Basketball On The Internet.

IT WAS a big day for NSW's two NBL clubs, both in the thick of the battle for top-six berths, Illawarra battling back from a double-digit deficit to hurt New Zealand's chances and Sydney burying the memory of its pathetic demise at South East by beating Victoria's higher-ranked outfit Melbourne, Makuach Maluach again to the rescue.  

The Hawks survived and kept their playoff dream moving forward, their home win taking their record to 11-12 and into sixth place.

Conversely they also hurt New Zealand's chances, the loss dropping the Breakers to 10-13 with little margin for error.

They started strongly enough, despite Parker Jackson-Cartwright copping two rapidfire fouls in the very early going, and led 15-7 when Hawks coach Justin Tatum had to call time-out.

As has been the case throughout Round 17, it was the benchies, the lesser lights who again stepped up, forgoing a 10-0 response which sent Illawarra into the lead.

Gary Clark carried the Hawks offensively with 11 first-quarter points, Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling off their games as New Zealand took a 48-42 lead into halftime, a buffer which should have been greater.

Baskets to Zylan Cheatham quickly pushed the Breakers' lead to 10 at 54-44 and it still was 57-47 on a Mangok Mathiang three-point play.

Harvey, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, followed a 3-point basket with a three-point play to bring the contest back to life, his next bucket making it eight straight points from him.

Inside the last 90 seconds, Harvey gave Illawarra an 84-83 lead but two more free throw makes by Anthony Lamb, who was strangely subdued, restored the Breakers' lead.

It was Clark's turn from the stripe to put the Hawks back in front, Lamb fouling out and joining fellow starters Cheatham and Mantas Rubstavicius on the bench.

Considering three NZ starters fouled out and Jackson-Cartwright and Mathiang both had four in a whopping team total of 31, it was ironic Illawarra felt hard done by.

Free throws by William Hickey put the game out of reach. 

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 89 (Clark 29, Harvey 19, Olbrich, Robinson 9; Clark 8 rebs; Froling, Robinson 4 assts) d NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 85 (Cheatham 19, Jackson-Cartwright 18, Rubstavicius 17, Lamb 13; Cheatham 11 rebs; Lamb 4 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 4,239 

In SYDNEY, the Kings immediately showed a renewed vigour so absent on Thursday, to keep themselves in the playoff discussion at 12-13 and in fourth spot, Melbourne still on the ladder's top rung despite its setback today.

Angus Glover's insertion into the starting five in Jaylin Galloway's absence stiffened Sydney's defensive resolve, despite Chris Goulding dangerously swishing his first 3-point attempt. Goulding went 2-of-11 from range for the game, his last quarter triple his next success.

It looked ominous too, Melbourne mounting a comeback after losing its momentum in the second quarter. Aided by players such as Denzel Valentine and Jaylen Adams over-dribbling in the first, United sprinted to a 26-22 edge at the first break. 

But Sydney found the formula in the second, the Kings now sharing the ball and coming at Melbourne with a balanced attack that would lead to seven players scoring in double figures.

The Kings' 36-17 second quarter arguably was their best single-period of the season, leading 58-43 at halftime.

Containing United to 43 first-half points in itself was an achievement. Scoring 58 even better, Glover, Adams, Valentine and Jonah Bolden all active at both ends of the floor.

Sitting Ian Clark and starting Shea Ili for the third quarter, it was obvious Melbourne's focus shifted to its defence and it quickly worked its way back into the game.

Goulding, Luke Travers, Ili and a subdued-by-foul-woes Jo Lual-Acuil cut into the deficit, Shaun Bruce bricking four open 3-point looks for Sydney, the door ajar. When Travers' dunk cut the lead to 53-59, Sydney was needing a hero.

Makuach Maluach, come on down.

The small forward hit big shots, his last for the term giving Sydney back a 72-65 lead. Maluach finished with an equal career-high 18 points at 63 per cent, his form inspiring Jordie Hunter, Bruce - connecting now on two triples - and Valentine (15 points, 9 assists) as the Kings held off United's comeback attempts in the last.

Ian Clark (3-of-12), Ariel Hukporti and Matthew Dellavedova (twice) drew Melbourne to within seven points four times in the last, but it could get no closer, dunks by Glover and Hunter blowing the lead back into double figures where it also would finish.

SYDNEY KINGS 98 (Maluach 18, Adams 16, Valentine 15, Hunter, Bruce 12, Bolden, Glover 10; Hunter 9 rebs; Valentine 9 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 86 (Travers 15, Ili, Lual-Acuil, Dellavedova, Clark 10; Travers 10 rebs; Dellavedova 6 assts) at Qudos Bank Arena. Crowd: 12,921