Hawks ready for "big-time" blockbuster

Tyler Harvey doesn’t view his Illawarra Hawks as the underdogs heading into Friday night’s blockbuster top of the ladder clash with Melbourne United.

The league’s two best teams will meet in primetime, and despite Melbourne winning three more games than Illawarra this season, Harvey has declared the Hawks will march into John Cain Arena full of confidence. 

A win would send them to the top of the NBL standings.

"I think we're a big-time team as well,” Harvey said via the Illawarra Mercury.

“I don't look at us as anybody lower or higher. I think we've got a lot of teams playing well right now, and you have got to think of yourself as the best team. You can't look at yourself as lower (than these so-called big teams).”

Justin Tatum was far from happy after the Hawks’ narrow loss to United. pic.twitter.com/kovAqmHsAs

— NBL (@NBL) October 24, 2024

United took down the Hawks 92-87 the last time these teams met, in a game that was filled with drama, after Justin Tatum called Chris Goulding a flopper in a wild final minute. 

Emotions are sure to be high with no love lost between the sides, in what is must-watch TV come Friday night at 7:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.