It's the three-word rallying cry that has galvanised a state and has the Tasmania JackJumpers one win from a maiden NBL title in their third season.

The JackJumpers host Melbourne United in game four of the best-of-five Championship Series at Hobart's MyState Bank Arena on Thursday night.

Tasmania dropped the series opener in a heavy 23-point loss on the road but have rebounded to take a 2-1 lead.

They copped a blow on the eve of the game, with import centre Marcus Lee ruled out for the remainder of the series with a medial collateral ligament tear.

Coach Scott Roth has called guard Lachie Barker in as a replacement and indicated Lee's court time would be shared around the squad.

"(We have) confidence within and (we'll) try to scratch out a few minutes here and there from different guys," he said.

Roth, who has been at the helm since Tasmania's 2021-22 debut, coined 'defend the island' - a phrase which has grown beyond basketball.

"(It is) a motto now, not just for basketball but for youth groups," he said.

"It has morphed into something bigger (about) getting respect from the mainland (and) not being punched down at, or jabbed at.

"There are a lot of tremendously hard working people down here.

"There is no need to be punching down at us, we're going to be swinging back just as hard."

MyState Bank Arena, which has a capacity of about 4300, has been virtually at capacity for every fixture since day one.

Game four sold out within minutes, prompting the club to work with hospitality venues to set up watch parties.

Roth said the support had been beyond what he imagined, joking the JackJumpers had united people despite their beer preferences.

Tasmania were runners-up in their debut season, losing 3-0 to the Sydney Kings in the grand final series, and made the semis last campaign.

"My job when I came here was to try to connect the state from top to bottom, which they said couldn't be done," Roth said.

"They said if you went north to Launceston you drink Boags beer and south of there you had to drink Cascade ... and they're fighting over all kinds of different things.

"The success we've had so far has been a rallying point for the state."

Roth fired back at Dean Vickerman earlier in the series after the Melbourne coach said "Scotty's going to talk about defending his little island as much as he wants to".

"I really don't care what people, or the media, say," Roth said on Wednesday.

"I only care about the people here in Tasmania."

The JackJumpers claimed game three in the dying seconds when Jack McVeigh sunk a long-range three-pointer with his side trailing by one point.

Vickerman said shutting down Tasmania's offensive rebounds and three-point shots was crucial to forcing a game-five decider at Melbourne's John Cain Arena.

"We've been very clear about what our defensive plan and physicality needs to be to win in Tasmania," he told reporters.

"Each game we've put ourselves in winning positions. We take a lot of confidence in the things we've done so far."

Australian Associated Press