Basketball On The Internet.

GIVE Melbourne credit. It started strongly and it hung tough for three quarters yesterday in Auckland.

But when the final quarter's 33-21 avalanche came, United's dream of an NBL championship was buried by a professional New Zealand outfit which knows how to win and which especially knows how to win at the right end of the season.

Taking their end-of-season winning streak to 7-0 and with four of those wins over United, the Breakers stormed into their fifth Grand Final in six years, awaiting the winner of the Perth-Illawarra series.

The Wildcats lead 1-0 and with Kevin Lisch (ankle) out for the rest of the Semi Final, the odds very much are that Perth will collect its Swisse Championship Series invitation later today.

New Zealand didn't start all that well, turning over the ball and playing with an over-confidence which gave Melbourne cause to feel good about levelling the series.

Chris Goulding, in what probably will prove his last game under coach Dean Demopoulos, kept United rolling, Daniel Kickert had more to offer and Hakim Warrick was a factor.

Starting Owen Odigie - didn't the Kiwi commentators have hiccups with his name? - ahead of Majok Majok was a strange move but Melbourne's start was positive so you can say to some extent that gamble paid off.

But as the game wore on, Cedric Jackson (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) became the man and Thomas Abercrombie (23 points at 60 per cent, 4-of-6 threes) hit the shots early in the last quarter which let Melbourne know it was time to start thinking 2016-17.

Today: EXPECT Illawarra to give it a great shot at The Sandpit today in Game 2 of the NBL Semi Final against Perth.

Kirk Penney will need a huge game while AJ Ogilvy will need to play big and Oscar Forman stay out of the foul trouble which has dogged him of late.

Tim Coenraad and Rhys Martin also must elevate again and most likely, the ardent home support will give the Hawks a big lift.

But when that emotion dies away and the stark reality of Kevin Lisch's absence hits - the man does so much more than just score - the juggernaut which is Damian Martin, Jermaine Beal, Casey Prather, Matt Knight, Nate Jawai, backed by Jervis, Wagstaff, Hire, Kenny and Redhage, will be irresistible.

If the Hawks can sustain their highest level, forcing a Game 3 is not out of the question. It is just very unlikely.

Last night - Game 2 (Best of 3 Semi-Finals): NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 91 (Abercrombie 23, Ce Jackson 19, Webster 13; Vukona 9 rebs; Webster, Ce Jackson 5 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 78 (Goulding 23, Warrick 17, Kickert 16, Holt 12; Blanchfield 8 rebs; Tomlinson 5 assts) at Vector Arena. Breakers win 2-0, advance to Grand Final.