Former NBA forward Martin, the Kings' second-highest pointscorer this season, fell awkwardly after attempting to draw a charge deep in the third quarter on Sunday.

Martin, averaging 19.2 points in his first season in the NBL, failed to return, adding to a lengthy casualty ward already including Xavier Cooks, Daniel Kickert and Angus Glover.

His possible stint on the sidelines compounded the three-point loss to their arch-rivals, giving up a putback lay-up to Hawks import Justin Simon which put his team up by one with 19 seconds remaining.

Kings star Casper Ware tried hard to repeat his late-game heroics from Friday's win over New Zealand, lighting up Qudos Bank Arena with 10 points in a gripping final frame.

However Ware (21 points, six assists) turned the ball over on the next play, allowing Illawarra forward Deng Adel to seal the Hawks' fifth win of the season with two clutch free throws.

Hawks point guard Tyler Harvey was the star for the visitors, pouring in a game-high 25 points, including 12 in an electric final-quarter shootout with Ware.

Simon's putback completed a 24-11 advantage in second-chance points for the Hawks, exposing the Kings' weaknesses in their depleted frontcourt that had two big men also foul out.

Kings coach Adam Forde suggested the league's use of stickers on the hardcourt may have been a factor in Martin's fall.

"I'll probably get in trouble for that. I think we see that enough. It was bound to happen and unfortunately it's happened to us," he said.

"The likelihood is nothing for the next two weeks but to get more of an accurate timeline (on Martin's return from injury), we'll wait until we get the verdict from the docs."

Illawarra coach Brian Goorjian, coaching against the Kings for the first time since his storied seven years at the franchise that included a title three-peat, said his team had learnt lessons from a last-start loss to Melbourne United that also went down to the wire.

"The last game at home when it was basket for basket down the stretch, we didn't handle that very well," Goorjian said.

"And tonight I just thought defensively and offensively, we made them take tough shots and we offensively got good shots and made big plays."

The Hawks had Sydney's measure for most of the contest, edging their way to a six-point lead after the first quarter and taking full advantage of their mismatches in the paint.

Former NBA forward Cameron Bairstow sparked the visitors off the bench, leading the Hawks to a 15-3 lead in both bench and second-chance points in the first half.

The Kings gritted their way back into the match after halftime, drawing to within two before Martin's exit with three minutes left in the period.

The home side refused to throw the towel after his departure, showing plenty of fight to force a total 13 lead-changes in an electric final 12 minutes.

However it wasn't enough to prevent falling to a 3-4 record, with Illawarra at 5-2, ahead of next week's NBL Cup in Melbourne.

Australian Associated Press