Business but not personal: Bruton (pictured in his Bullet days), Drmic, Franks, Sobey, Froling - it'd be easy to get caught up in the personal nature of this Saturday's clash between the Adelaide 36ers and the Brisbane Bullets - Photo credit to news.com/NBL/Western Australian
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4-Minute Read
NBL ROUND 11
Adelaide 36ers vs Brisbane Bullets
When: 7:30pm (ACDT), Saturday 17 December
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre – The Ken Cole-seum
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, ESPN, www.nbl.com.au
SWOOP BACK IN HISTORY
The Adelaide 36ers played their first game at the AEC against the Bullets and what a night it was on the opening of the West End.
Key Matchups
Mitch McCarron vs Nathan Sobey
McCarron had a courageous captain’s performance last week notching 20 points and 13 rebounds and nearly single handled pushed them over the top of the Wildcats. He has a good record against the Bullets since the Sixers moved to AEC averaging 8.9 point, 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals. For a team thats turning over the ball like the Bullets (11.2 per game) – he could be a steadying influence once again.
Sobey has an interesting record since he left the 36ers. He’s scored 20 + including a 30 point game last March four times out of seven times he’s met his former side. Four times he’s shot over 50 percent from beyond the arc and five times he’s had five assists or more. He always comes to perform against Adelaide so the homeside as I’m sure they already would be well aware.
Robert Franks vs Aron Baynes
Someone keen to prove themselves would be former Bullet Franks but I think that could distract him from the task at hand. His three point shooting will be key in this one as if he can hit at a clip of 40 percent outside or more from a large volume of shots – it stops the most dangerous player of the night setting up camp inside the paint.
And if and its a big if the Bullets have an advantage – its through the big fella inside the paint. Will the Bullets do the obvious and camp him close to the hoop as if he’s able to seal multiple times inside – it will expose an area the Sixers are currently vulnerable in.
Anthony Drmic vs Harry Froling
The Drmic roundabout between these two clubs is an interesting dynamic in this game. He’ll certainly be another with a point to prove considering past history. Drmic never got to his best playing against the 36ers averaging six points shooting 27 percent from beyond the perimeter. Against the Bullets before joining them he averaged 15 points with 44 percent beyond the perimeter.
On the flip side Froling in recent history seems to switch on when the Sixers are on the menu. He had a mammoth 27 point game with eight triples from 10 attempts in January for the Hawks. Recently he’s hit some form with 10 points and a 9 point and 13 rebound game in recent memory. His influence when he hits the floor will be intriguing to see if he can draw the right matchups in his favour.
THREE QUESTIONS TO SWOOP ON
Bullets, JackJumpers, Phoenix all at home – how many of the four home games do they need to be “back in the race”?
The Sixers could setup their season here if they could claim all four but if they lost three of them it would put them 7-11 and further away from the top six. Win three or all four and it gets them to 10-9 or 9-10 and pushes them back into the logjam.
Thats why it needs to be business time now – this four game home run is season defining for this clubs fortune.
How much does continuity effect a team like the Bullets right now?
Its a bit of a pattern where you see one performance straight after a change like the Bullets against the Taipans where they bring the effort but at some point its gotta catchup to this team with all the juggling balls figuratively and practically happening right now – yet they also have to just carry on with the business.
Next to the Perth rivalry – over NBL history where does this rank against others?
Make no mistake its a sneaky rivalry between these two from ex-coaches to ex-players and championship dynasty history in the 80s. This one again has the potential to have some fireworks boil over and some serious chit chats between individuals out there on the floor.
So who wins?
The Sixers have much more to lose than the Bullets who are now seven wins a drift of the top six. Thats why they will take care of this as it can’t be personal – but needs to be all business.
And they have to be as from watching the NBL ladder – I think there might be one spot left and three don’t go into one solitary position.
COD Prediction: 36ers by 23 points
Catch all the action tonight at the arena on Cluch Radio with Tristan “TP” Prentice and our special comments guest whether you’re at the game or watching from home
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 