Tipped the Hawks for this one. There are going to be alot of 3's in this game.

Well you were correct about these teams letting it fly from the perimeter. Hawks hitting at a very nice clip so far - better from 3 point range than from 2 actually.
Great to finally see Rhys Martin back in action.

Good ball game thus far.
Let's see what the 2nd half brings.

Lisch & Kickert both with 19 points at the half, both shooting 3/4 form outside the arc.
Lisch easily beating him on the boards though :p

HT reporter referred to Lisch up again his "former teammate" Chris Goulding.

Correct me if i'm wrong but they've never played on the same team have they? Wasn't Goulding in the GC by the time Lisch came to Perth?

Lisch and Goulding played together in Spain last season.

Beveridge: "First time this season we've had our full team together."

And somewhere off-camera, Tyson Demos sheds a lonesome tear.

Best way to guard the Hawks is play them on the road.

Thanks Callisto. Forgot about Spain.

@ Anon: I guess MElbourne bet against themselves today?

Two big season bets I have:

-Hawks top 4
- United minor prem

It's a bizarre night for me because one is looking very good and the other is looking hopeless.

Going to be so mad when AJ gets overlooked next year for Boomers 2016 because he will.

Dude is a bloody quality centre. Would take him to Rio no sweat.

Majok Majok has been OK for stretches, but this is a prime example of a game where Melb really could've used Warrick earlier and more often.

Adelaide won't be making the playoffs based on these Hawks. They look pretty damn Martin making a bigger influence than I figured he would.

Blowout troll always speaks too soon, and then disappears back into anonymous territory to await the next premature blowout.

Best thing about this season has been the amount of amazing, close games we've seen.

Hear that guys! Anonymous guarantees!!!!!!!

Cody Ellis can dunk!!!

You spend a lot of time watching and writing about something you don't seem to like very much.

IMO, both United and the Taipans lack a true leader/leaders.

A person/people who can step up, hold players accountable and "stop the rot". Cruise mode seems to be in action instead.

The recent successful teams had your Vukonas, Martins etc. Teams which have players and coaches with that personality thrive in the league.

Great to see the Hawks crowd going nuts!

P.s. DOES KICKERT EVER NOT COMPLAIN! Seriously.

Goulding should be the guy attacking the hoop IMO. Holt is a pretty quality player - a shooter yeah, but also a legit PG. Goulding needs to attack the hoop like he did for the Tigers before he went to Spain, he's fallen in love with the big three a little too much.

United is not guaranteed to make the 4.

When I explained why last week, everyone shot me down.

What are everyone's thoughts now?

This game v Adelaide on Sunday is worth 2. Because Adelaide is the team who could possibly take United's spot. if United wins on Sunday then they look pretty certain for top 4. But the way they've played over the past few weeks you'd have to say they're only just Luke warm favourites.

What killed UTD tonight was 14 to s to Goulding, Holt and Tomlinson. Just when they got back with that spirited comeback, they let themselves down with sloppy execution.

Considering what Illawarra have faced this season with injury, fixture, they look every bit as good at 7 and 6 as United do on 10 and 4.

Hey Blowout Troll, goodbye.

^Best post all night goes to Isaac

LV, there were near-even odds earlier in the season pitting the Hawks against the Kings for best position at the end of the regular season. I took the Hawks. I think the 36ers' opposite was Melbourne - silly bet then and still risky now.

I like to think Blowout Troll has an old-school pager that alerts him any time a team hits a double-figure lead, no matter which quarter we're in.

I don't understand why United don't use Warrick more? He only played 17 minutes tonight. Are they just waiting for the finals to unleash him?

As I said above, I don't get it either. Especially in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd Q when Melb couldn't get anything going - why not insert the former NBA guy who was playing pretty well prior to that in minor minutes?

I would say Warrick's minutes are to do with his body. He's not a young man and just third game back from a decent layoff.

Can Blowout Troll please use the words Blowout or Blowout Troll next time it posts so we can identify the posts, not that it isn't easy enough already, I would just like to see that handle used...

Amazing league and an amazing season, so many highlights and so many upsets, keep it coming, one of the best NBL seasons I can recall!

@ MACDUB

During and particularly at the end of the game it was Goulding that was complaining the most. During the game at the refs then at the coaching staff in the last minute or so of the game when he was subbed off.

Isaac- that's a tough one though because Kings have disappointed for a range of reasons.

I had a TAB $100 free bet early in the season and I was choosing between United minor prem at $3.25 and Hawks top 4 at $2.75. Went with the Hawks :-)

(although I do still have $ on United for minor prem, unfortunately!)

Goulding was incredible last night though, such an efficient performance. Reminded me more of his 2013/14 season when he played with real discipline inside an offence (that was run almost completely for him, granted!).

I love the blowout troll best when goes from the foul troll, to the refs troll, to the NBL is a joke troll to the blowout troll in the one game!

I love it that Blowout Troll is so consistently proven wrong and ends up with Egg on Face!

We could all meet on Tuesday afternoons over coffee to reflect on our favourite blowout troll moments...