Hawkeye - Illawarra Hawks v Perth Wildcats - Semi-Final Game One

THE MUST KNOWS 

When: 9:30pm AEST, Thursday 10 April

Where: RAC Arena, Perth

Broadcast: ESPN, SBS On Demand and Twitch

Past meetings:

Round 8 at John Cain Arena: Wildcats 87 def Hawks 70
Round 11 at RAC Arena: Wildcats 81 def Hawks 70
Round 14 at RAC Arena: Wildcats 83 def Hawks 69
Round 21 at WIN Entertainment Centre: Hawks 81 def Wildcats 79

THE PRELUDE

The first match of the 2021 NBL Finals Series will see last year’s champions take on last year's wooden spooners as the Wildcats welcome the Hawks into RAC Arena in Perth.

The Hawks are playing post-season basketball for the first time since 2017, while the Wildcats are competing in their 35th consecutive playoffs since they last missed out in 1986.

The location for tonight's game has not been a happy hunting ground for Illawarra over the years, with the Hawks only recording one win from their past 35 games in West Australia.

Brian Goorjian's side will need to pinch at least one game on the road if they are to progress to the Final, and Game One could be the most important with history showing 24 of the last 25 playoff series played in the NBL have been won by the team that won the series opener.

Illawarra has been in the playoffs five times in the past 11 seasons and each time they were eliminated by none other than the Wildcats.

The Wildcats will be without the services of MVP nominee Bryce Cotton for the remainder of the 2021 NBL season, with the star guard having a quadriceps surgically repaired a few weeks ago.

THE FUN FACTS

The Wildcats have never lost Game One of a series at RAC Arena (nine wins - zero losses).

Perth lost their last finals game at RAC Arena, the defeat coming in Game Two of the Grand Final series last season against the Kings (83-97).

This is the tenth time these teams have met in the post season and the Hawks have beaten the Wildcats just once in 2001, the year Illawarra went on to win it's only NBL Championship.

Illawarra has travelled to Perth 66 times since 1982 for seven wins and 59 losses.

Trevor Gleeson and Brian Goorjian have coached against each other 17 times with Gleeson currently leading the head-to-head 9-8.

Both Gleeson and Goorjian are two of the three finalist in this year’s Coach of the Year award and these two coaches have won more NBL Championships than anyone else.

Most NBL Championships: (as a coach)

6 – Brian Goorjian
5 – Trevor Gleeson
4 – Brian Kerle
3 – Phil Smyth, Andrej Lemanis,
2 – Lindsay Gaze, Bob Turner, Alan Westover, Dean Vickerman
1 – Murray Arnold, Alan Black, Brett Brown, Cal Bruton, Ken Cole, Jim Ericksen, Adrian Hurley, Brendan Joyce, Jerry Lee, Bruce Palmer, Ken Richardson, Joey Wright, Rob Beveridge,

This will be Brian Goorjian’s first playoff game coaching at RAC Arena but he does have happy memories in Perth after leading the Kings to their first ever Championship in Perth at Challenge Stadium.

THE MATCH UP

Tyler Harvey v Mitch Norton

Harvey has enjoyed his time down under with the Hawks. The point guard finished the season with a league-high 114 three-pointers and has been named one of three finalists for the NBL MVP Award.

Harvey has had a difficult time against the league's premier defensive lineup this season though, with the Californian local averaging 17.8ppg and shooting 10-from-35 threes (28%) against Perth. When Harvey does get it going, the Hawks are undefeated from eight games when he scores 25-points or more. Harvey sat out the side's final regular season game against the Kings, but will be fit and ready to go on Thursday night,

The man tasked with shutting him down is former Hawk turned Wildcat Mitch Norton. Norton also sat out the final regular season game of the year to get some much-needed rest, with the A-Grade stopper sure to be tasked with the job of quelling Harvey's immense influence across the series. You get the feeling whoever wins this matchup will help their side win the series, so let's get ready for some fireworks on Thursday night. 

THE SPOTLIGHT

Justin Simon

Simon has played in all 36 contests in his first season in the NBL, finishing the year with the most steals across the league as the linchpin in the Hawks newfound defensive mindset. 

Simon has to be the red hot favourite for Defensive Player of the Year honours and has been the team's unabashed leader on the often unrewarded end of the court. No side respects good defence like the Wildcats (Perth has the league's best defensive rating with Illawarra second), but with no Bryce Cotton to chase around for three straight games, Simon will instead turn his attention to the likes of sharpshooter Todd Blanchfield and Clint Steindl.

His seven foot wingspan will clutter the passing lanes, his hustle plays will create extra offensive possessions, and his energetic mindset will hopefully inspire the Hawks on the road in front of a rampant Red Army.