Illawarra have completed their best NBL regular season by sweeping Sydney, having already wrapped up top spot before their dominant 95-75 home win.
The Hawks might have been locked into top spot regardless of Friday night's result at the WIN Entertainment Centre, but there was no shortage of feeling between the NSW rivals including a late blow up, with Sydney's Jaylen Adams ejected.
Adams appeared to poke Wani Swaka Lo Buluk in the eye with four minutes to go, earning him a disqualifying foul to end his night on 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
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Jaylen Adams has been ejected from the contest after getting into an altercation with Wani Swaka Lo Buluk.
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The Hawks were already leading by 12 and cruised to the 20-point victory to wrap up a fourth win of the regular season over the Kings to finish at 20-9, with Sydney stuck fifth.
Illawarra had secured a first regular season championship by winning in New Zealand on Wednesday, and despite playing without imported pair Darius Days and Trey Kell their energy and depth was once again on show.
Sydney were missing former MVP Xavier Cooks for personal reasons, but a win could have pushed them up from fifth to earn a double chance to make the playoffs.
The Hawks, though, were in control throughout the first half, with their 50-39 lead coming on the back of outworking and outrunning the Kings.
Illawarra went into the locker room with five more rebounds, four more offensive boards and then with 16 fast break points to two with the Kings struggling to go with them.
Adams did have a brief third-quarter flurry, but the Hawks scored the first nine points of the fourth.
Once Adams was ejected, Illawarra romped to the 20-point win to end at 20-9.
It was a dominant showing with 19 offensive rebounds, 20 points from turnovers, 23 fast break points and 48 points to 30 in the paint.
Tyler Harvey and Hyunjung Lee both scored 15 points with Sam Froling adding 12 points and 11 rebounds. Lachlan Olbrich (12 points) and Davo Hickey (12, eight assists, eight rebounds) also impressed.
It was a tough night for Sydney, who finish 16-13 to stay fifth and will host the Adelaide 36ers in a cut-throat play-in game on Tuesday night.
They shot just 36 per cent from the field and had 14 turnovers with Kouat Noi finishing with 14 points, Alex Toohey 12 (nine rebounds), Makuach Maluach 12 and Cam Oliver 11 (five rebounds).