Closing Time: Tatum still searching for answers

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

“I think Tatum is still trying to find that lineup (to close games with)."

With the Illawarra Hawks heading to Melbourne looking to force a Game 5, one of their biggest concerns will be looking to fix their fourth quarter woes.

“I think Tatum is still trying to find that lineup (to close games with),” Pete Hooley said on NBL Now.

“I think he has to make a tough choice.”

The Hawks have lost six straight fourth quarters in this post-season and once again squandered a lead at the hands of a poised Melbourne United.

“This was very similar to Game 1 where you saw Justin Tatum was trying to find a closing lineup that worked. Because Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell didn’t fire in this game,” Hooley added.

Leading by 10 points with seven minutes remaining, some of the shot selection from the Hawks was questionable according to Derek Rucker.

“I think they got a little bit too hungry, and they went for the knockout punch too early,” he said.

The dual All-NBL First Team members scored a combined two points in the fourth on Sunday, hitting just one field goal from six attempts.

“Again, you saw late that Tatum was trying to get a lineup that had some poise, but they continued to blaze away from three and take rushed shots,” Hooley noted.

“Where down the other end, Dellavedova just took the air out of the ball and made the right play.”

The Hawks missed all 12 attempts from three in the final quarter, which included some erratic late game shots when the game was all but over.

“We have seen contrasting choices in this post-season from Tatum,” Hooley said.

“Where he rolls with Trey Kell even if he’s not performing like in Game 2 against the Phoenix. He played him the whole fourth quarter and he couldn’t snap out of it and they couldn’t get the win.

“We have also seen the flip side of that where he sits him and rolls with the bench, and sometimes that doesn’t pay off either, so it’s a tough decision.

“Dean Vickerman on the other hand, just knows he has these veteran guys no matter whether they’re playing good or bad, that he rolls with because he has faith in them."

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