How to watch & talking points: Brisbane v Illawarra

Brisbane Bullets (10th) v Illawarra Hawks (8th)
Monday, January 26, 7.30pm AEDT
Brisbane Entertainment Centre

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Talking points

Door still open
With the Illawarra Hawks' 'double-points' win over sixth-placed Tasmania on Saturday, the door is still open for the reigning champions to make the post-season.

To do so, they'll have to keep chalking up wins, especially against 10th-placed Brisbane, who are the only team the Hawks play who are below them on the ladder in their final eight matches.

A win on Monday would move Illawarra to equal with New Zealand on the wins column and just two behind the JackJumpers, with four rounds remaining.

Holt's biggest test yet
Bullets big man Jacob Holt has come into his own recent games, including a career-high 23 points in their last match against Melbourne.

But Holt will face the biggest test of his young NBL career on Monday, being matched up against arguably the competition's most formidable frontline of JaVale McGee and Sam Froling.

If Brisbane are to end their seven-match losing streak, Holt will need to be a big factor in that, on both ends of the floor.

What they're saying

Bullets guard Mitch Norton on his side finishing the season strong:
"It's definitely difficult and challenging being in this situation, but at the same time I've experienced highs and lows in this league, and this is just another one that I can throw to the bow.

"It's interesting, it's fun and I like to see how guys respond after a loss like this and go to training even though we can't necessarily compete, but I want to see what your attitude is like to all the stuff we are able to do, and if we're doing it at game pace or going through the motions.

"I want to see which guys are just getting through the next six games before going on to the next job or who wants to try and build something in the city of Brisbane."

Hawks coach Justin Tatum on his big man duo of JaVale McGee and Sam Froling:
“JaVale's been doing solid all year and I'm happy for him and Sam, and we got 22 minutes and 16 minutes from Sam, and we got 39 points between the both of them, and that's something we've been trying to execute once Sam got healthy.

“We envision that to be a part of our situation going forward so I tip my hat off to both of them.”

Missing in action

Brisbane
Casey Prather - Knee - Season
Dakota Mathias - Shoulder - February
Javon Freeman-Liberty - Hamstring - Round 20
Lamar Patterson - Hamstring - Season
Sam McDaniel - Calf - Round 20
Tyrell Harrison - Concussion – TBC

Illawarra
Jonah Bolden - Achilles - Season

>> View full injury list