Revenge or restraint? Rucker’s test for the 36ers

Derek Rucker says the Adelaide 36ers must keep their emotions in check as they head to Sydney, desperate for revenge after last season’s Championship Series defeat.

Six months ago, Adelaide led the Sydney Kings by four with 41 seconds left in Game 5, only for Kendric Davis and Tim Soares to force overtime and break 36ers hearts.

Sunday’s clash is the first meeting between the clubs since that night, and while plenty has changed, one thing hasn’t: Bryce Cotton and Davis will once again go head to head in a battle of the League’s best.

The Kings are unbeaten at 3-0, while injuries have taken a heavy toll on Adelaide, which sits ninth at 2-4.

The hurt from Game 5 clearly lingers. Cotton has reportedly said he can’t bring himself to rewatch it, Nick Rakocevic has labelled Sunday’s game “personal” and Zylan Cheatham has opened up on the emotional toll of the defeat.

But Rucker says the 36ers need to stay cool and calm.

“I understand from Rakocevic’s perspective because he deals with things through physical expression and he wants to get into it,” Rucker said on NBL Now.

“So I would just kind of warn Nick not to get too carried away with his emotions because the level he’s performing at right now is exceptional. He’s so valuable now to that team, but this game is going to be amazing.”

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Rucker, who lost two NBL grand finals in his playing career, knows how long a loss like Game 5 can linger.

“36 years ago, I lost an NBL grand final, and it still haunts me. 24 years ago, I lost another one, and it still haunts me,” he said.

“Bryce lost one that they had their hands on just a year ago and it haunts him.

“These things mean a lot because you put so much into it and it’s so rare that you get to the highest stage. So yeah, I get where Bryce is coming from by not being able to watch it.”

Davis has stoked the fire this week, declaring there’s “no love” between the rivals.

“There’s no love between me and Bryce. There’s no love with me and Adelaide and there’s no love from them for us. We took their championship,” Davis said.

“You can’t shy away from it. It’s out there already.

“They [Adelaide] are struggling right now. So they going to come in desperate, and then it’s against us, so they going to come even more desperate.”

Cotton, for his part, has played down the rivalry, pointing out that he and Davis “don’t even guard each other”.

For all the noise around the rivalry, the NBL Now panel says Adelaide’s bigger concern is getting its own house in order.

“Three straight losses for them and they have been tough ones, but it doesn’t really get any tougher than going to Sydney and having a championship rematch,” host Kelsey Browne said.

Rucker said the spotlight is on coach Trevor Gleeson to get the best out of his group.

“So now the pressure is on him to make adjustments,” Rucker said.

“Not only adjustments in the lead-up to games during training sessions and the week preceding the game, but in-game.

“I think he’s going to have to look at different approaches on the offensive end and perhaps try and trick it up defensively. The team hasn’t been woeful defensively, but they’re certainly not to the level that they were last year as they made their run to the championship.”

Sydney hosts Adelaide at Afterpay Arena on Sunday, live on ESPN from 3pm AEDT.