The Wollongong Hawks have forced a deciding game in the NBL Grand Final Series, following a stirring 75-63 triumph over the Perth Wildcats at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Tuesday night. Wollongong protected its home court in front of a sell-out crowd for the final time this season and the result means the Hawks suffered only one loss in 17 outings at the WIN Entertainment Centre. The teams will now battle for the championship at Challenge Stadium in Perth on Friday night. Cam Tragardh bounced back from his Game One let down, exploding for eight crucial points in the fourth quarter to steer the Hawks to victory.

Their top two stars may have been in the stands but the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers found a way to beat the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night (US time). With LeBron James watching on and Shaquille O'Neal not in the building, the Cavaliers held off a Spurs rally to emerge with a 97-95 win. It is the first time in two years the Cavaliers have won a game that James, who has a sore ankle, has missed. Mo Williams led the Cavs with 17 points.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost for the third successive game as they were edged out 96-94 by the Orlando Magic in the latest round of the NBA. The Lakers, who still top the Western Conference, were led in the scoring stakes by Kobe Bryant's game-high 34 points. But the Magic, second in the Eastern Conference, inched over the winning line, aided by 25 points from Vince Carter. A 25-point haul from Ray Allen pushed the Boston Celtics to an 86-83 victory over the Washington Wizards, while Thaddeus Young's 32 points helped the Philadelphia 76ers finish as emphatic 114-101 victors against the Toronto Raptors.

Andrew Bogut has played an important part in the Milwaukee Bucks' 92-85 win against the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers who were without injured superstar LeBron James. Bogut registered 15 points on 5-9 shooting from the field as well as a 5-of-6 clip from the free-throw line. The big Australian centre also pulled down nine rebounds and executed a game-high three blocks in the big win for Milwaukee which is currently in sixth place in the East. Only Orlando centre Dwight Howard is averaging more blocks per game than Bogut in the NBA this season. Bogut's team-mate Brandon Jennings led the way with 25 points.

Australian centre Andrew Bogut continued his stellar season for Milwaukee with another double-double in the Bucks' 102-74 victory over the Washington Wizards. Bogut poured in 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in another dominant performance, while Carlos Delfino was a fine support act with 19 points of his own. LeBron James' superb performance carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 99-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons on a dramatic night. Pistons point guard Rodney Stuckey had to be taken to the nearby Cleveland Clinic medical centre after collapsing during the third period. His condition was said to be stable although he was to be kept in overnight.