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Adelaide 36ers vs Perth Wildcats |
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|---|---|---|
2017-18 NBL semi-finals, Game 1 |
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| Titanium Security Arena, Adelaide, SA | ||
| Adelaide 36ers | Perth Wildcats | |
| 109 | SCORE | 74 |
| 19 | Q1 | 18 |
| 31 | Q2 | 26 |
| 26 | Q3 | 18 |
| 33 | Q4 | 12 |
The Adelaide 36ers have taken a step towards the NBL Finals series with a thumping 35-point victory over the Perth Wildcats.
Final score
Adelaide 36ers 109
Perth Wildcats 74
The NBL’s biggest rivalry resumes in the semi-finals as the Adelaide 36ers look to make their first grand final series since 2013-14 against the Perth Wildcats, who are the most successful team in history. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of Game 1 from 7:30pm (AEDT).
While there was no major pressure on either of these sides to make the finals over the last few rounds, the Wildcats, in particular, will be less than impressed with the way they finished their season.
Even with a much-improved performance in their last match against the Cairns Taipans to finish the season on a winning note, their form has been patchy at best.
Losses to Cairns, Melbourne and their semi-final opponents Adelaide in the preceding weeks mean they enter the finals having lost three of their last four and five of their last eight. Two losses in a week to the bottom-of-the-table Sydney Kings ensured Perth weren’t going to be in the fight for the minor premiership.
After beating Adelaide in a highly physical encounter, they lost just a handful of days later. There is emotion between these sides, and it could come down to which side handles it better – that, you’d have to think, goes to the experience of Perth.
The 36ers have really found their touch in recent weeks though, closing out the season on a high to finish in the top two and gain home court advantage for the semi-finals and possibly, the grand final if Melbourne don’t beat New Zealand in the other semi-final series.
Adelaide have won three straight matches to enter the finals, but more impressively, they have found the free-running spirit which saw them climb to the top of the ladder last year.
In each of their last two wins over Brisbane and the Illawarra, they have scored more than 100 points and it’s this attacking mentality they will need if they are to get over a defence led by Damian Martin.
If Adelaide can find enough in their own defence to slow down Bryce Cotton and co. then they will certainly have enough points in them to match, with Mitch Creek, Daniel Johnson and Josh Childress all finding form.
Prediction
Game 1 is oh so important, especially in these three-game semi-final series. The Wildcats have all the finals experience, but their form has been sketchy at times and the 36ers have been on a march, playing with that aggressive intent which saw them make this stage last year.
I’m unsure if they win the series, but they should take a 1-0 lead.
36ers by 4.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Game 1 from 7:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.