Melbourne's plan to stop Sam Froling

Sam Froling has starred for Illawarra across the opening two games of the Hawks’ series against Melbourne, and United head coach Dean Vickerman believes better decision-making both on and off the court could hold the key to stopping the Next Generation Award winner.

Froling had 26 points in Melbourne’s Game 1 overtime win, and backed it up with 19 points and 13 rebounds in the Game 2 victory that has kept the Hawks in with an opportunity to compete in this season’s Championship Series.

The center has mostly come up against Jo Lual-Acuil Jr across the opening two games, but Vickerman says he could turn to Ariel Hukporti should the opposition big get going in Game 3.

“There’s a little difference in how we’ve been protecting the rim with Jo and Ariel in the game right now,” Vickerman said. “There’s a real trust I have in Ariel as well, but maybe I’ve stretched Jo’s minutes out a little bit too long and different things, so how consistent can he be with his activity?

“We saw it at the start of the game with how good it was, we saw it in different patches throughout the game, but I’ve got to make sure if I see him (Lual-Acuil Jr) have a step off that we get him his rest and get Ariel in there, because he’s been great.

“Sam’s going to come up with some things at the rim because we’re heavily protecting the paint with our fives on other players, and we just have to make sure we challenge him well and give him nothing really easy.

“I thought the post stuff was a little bit better but the drop-off when others got downhill and the decision of our five to challenge or to get back to him, I think we can make that a little bit more challenging.”

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It’s been a tight turnaround to Game 3 for United and the Hawks. Their overtime Game 2 clash was completed on Sunday afternoon, and United is now back in Melbourne ahead of Wednesday’s do-or-die fixture.

Vickerman says the club planned in case of an eventual Game 3, and that his side is well underway in correcting problem areas from its recent defeat.

“We planned the time to sleep in Wollongong and do a review of our defence up there and today focus more on the offence,” he said.

“We got our two reviews in and I thought there were really only two or three adjustments in each area you really want to have a major focus on.

“Defensively we thought we were consistently better than we were in the first game, they made some pretty tough shots, so the focus was how we could make it a little tougher, our commitment to the d-boards was fantastic until later in the game and we just have to maintain that discipline to continue to do some of those things that give us a chance to win.

“Everyone’s going to have some fatigue from those two games but we’re healthy and there was a good buzz around the gym today, we’re looking forward to it.”

Game 3 between Melbourne and Illawarra will tip off at 7:30pm AEDT on Wednesday night, live on ESPN via Kayo.