Melbourne United Center Marcus Lee enters the Nbl Championship series against Hawks Illawarra with unfinished business.
The 211cm American was an integral part of the Tasmania Jackjumpers team who marked the story by winning her young girl’s title last season.
But Lee underwent a left knee injury in match 3 and was sidelined for the peak of an unforgettable series of five games – played against Melbourne, of all the teams.
Now back at United Colors, after a stay of half a season in blue two years ago, Lee has spent the last 12 months desperately a real taste for the success of the championship.
“This is my goal since the end of last season for me,” Lee told AAP this week.
“I mainly counted the championship last year with an asterisk because I could not play or help win with Tassie.
“I have the impression that it is the one where I really want to declare that I am champion.”
Lee, 30, also estimated that he was with a view to a title during his first NBL campaign with Melbourne.
The defensive beast was an addition of the alignment of mid-season in 2022-23 and United stormed the house after a difficult start, looking at a threat of serious title until they miss the percentage eliminatory series.
“We would have been champions that year. Everyone in the League (knew),” said Lee.
Lee is determined to make sure that the pain of missing is finally canceled by playing a big role in the best title of title against Illawarra.
The series opposes the two best teams in the league against each other, with potential match winners on the ground.
Trey Kell and Tyler Harvey, the duo of the background of the first NBL team, will head the load of the Hawks.
But in the first field, the second All-Nbl Sam Froling and Mason Peatling team center present a huge challenge for Lee and Rob Loe.
Froling posted two consecutive double doubles against United – with an average of 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds – to help the Hawks in successive victories on their opponents of the championship series.
“It’s always a fun battle against them,” said Lee.
“They are a very qualified before, but like all other games, there is always someone in this league.
“Each team has two or three of these someone, so it is difficult to focus on one.
“It is more a question of building defensively as a team instead of watching individual individual.”
Lee was an important contributor for Melbourne in the series of playoffs against Perth, which was decided in the last second in match 3.
It was a physical battle and Lee expects more than the same against Illawarra with the title on the line.
“We were built to play this way and not tremble and don’t think about it too much,” said Lee.
“We just played our way and played with the process we had (against Perth).
“I prefer to go through a series where you have to fight these three games every second instead of spending through it.
“It was physical but that’s how we play.
“Each match in which we play, everyone presents himself with a notch and we try to refer our physique just to declare that we are there.
“We want everyone to feel that we are there.”