Adelaide 36ers Set for Crucial Encounter Against Sydney Kings

The Adelaide 36ers are gearing up for a critical match against the Sydney Kings, set to take place at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre this Friday night. The 36ers are eyeing a third consecutive win, having recently secured victories over South East Melbourne and Illawarra. In their previous encounter this season, the Kings triumphed over Adelaide with a 102-94 win in round one.

Star guard DJ Vasiljevic emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum. “The vibe has been good, but we got to know we just can’t take a back step, we got to continue rolling this streak,” Vasiljevic stated. Both teams are coming off challenging away victories, and Adelaide’s head coach Mike Wells acknowledges the need for improvement.

“We have obviously grown, we are in a different spot than we were a few weeks ago, but so are they,” Wells remarked. “We will put a game plan together, compete, and see where we are at.”

Wells expressed considerable respect for the Kings’ diverse lineup. “They have a lot of different offensive weapons and some guys you really have to be dialed in on,” he said. “They have some bigs who space the floor, then you have [Jaylen] Adams and [Xavier] Cooks at the rim, there is a bunch of different dynamics there.”

The anticipated starting lineup for the 36ers includes Kendric Davis, DJ Vasiljevic, Sunday Dech, Montrezl Harrell, and Isaac Humphries. Meanwhile, the Kings are expected to start with Jaylen Adams, Bul Kuol, Alex Toohey, Xavier Cooks, and Keli Leaupepe.

Historically, the two teams have faced off 108 times, with Adelaide claiming victory in 60 of those games. The 36ers have been particularly strong when allowing fewer than 90 points, winning their last eight games under such conditions.

Statistically, Adelaide boasts impressive figures this season, leading the league in several key areas, including three-point percentage (48.9%), free throw attempts per game (22.3), and true shooting percentage (61.0%). Moreover, the 36ers have won their last six matches at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, highlighting their strong home-court performance.