Finger-pointing: MVP calls for Hawks' excuses to stop

Through the opening two rounds of the Hungry Jack's NBL27 Season, the Illawarra Hawks have been one of the main stories, but for all the wrong reasons.

The NBL25 champions currently sit in 10th spot with a 0-3 record, after losing to both Brisbane and Sydney over the weekend.

Following that, 1990 NBL MVP Derek Rucker labelled the Hawks 'a mess' on Monday's Moments That Mattered, presented by Mitsubishi Motors.

Now three-time champion Chris Anstey has questioned why the Hawks aren't being accountable and making excuses for their poor start.

"We spoke about it on one of the very first shows where I wasn't convinced with the [Hawks'] roster make-up," Anstey said on NBL Now, presented by CODE Sports.

"They were too small, [and] they didn't have a genuine point guard.

"We tipped them to finish down the bottom two, and that's sort of looking like where they're heading.

"It just hasn't seemed like a team that's playing hard; It hasn't seemed like a team that's playing together.

"The bickering about the schedule I can't stand so early in the season, [saying] we've got the toughest schedule already.

"It's a 10-team League; it's a tough schedule. The South East Melbourne Phoenix started in Perth, flew down to Tasmania before they got to look at a home game.

"The minute you're starting to point fingers after three games, it seems to me that they might not have the answers internally, and it doesn't look like they do on court."

In terms of changes, there have been discussions about whether Justin Tatum's side needs to bring in a point guard or centre to replace the departed Darius Days.

"I would have loved to have seen them have that pure point guard [but instead] they bring in Milton Doyle," Anstey added.

"When the season started again, we sat in [the studio] and said Milton Doyle's incredible when he's incredible, but when he's not [it's not great], and he has those games.

"You just can't afford your key guy and primary ball-handler to be sitting on the bench at the end of the game as a result of only having a handful of points and a couple of assists.

"That just can't happen, even in a bad game.

"[But] they absolutely need size, and they absolutely need speed. [They are] two really important things in a team, and that they just don't seem to have at the moment."

Read more >> Team-By-Team: Hooyah & Harden Up

Two-time MVP Anstey also weighed in on the chatter around Tatum's future.

"I don't know what those internal conversations look like [about Tatum's future]," Anstey said.

"One thing I know about the Illawarra Hawks is that they've got a very focused and strong-minded ownership group, and they'll do what they want to do.

"They won't be listening to outside noise."

The Hawks play their first home game of NBL27 on Friday, hosting Adelaide from 7.30pm AEST, live on ESPN.