Adelaide 36ers Face Sydney Kings in Play-In Showdown

SYDNEY, Australia — The Adelaide 36ers captain DJ Vasiljevic emphasized the fresh start heading into the playoffs as his team prepares to face the Sydney Kings in Thursday’s Play-In game at Qudos Bank Arena.

This marks the first postseason appearance for the 36ers since the 2017-2018 season. Vasiljevic acknowledged that the playoffs present a new challenge for all teams, saying, “It’s 0-0 now, it doesn’t matter if you finished first or finished sixth, anyone can win it.”

Adelaide secured their playoff spot by regaining form in January, but Vasiljevic pointed out a disappointing performance in their last three games of the regular season. “We were able to find form in January and kind of click and make our push,” he said.

Despite having recently defeated the Kings in their last two visits to Qudos Bank Arena, Vasiljevic stressed the importance of putting past achievements aside. “Nothing, it’s 0-0 now, yes, we won the series, but it doesn’t mean anything, it can go either way,” he stated. He added that the Kings would come out with increased intensity on their home turf.

Vasiljevic expressed confidence in his team’s readiness following a determined push to qualify for the playoffs. “We have had really good practices, we understand now it’s the playoffs, if you lose, you’re done, if you win, you continue,” he explained. “We are all back healthy now and we are all excited to play.”

Game details are as follows:

Matchup: Sydney Kings vs. Adelaide 36ers
Date: Thursday, 7 PM ACDT
Location: Qudos Bank Arena

The 36ers hold a favorable all-time record against the Kings, winning 63 of the 111 encounters. Likely starters for the Kings include Jaylen Adams, Izayah Le Afa, Bul Kuol, Alex Toohey, and Cameron Oliver, while the 36ers are expected to start Kendric Davis, DJ Vasiljevic, Lat Mayen, Montrezl Harrell, and Isaac Humphries.

Stats show that Adelaide has enjoyed success this season when allowing fewer than 90 points, holding an 8-1 record in such instances. They have also excelled in the first quarter against Sydney, winning it in the last four matchups. Additionally, the 36ers rank second in the league for field goal percentage at 47.7% and in free throws made per game at 18.1.

Individual performances have been noteworthy as well: Isaac Humphries currently ranks second for field goal percentage at 61.6%, while Kendric Davis has consistently scored over 20 points in his last 11 appearances. Meanwhile, Montrezl Harrell leads the league in points scored in the paint, averaging 13.4 per game.