Hawks coach Gordie McLeod is confident he'll have a full squad on the plane to Melbourne on Friday despite Jahii Carson, Luke Nevill and Brad Hill all nursing injuries.

Carson and Nevill both sat out training on Thursday while Hill was restricted to light duties with a back problem.

A tooth issue forced Carson to undergo dental work on Wednesday and left the American guard unable to participate in Thursday's practice.

Likewise, Nevill (ankle) missed the Hawks' final training in Wollongong before Saturday's game against Melbourne United.

McLeod was hopeful all three would get the all clear to play.

"I think, depending on how Jahii pulls up - he has been in a lot of pain. We will see how he goes but chances are I think they might all be ready to go," he said.

The Hawks will be looking to make it two wins in a little more than a week over Melbourne after putting United's play-off hopes at risk with a 93-82 win last Friday.

It leaves Melbourne two wins behind fourth-placed Adelaide with a game up their sleeve on the 36ers.

Another loss to the Hawks on Saturday would make things even more difficult but McLeod said his team wouldn't be motivated by further denting United's post-season chances.

"You shouldn't need motivation to win basketball games. That should be coming from the individual pride you have and hopefully the pride in the club," he said.

"Motivation to knock them out of the play-offs? The motivation is to go and get a win. That is what we set out to do and what we try and do every week we go out and play."

For the Hawks to have any chance of overcoming United again this weekend, they'll need a repeat of last week's stifling defensive display.

Wollongong restricted Melbourne to just 49 points through three quarters before holding Cairns to 46 points in the same time frame on Sunday.

A fourth-quarter collapse saw the Hawks drop Sunday's game to the Taipans 63-60.

"Over the weekend our defence really set the tempo for what we did at the offensive end of the floor.

"We did a very good job in the first three quarters of both games of really disrupting.

"Our defence and our rebounding was very good. We want to carry that into this weekend.

"Melbourne is probably one of the most potent offensive teams in the league with people who can score," McLeod said.

"We really need to be in the trench with our defence and be effective, because if we don't it will make things very difficult."