The DJ Vasiljevic-inspired Adelaide 36ers saw off a furious second-half fightback by the Sydney Kings on Friday night to score an entertaining 10-point victory and make it three wins in a row.
The Kings started brightly but were hampered by injuries, with Jaylen Adams unable to take part in the second half and Xavier Cooks hampered throughout.
Despite those setbacks, Sydney was still well in the contest late until Montrezl Harrell iced the game in his trademark style, the fan favourite taking flight to stuff home an athletic two-handed jam with a minute left on the clock.
Harrell was quiet early but instrumental down the stretch, finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds, with Kendric Davis and Isaac Humphries also double-digit scorers.
Sydney coach Brian Goorjian had to reach deep into his bench, but was unable to find a winning combination, import Cam Oliver with a team-high 16 points.
DJ Gets Hot
Adelaide ranked near the top of the league in most offensive statistics after four games, but was last in defensive rating heading into the clash with the high-scoring Kings, so a shootout was always on the cards and that’s exactly how proceedings kicked off.
Most of the action was from long range in the opening minutes, with the Sixers the league’s top-ranked three-point percentage shooting team, with both teams averaging just over 11 triples made per match.
The visitors blasted out of the blocks with an 8-0 run and were 3-from-3 from outside the arc in the early going, with the 36ers missing their first two three-point attempts in a disjointed start.
But as Vasiljevic got hot, the Kings went cold, going 0-from-5 from three-point range, with the home side charging to a four-point lead at the first break on the back of 12 points to DJ.
Medical Room
Sydney star Adams went to the bench in the second quarter with a lower back complaint and couldn’t make it back onto the court in a major blow to the visitors.
Cooks was also subdued with just six points in the first half, with some suggestion the star skipper was battling illness.
The Kings didn’t have a double-digit scorer at the main break, Keli Leaupepe with a team-high eight points.
With Davis and Humphries warming to the task, Adelaide went on 21-9 run to lead by as much as 16 before settling for 12-point halftime lead.
But with their backs against the wall, the Kings defied the odds to fight back, Cameron Oliver stepping up with nine points in the third quarter as the visitors went on a 13-3 run to slash the margin to just six points heading into the final term.
Sixes Stay Hot
A commanding 49-37 first half and a clinical finish, after the Kings had trimmed the margin to a single point, paved the way for the Sixers' victory in front of 9466 fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
Adelaide's big four all played significant roles.
Dejan Vasiljevic poured in 26 points, including 18 in a tone-setting first half, while Kendric Davis had 19.
In the front court, Montrezl Harrell produced an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double, while centre Isaac Humphries swatted four blocks to go with 14 points and eight boards.
“Our defence allowed us to stay afloat when all of a sudden we were really out of sync offensively,” 36ers coach Mike Wells said.
“Then once we got a bit of rhythm back offensively, we could get our hands around the lead again.”
Import Cameron Oliver (16 points) came off the bench to lead Sydney's rearguard.
The visitors skipped out of the blocks 8-0 before ex-King Vasiljevic got Adelaide belatedly moving, scoring 12 points in seven minutes to help the SIxers to a 26-22 quarter-time advantage.
Vasiljevic remained in the thick of the action in the second term, whether he was draining threes, grabbing rebounds or conceding a technical foul for throwing the ball at Sydney forward Keli Leaupepe.
Meanwhile, the Kings went ice-cold offensively, misfiring at 22 per cent from the floor and beyond the arc for the quarter and being out-rebounded 29-21 to trail by 12 points at halftime.
Sydney started the third period by coughing up three turnovers in as many minutes and paid for it as Davis and Humphries swelled the 36ers' advantage to 65-49.
But the Sixers then went off the boil and Sydney's bench unit, led by Oliver, capitalised, trimming the gap to six points at three quarter time.
Adelaide's horror patch continued when Sunday Dech's inbound to start the fourth term was picked off by Maluach, who converted his steal, then followed with a three-pointer to cap an 18-3 Kings burst to suddenly trim the 36ers' lead to 68-67.
Nick Marshall's floater ended the rut for the Sixers, who soon got rolling again, Humphries shot-blocking and a couple of massive Harrell dunks down the stretch warding off Sydney's challenge.
“I thought our job on DJ (Vasiljevic) was horrendous and both their bigs had their way,” Kings coach Brian Goorjian said.
“At the offensive end, the ball didn't move - it stuck. We didn't get the ball from side to side and really showed no signs of a step forward.”
A Look Back at the Game
The 36ers' strong start was highlighted by Vasiljevic's 18 points in the first half, as he took advantage of his former team's early defensive lapse. Sydney struggled to keep pace and were out-rebounded by a significant margin.
The third quarter saw the Kings mount a comeback effort, led by Oliver's scoring prowess. However, the 36ers were able to weather the storm and ultimately secure the win.
It was an intense match, punctuated by Harrell's late-game slam that cemented the victory for the Adelaide 36ers. This victory is a testament to the 36ers' resilience and depth, overcoming the Kings' fightback.
Ultimately, the 36ers' offense, led by Vasiljevic, Davis, and Harrell, proved too much for the Kings to handle, and they extended their winning streak to three games.
This clash was a reminder of the intense rivalry between the 36ers and the Kings, as well as the exciting and unpredictable nature of the NBL. Both teams are sure to be back in action soon, and the stakes will only get higher as the season progresses.
