How Hawks are raising the bench-mark

Tyler Harvey, Trey Kell III, Sam Froling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk ... Illawarra’s starting lineup can rival any roster in the league.

But according to Lanard Copeland and Pete Hooley, it’s the Hawks’ bench unit that could ultimately prove the difference in the Championship Series against Melbourne United.

Todd Blanchfield, Darius Days, Will Hickey, Hyunjung Lee, Lachlan Olbrich; that depth of talent is the envy of other teams.

“I think they have the best bench in the NBL,” Copeland said on NBL Now.

“The superstars are going to get you to this point, to a Championship Series, but now your bench is going to make you a champion,” Hooley added.

“Your bench is going to make a difference as to whether you’re a champion or not in five games’ time.”

“When those five guys (starters) aren’t playing well, he (Justin Tatum) looks on that bench and brings them in and put the pressure on,” Copeland said.

Hickey (11 points, 7 assists, 2 blocks, Olbrich (10 points, 7 rebounds), Days (9 points) and even Dan Grida, sparsely used throughout the season, were able to impact against the Phoenix.

Then there’s Blanchfield, who has averaged a career-low 11 minutes a game this season, but exploded for 28 points in 19 minutes in the 30-point win.

Of course, who could forget Ian Clark’s incredible 38-point haul against the Wildcats to drag United over the line, all while coming off the bench? But Hooleys says overall, the Hawks have the edge.

“I think their bench impact, in terms of scoring the ball, goes a little deeper than Melbourne’s,” he added.

“Because of that bench depth and the way they play as a whole unit ... five players can come in and play as a unit, I think the Hawks get it done in five.”

Illawarra hosts Melbourne in Game 1 of the Championship Series on Saturday night from 8pm AEDT, live on ESPN and 10 Play.