R19 Preview: Adelaide 36ers vs Sydney Kings

When: 8pm (AEDT), Saturday 9 April 2022

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sports NZ


Who won last time?
Sydney 93 (Adams 26, Cooks 25, Martin 10) d Adelaide 90 (Hannahs 24, Bairstow 18, Johnson 15) – Round 13, Adelaide Entertainment Centre

This was a scintillating contest, Jaylen Adams and Dusty Hannahs going back-and-forth in the backcourt, while Xavier Cooks and Cam Bairstow put on a show in the frontcourt. There were 13 lead changes in the second half alone, and Hannahs tied the scored with 46 seconds to play. But with time running down, Adams had the final say with his clutch trey.


What happened last start?

It was a similar story for Adelaide last round, although this time they had the opportunity to win it late, but couldn’t generate anything better than a contested Hyrum Harris fading hook that sailed wide. That was the 36ers fifth single-figure defeat in the past five rounds, highlighting their improvement as a squad but their lack of execution when it matters.

The Kings have their execution to thank for their current streak – winning their seven games prior to Round 17 by an average of just 4.9 points – but in the past fortnight something has changed, taking the blowtorch to Perth and Tasmania in the opening stages and romping to victory. They are now just one game behind Melbourne in the race for first place.


Who’s in form?

Mitch McCarron – To paraphrase Scott Machado, Mitch knew he wasn’t a bum and the past five games he’s proven it, averaging Ricky Rubio-type numbers of 11 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.2 steals and just 1.6 turnovers. He’s only hit two of his past 12 three-point attempts, however, and when McCarron hits from outside, Adelaide usually win.

Jaylen Adams – Remember when Adams couldn’t throw a beach ball into the ocean? Not any more, the NBL’s best point man has dropped 4.2 triples at 57 per cent in his past six games – after hitting 8/39 in his previous five – and that combined with his poise in the lane for floaters or dimes or whatever the D gives up, has made him almost unguardable.

https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1510462625720594436


Who needs to be?

Sunday Dech – We haven't seen quality defensive teams throw their best shot at Adams yet, and while Adelaide certainly isn’t that, Dech has the ability to make touches difficult and force Jaylen into contested jumpers. To achieve that, his team must get the balance between o-boards and d-trans right, because no one can stop Jaylen when he can flow into O.  

Jarell Martin – One reason it’s been so hard to focus on Adams has been Martin dropping 40 per cent or better from deep in seven of his past nine games. ‘Rell has gotten real cushy in the corner and averaged 16.7 points at 45 per cent from deep in the 10-game winning streak. If he keeps hitting from the corner, the defence keeps having to make tough choices.


Who’s statting up?

 - In the past four games, Martin has hit 9/18 from three-point range, including 7/10 from below the foul line extended

 - In Adelaide’s past four wins, McCarron has hit 54 per cent from the field and 7/14 from the arc, compared with 32 per cent and 3/25 in seven losses in that span. The Sixers are 3-1 when Mitch makes two or more triples

 - The 36ers scored 90 points last time on Sydney despite shooting just 41 per cent, thanks to a 14-5 offensive rebounding advantage. Adelaide are the NBL’s best on the o-boards (32%) while the Kings rank first in d-boards (76%)

 - Sydney have won fast-break points in nine of 10 games during their winning streak, including an 18-8 advantage in their three-point win over Adelaide


Who’s matching up?

Daniel Johnson v Xavier Cooks – DJ’s been loving playing in more mobile line-ups in recent weeks, his past four games delivering 21ppg at 55 per cent on 15 shot attempts, up from 12.1 the rest of the season. He’s also nailed 43 per cent from deep, up from 30 per cent in the opening 18 games when mostly defended by four-men who could crowd his space.

Cooks is one of the standout candidates for the Damian Martin Trophy, and is more than capable of defending Johnson anywhere on the floor, but Adelaide would love him pinned to the perimeter. His rebounding is a key trigger of Sydney’s vaunted early offence, and last time he simply out-motored Johnson down the floor time and again en route to 25 points.

https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1509822411403055108


Who’s talking the talk?

It was the Baha Men who asked the question that has been immortalised in modern western folklore – ‘Who let the dogs out?’

Well when it comes to Jaylen Adams, the answer is CJ Bruton.

Coming into the first clash between Adelaide and Sydney, Adams had hit at just 21 per cent from the arc in his previous five games, but had dominated everywhere else on the court.

So, Bruton made a defensive decision that will go down as a good idea at the time.

“What I wanted to live with was him shooting threes early and he did that and did that at a great clip, he was 4/4 in the first half,” CJ said ruefully post-game.

“On the fly, as a group on the floor you can make changes along the way, (but) then he turned the corner.

“He’s got a great skill-set, he’s very creative as well all know... he can dice through the lane, he finishes at the rim, he’s unselfish with the ball.

“He got to his spots that he wanted to and I thought we could have contested a few more, he’s crafty he knows how to put you on your back and draw a couple of fouls here and there.

“We need to be better next time we play them, for sure.”

https://twitter.com/JohnCasey2880/status/1497807004194131970


Despite Adams’ 26-point, 7-assist onslaught, Adelaide were in the game until literally the final second, left to ponder the little things that cost them a huge W.

“It felt like we had a hold on the game for a long period of time,” Dusty Hannahs said after his 24-point night.

“A couple of shots don’t go our way, they get a couple of transition leaks, and Cooks on the boards with a couple of tip-ins, and then the Jaylen Adams three to seal it for them. Just a tough loss.”

That was Sydney’s fifth on the bounce and they’ve since doubled that number, seemingly executing coach Chase Buford’s high-speed style better each week.

“It’s been something I've been trying to preach since I got here,” Buford said after his team ran Tasmania out of their own gym.

https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1510472332640350208


“I think we force the most misses in the league and we’re a really good rebounding team, so if we have all these opportunities to go and play fast, we need to utilise them probably more than we have up until this point.

“It was a good job by the guys, playing hard, running hard and looking for each other.”

Yet while the showtime Kings are getting the headlines, it’s their league-leading defensive field-goal percentage (39%) and defensive rebounding percentage that creates the highlight reels at the other end.

“Our defence was really what set the tone for us, we were aggressive right from the opening couple of possessions. They made a couple of tough shots but every time it was over an extended hand and a long two,” Buford said.

“Really proud of how we guarded, and then we were able to rebound a tonne of those shots and we just played fast in transition. We got our heads up, we got easy baskets, easy lay-ups in transition.”

With the likes of Jarell Martin, Tom Vodanovich, Makur Maker, Angus Glover and the super-versatile Xavier Cooks, the Kings have been going small and fast without giving up anything at the defensive end.

https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1510455749465444354


“Whether we’re playing (Cooks) alongside four smalls or a big, he’s terrific,” Buford said.

“Rell’s been terrific in the small ball line-up, I think MK and Glove were great in Perth together in that pairing as well.

“I think we've got a lot of different options we can use, Tommy came in tonight and was so good.”

Yet while they are the talk of the NBL town, they could finish this round in fourth spot if things go awry, so Buford is taking nothing for granted.

“Heck of a week coming up for us, we play four games in the span of basically seven or eight days,” Buford said.

“We've got to be ready for it, we’re going to have some tough games. Adelaide’s a tough team, they rebound the ball well, they’ve got good scorers.”

As for how high the winning streak can go?

“We’ll just focus on 11 and then go from there,” Buford said.