Jackies star set to return for finals tightrope

The JackJumpers’ fading finals hopes could receive a big boost with a key star on track to make an early injury return.

Majok Deng is a strong chance to return from injury this week. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

The JackJumpers are confident Majok Deng will return early from injury for their finals tightrope.

But the forward will likely only suit up for one of their two matches in three days as they look to break back into the top six.

Their title defence is on the precipice after South East Melbourne blew out the score in a 116-80 defeat on Saturday, their fourth straight defeat.

Already riddled with injury, Anthony Drmic missed the clash through illness as Adelaide leapfrogged them into sixth spot.

Deng has been outstanding this season, particularly in the absence of star big man Will Magnay.

His absence has been sorely felt the past two matches, but he looks to have ticked enough boxes to play against either Illawarra at home on Thursday night, or at Melbourne United on Saturday.

Assistant coach Mark Radford said Deng is on track to return after it was initially planned he may be back for the last regular season game against Cairns next week.

But they won’t take any risks with him, despite their finals hopes going on the line.

“I think he’s a chance, but I think it will be more how he pulls up tomorrow after shootaround,” Radford said on Wednesday.

“He’s had two days in a row (training) but with back-to-back games, it’s still going to be which one do we play him in, and how does that play out. I think it will be a game-time decision.

“He hasn’t had a lot of training under his belt, so we have to be mindful of that as well. We don’t want to put him in a position where he’s not ready to play two really big games for our club.

“Can he move the way he wants to move, in two games of a very high level?”

“Originally I think it was the Cairns game they’d flagged (he’d return). He might be a bit ahead of time but not too far away.”

Tasmania faces a herculean task to break back into the top six with three matches left.

Not only are they dealing with injuries, but the Hawks are top of the ladder and United second after winning four of their past five games.

The Taipans are last, but they’ve shown they’ll be no pushovers by upsetting the Hawks then shocking the high-flying Wildcats at Perth their past two matches.

“Against South East Melbourne we played really good basketball until two minutes into the third quarter. Last time we played at Illawarra we had a really good brand,” Radford said.

“We’ve just got to do it a bit longer and hang in there until the last two or three minutes, where we’ve got players who can make plays at that stage of the game.

“It’s definitely not easy to move on (from the heavy loss to Phoenix). We were right in that game, we felt like we had a good game plan and did a really good job on some key players. “We couldn’t sustain it and that was the disappointing thing. It still hurts, no doubt about that, and hopefully that can be some fuel for our fire tomorrow night.”