for the Hawks there. Thoughts Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Plenty of good ball movement here from the Hawks before Harris misses a three. Offensive board though and Clarke knocks down a three. Time running out and Craig just closes the gap a fraction - no doubt it could come in handy at the back end with the season split as he knocks down a three on the buzzer. Nonetheless, it's a good strong win for the Hawks by ten as they were too strong down the stretch. Brisbane Bullets - 88 Illawarra Hawks - 98
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Bruce makes both. Bullets - 85 Hawks - 95
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Brisbane quickly down the floor and they draw a foul through Bruce. He will go to the strike with 25 seconds to go. Bullets - 83 Hawks - 95
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Norton makes both. Bullets - 83 Hawks - 95
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Kay now with a bucket for the Hawks to send the lead back to ten before the Bullets turn it over through Craig. Illawarra using the clock before Norton misses and then Harris shoots with the shot clock almost on nothing. Offensive board from the miss and eventually Norton is fouled with about 33 seconds on the clock. That'll do it here you would suspect. Bullets - 83 Hawks - 93
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Craig! Massive 3! Bullets - 83 Hawks - 91
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Harris makes one. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 91
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' The Bullets with the inbound but Petrie's pass to Gibson doesn't stick and they turn it over again. Illawarra now using some clock before Clarke goes to Kay and then Harris who fires up a shocking three. There is a foul on the shot though so he goes to the line with 3. This is some silly basketball from Brisbane. Launching threes, turning it over and now a foul outside the arc. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 90
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Timeout Brisbane. They need to be perfect from here. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 90
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Into the bonus and Norton makes one from the line before chasing down his own miss, going to Harris and he sends the lead out to ten making his second shot of the night. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 90
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Bullets have a ball tipped out of play by Kay here before Kickert goes to Petrie and then Gibson on the inbound. Beal now finds Gibson who is wide open but he misses. Offensive rebound and then Petrie misses a three before Norton runs into Kickert and commits an off the ball. Brisbane back on the ball and it's Beal shooting for three who misses. Kickert called for a foul under the basket. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 87
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Harris uses a screen now to get a bit of space from mid range He misses the shot though before Ogilvy grabs the board and slams it home. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 87
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' The Bullets badly need a bucket here and the shot clock is running down as Gibson lights up for three. That's no good, but Craig grabs the board and draws a foul. From the inbound it's Beal to Gibson and back to Beal who misses the shot. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Hawks now into the bonus. Kay makes both. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Petrie gets open in the lane now and converts for Brisbane before Kay goes hard into the paint, loses it and then it goes out off Gibson. From the inbound it's Ogilvy, Clarke and Kay who then gets fouled in the paint. Bullets - 80 Hawks - 83
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Kay makes both. Bullets - 78 Hawks - 83