No panic for 36ers after two straight

For the first time this season, the league-leading Adelaide 36ers have lost back-to-back games, following Sunday's defeat to South East Melbourne at HoopsFest.

The Round 17 result also marked their second heaviest defeat of the Hungry Jack's NBL26 season, with only their 24-point loss to Sydney on October 11 being by a bigger margin.

While disappointed, 36ers coach Mike Wells said his team aren't going to "overreact" following the RAC Arena loss.

"We're on a two-game losing streak but I won't overreact to this [defeat], even though it would have been nice to play well and win, and we didn't play 36ers basketball," Wells said in Sunday's post-game press conference.

"I'm more concerned with the pace and rhythm of our team. In our two previous games, we controlled the pace and today we couldn't do that. Their (South East Melbourne's) pressure sped us up and we didn't make decisions quick enough. Their pace and physicality meant it was play on their terms.

"They thrive on the second-chance opportunities and they had seven and-ones to go with 11 three-pointers they made, so you're never going to beat them when that happens.

"[Right now] every coach would be worried about their defence and it might have taken us a bit too long to pick up our rhythm [because of that]."

A trump card up the sleeve of Wells to end their losing streak on Friday at Spark Arena against the Breakers is recruit John Jenkins, who made his NBL debut on Sunday.

He contributed with eight points (including two triples) and one rebound in his 13 and a half minutes, and Wells is confident he's going to bring plenty to the 36ers.

"John is a good player and he's a veteran, and he's going to really help us," Wells said.

"We'll have some different lineups with him out there and I have to work on blending them together now and figuring out who's on the floor with."

Friday's Round 18 fixture between Adelaide and New Zealand tips off at 5.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.