Grant 'good to go' as crunch time arrives

BASKETBALL

Malcolm Grant is so close to the NBL finals he can almost taste it.

But the Wollongong guard knows the Hawks still have two more obstacles they must overcome: the Sydney Kings tonight and the Adelaide 36ers next week.

If they beat the Kings, the Hawks will be strongly placed to clinch third spot.

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That would set up a best-of-three semi-final showdown with second-placed Perth.

"I'm excited because I've never been in the post-season before and I really want to be a part of it," Grant said.

"To be part of a series where the games are so big, it'd feel like I'm in the NBA. So I would love to get there.

"They say great players are made in the playoffs, so I would love that opportunity to leave a mark here in the playoffs.

"I just want to get there and get a taste of how the game changes and the intensity picks up. I really want to experience that."

A minor injury prevented Grant from training the last two days, but he insists he is "good to go".

"I strained a muscle on my side, but I'll be fine," the Brooklyn-born playmaker said.

"I know I'll be ready for Friday [today]. It's a big game and I'm really looking forward to it."

Grant has played 10 games with the Hawks since arriving as a replacement for injured import Lance Hurdle.

The 24-year-old hasn't come up against Sydney yet and is stinging to see what a Hawks v Kings grudge match is like.

"It's a rivalry game and that gets me excited," he said.

"I love rivalry games. At high school we had a rivalry game against a team which is literally round the corner from our high school. For us it was like the rivalry between North Carolina and Duke.

"In college [Miami] we had our little rivalry with Florida State, so I've had my own taste of rivalry games and I'll be ready for this one.

"Everybody said it's going to be close to a packed house so I can't wait."

Of the five teams battling for the final two playoff spots, the Hawks have the easiest run home.

"It's a blessing to have our last two regular season games at home, especially being such big games," Grant said.