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The Adelaide 36ers will be looking to recapture their winning ways in the lead up to the NBL finals as they host the New Zealand Breakers on Saturday evening, who are still in the hunt to qualify but will need to win both of their remaining games to have a chance.
The 36ers finally had their enormous winning streak snapped last week with the second-placed Illawarra Hawks coming through at the line for a three-point victory.
What the match did show was that there are going to be times the 36ers can’t just rely on their all-conquering offence, with their defence not being up to scratch.
Even though the Hawks are in a similar boat to the Adelaide-based clubs, the already crowned minor premiers need to keep working into the finals on that end of the court, because games are inevitably going to become tighter, and in a five-game grand final series the team without defence will lose nine times out of ten.
Jerome Randle has been playing like a man possessed throughout the second half of the season, but he finally went quiet against the Hawks and with Daniel Johnson, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sobey and Brendan Teys all putting in sub-standard performances, they fell on the bell.
Despite losing, the alarm bells won’t be ringing for the 36ers. This is simply trying to keep form into the finals now, with the top spot already wrapped up.
The Breakers’ predicament is a little different – and a whole lot worse. They sit sixth on the table, just ahead of Melbourne United and with the top four starting to move away.
Simply put, the Breakers have two games remaining and if they want to make the finals then they must win both for a chance, with other results and season series still likely to come into calculations.
A record of 12 and 14 doesn’t make for brilliant reading, but things aren’t getting any easier for the Auckland-based club after Akil Mitchell was quite literally poked off the court.
With him out, the club looked nothing like themselves in a road trip to Sydney last Sunday that would mark second straight loss after earlier losing at home to the Cairns Taipans.
No one stood up in Sydney, despite being in the battle during the first quarter. After that, their defence turned to mush and offence not much better, every shot missing. While Kevin Dillard had some bright moments, Kirk Penney and Mika Vukona played poor games – always a telling point for New Zealand.
For Paul Henare’s men, there couldn’t be a more critical time to fire, but they have been inconsistent all season, particularly on the road and it’s hard to have much faith in them to pick up a win.
Prediction
The 36ers form has just been tremendous. Given the way Jerome Randle has been shooting the ball and their offensive combinations clicking, it’s hard to see the Breakers, still likely to be without Akil Mitchell to stay in this one and be competitive, let alone win.
We are about to have our second team out of the race for the finals, and pretty convincingly.
36ers by 17.
Tip-off: 5:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide
TV: Live, Fox Sports 503
Online: Live, NBL.TV
Betting:36ers $1.35, Breakers $3.25
Last meeting: Round 14, Breakers 95 defeated by 36ers 113