Adelaide not buying it: Cheatham rejects underdog tag

Adelaide may have dropped seven of its past 13 games while Sydney surged through the same stretch unbeaten, but Zylan Cheatham isn’t buying the idea the 36ers enter the Championship Series as underdogs.

Fresh off a Series win over South East Melbourne, Adelaide heads into Game 1 on Saturday night with confidence high and little concern for those already doubting their chances.

“The whole underdog concept is an opinion,” Cheatham said on Thursday.

“We’ve been top of the table, they’ve (the Kings) been top of the table.

“I don’t think there’s really an underdog at this point. It’s two of the top teams that have executed at the highest level meeting in the Finals.

“We definitely don’t think of ourselves as below any team in this League.”

Adelaide sat atop the NBL standings for much of the regular season, so it’s little wonder the group carries such belief.

The Kings were dominant in the teams’ clash in October, but the three matchups since have all been decided by six points or less.

The 36ers also hold one of the biggest aces up their sleeve: Bryce Cotton.

But Cheatham says only a collective effort will get the job done against a red-hot Sydney outfit.

“It’s not going to be a matter of x’s and o’s it’s going to be a matter of composure, understanding of what the moment is and execution,” he added.

The countdown to Game 1 continues, with tip-off set for 7pm AEDT on Saturday night at Qudos Bank Arena, live on ESPN and 10 Drama.