“I think they are done”: Champs' slim hopes hanging by a thread

With more than a third of the Hungry Jack's NBL26 regular season remaining, the Illawarra Hawks sit in eighth with a 6 13 record.

That is only four games behind the all important sixth-placed Tasmania JackJumpers, who the Hawks host on Wednesday.

Even if they win that New Year's Eve fixture, three-time NBL champion Casey Prather believes the Hawks' season is all but over, despite having 14 games up their sleeves.

"It's a little too early, but in my opinion, I think they [Illawarra] are done," Casey Prather said on Wednesday's NBL Now.

"I look at Illawarra and I see them as like a rebuilding team right now. They lost a lot of pieces last year and it's hard to come back from that.

"They're trying to figure things out and it's a whole new system right now for those guys, so it's [essentially] a rebuilding season for them.

"A part of that is integrating a massive personality like JaVale McGee into the system [and adjusting to it]. He needs the ball, whereas last season, [the key to Illawarra's success] was their sharing of the ball and equal opportunity to all players."

In the same vein, three-time NBA champion McGee has been incredible this season, averaging 21.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Now, with the return of star big man Sam Froling, the Hawks have one of the most imposing frontlines in the competition.

"How fast Sam came back is impressive, which shows just how determined he was to get back on the court," Prather said.

"[Now, alongside McGee] anytime they can play on the court together, they're going to be a problem.

"Tasmania is going to have their hands full playing against them [on Wednesday night]."

Wednesday night's NBL Ignite Cup fixture at the WIN Entertainment Centre tips off at 5.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.