Last Saturday’s 104-97 overtime triumph over Townsville Crocodiles sealed Illawarra’s spot in the playoffs before this Friday’s final round clash with the Adelaide 36ers at WIN Entertainment Centre.

‘‘It takes the pressure off [by securing that finals spot] because we have kind of had that lingering over our head the past few weeks,” Martin said.

‘‘We needed that win to get there.”

The victory took Illawarra’s record to 16-11 for the 2015-16 season. 

It ensures they will face Melbourne United or Perth Wildcats in the opening round of the finals.

Before they take part in either of those post-season series they must do battle with a desperate 36ers outfit, who are likely to have superstar guard Jerome Randle back from injury for the encounter.

Martin said the match was a chance for the Hawks to focus on playing their style of game.

‘‘You would like to go into the playoffs on a good feeling but win or lose it is kind of irrelevant to us. It is how we play our style of game,” the classy guard said.

‘‘You are not always going to win game when you shoot as many threes as we do.

‘‘We have had games that we have lost because of it but just taking the right ones is what we have got to get back to.

‘‘We can’t be forcing the issue of getting threes up. We need to find the right ones and play the right kind of basketball.

‘‘We also have to make sure AJ is involved and that we are going through him too.”

While Illawarra have the ability to tweak their game heading into round 19, Adelaide don’t have the same luxury.

The 36ers remain in a battle to secure a top-four spot with defending premiers New Zealand.

Both clubs hold 14-12 records heading into the last round and play two crucial matches to decide their fates over the weekend.

The Breakers battle Melbourne United at home and away while Adelaide face-off against Illawarra before playing the Perth Wildcats. 

It means the 36ers will come to Wollongong on Friday with everything still to play for.

‘‘I think Adelaide are going to come out gunning,” Hawks centre AJ Ogilvy said.

‘‘This is do-or-die for them essentially with the two games this weekend so we know that are going to come in hard.

‘‘We are going to go out there and make sure to protect our house.

‘‘We don’t want to go into the playoffs with a loss on our home court so we’ll go out come out and give it our all.”