Two superstars, one stage

They’re arguably the two best players in the league right now, and Sunday’s clash between Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis looms as a must-watch showdown.

That duel spills into a high-stakes contest at Qudos Bank Arena, with Cotton’s Adelaide 36ers squaring off against Davis’ Sydney Kings, pitting first against third.

Their numbers across the NBL26 season are strikingly similar. Cotton is averaging 25.7 points, while Davis sits at 23.6, with the five-time MVP holding a narrow edge in assists (7.7 to 6), and the Kings guard just ahead on the glass (3.8 to 3.5).

Another one-two MVP finish is firmly in play, but could Davis flip the script after leading Sydney to nine wins from their past 11 games?

“The Kendric Davis/Bryce Cotton matchup will be fascinating to watch,” three-time champion Chris Anstey said on NBL Now.

“You wonder what level of ego creeps in and which of those guys puts the team on his back, whether in a scoring capacity or whether they facilitate.

“I’m fascinated to watch the matchup.”

The Kings are set to welcome back Xavier Cooks for the crucial clash, but will again be without Matthew Dellavedova, who remains sidelined with concussion.

“As well as Sydney have been going, you’d still probably think Adelaide might have the depth advantage, but who would know?” Anstey said.

“The Kings are playing fantastic basketball. There’s a touch of (Brian) Goorjian actually having his fingerprints and imprint of style of play, an underdog mentality, an us-against-the-world mindset, and next man up.

“He hasn’t actually said it yet, but that seems to be the message, and the guys who have been stepping out game after game off the bench have been exceptional for the Kings.”

Sydney rides a four-game winning streak into the clash, while Adelaide returned to the winners’ list on Friday night, edging New Zealand thanks to a Bryce Cotton game-winner.

Melbourne and Perth are right on their heels, leaving the Kings fighting for some breathing room in the standings.

“This will be an absolute test. Sydney will want to finish top two. Them and the Phoenix are probably chasing that,” Anstey added.

The Kings and 36ers face off on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN and 10.