Can Hawks' barometer bounce back?

Trey Kell III finding his best form is pivotal to the Illawarra Hawks’ Championship Series hopes, with the All-NBL First Team Member very much a barometer for his side in NBL25.

The star guard has averaged 19.7 points in wins this season, and just 13.7 in defeats, with the stark contrast in his form during the Finals hard to ignore.

Kell III has twice managed just six points in the Hawks’ defeats, while averaging 27 in their wins.

Matthew Dellavedova put the clamps on him in Game 1, to great effect.

“Dellavedova just put that muscle on him, put that power on him, slowed him down. He struggled,” Lanard Copeland said on NBL Now.

“We said in the pre-game, every success Trey Kell had against the Phoenix, that’s not the same as going against Melbourne’s backcourt,” Peter Hooley added.

“You’ve got Delly, you’ve got Shea Ili where you’re not going to get any possession off, and Trey Kell had one of those nights where he was very disappointing by his standards.

“It is a different beast coming up against Melbourne United’s backcourt.”

While Kell III has been able to bounce back from tough games in NBL25, Hooley says it won’t be easy.

The 28-year-old scored 30 points just three days after knocking down just six in back-to-back games during the Playoffs Series.

“The Phoenix defensive guards are not United’s defensive guards, so he if he thinks he can just go in there and flick a switch, that’s not going to happen,” Hooley said.

“He’s going to dig deep and do what he does ... he’s been very poised this season of picking his moments, getting to his spot ... just picking his moments better, I think that’s where he can be effective.

“This is an All-NBL First-Teamer, you know he’s going to go and bounce back, but if you think that Shea and Dellavedova are going to take a backwards step, that’s not going to happen.”

Post-game, Illawarra coach Justin Tatum backed Kell III and Tyler Harvey (9 points) to respond on Wednesday night.

“There’s not too much you need to say to guys like that,” Tatum said.

“When they’re in the locker room and disappointed, you can see they’re harder on themselves than anyone else.

“You just remind them, ‘hey, we still believe, we still trust in you’.

“You bounced back last time you both had a horrific game, so I don’t see why you can’t do it again.”