Help us Sobey-one, your their only hope: Nathan Sobey rediscovered his "Jedi" basketball power against the Wildcats in a huge performance Tuesday night - the Sixers will need to be wary - Photo credit to news.com/NBL/Perth Now
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4-Minute Read
NBL ROUND 13
Adelaide 36ers vs Brisbane Bullets
When: 7:00pm (ACDT), Thursday 29 December
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre – The Ken Cole-seum
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, ESPN, www.nbl.com.au
LTTM: Adelaide 36ers 108 (Franks 25, Cleveland 20, Drmic 16, Sotto 13, Dech 10) defeated Brisbane Bullets 77 (Cadee 18, Gak, Mitchell, White 12, Bach 8) at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre
SWOOP BACK IN HISTORY
King Cole rises Sixers to Game One clincher
The 1986 NBL Grand Final series (the first time the three game series was played) got off to an absolute cracker in Brisbane with an overtime thriller. A game featuring the cream of the NBL – the Bullets with Danny Morseu, Cal Bruton, Ronnie Radliff, John Dorge and Leroy Loggins. The Sixers also had their famous lineup of Green, McKay, Pearce, Davis and Bill Jones who was clutch down the stretch.
A high scoring final in the 48 minute era of the Australian game…
Have a watch of the final ten minutes of this all-time classic NBL matchup between these two…
Credit: DJ Clint Dogg – www.ClintDogg.com Clint Dogg (DJ Clint Dogg)
Key Matchups
Ian Clark vs Jason Cadee
Okay its been confirmed that NBL championship winner Clark will play minutes tonight after sitting and observing against the Phoenix on Christmas Eve. To reiterate Clark averaged 12.91 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2 assists. The impact he has off the pine is eagerly anticipated to see how much he can tie down someone who has enjoyed the Sixers in his short stint in NBL23.
Cadee was very good against the Sixers last time and the shining light in their last encounter. 18 points at 58.3 percent but took just the 12 shots. On Tuesday against the Wildcats he took seven attempts for his 10 points but they were all from beyond the arc – the Bullets had 39 attempts. He needs to let that thing fly a little more to get his team rolling early.
Sunday Dech vs Nathan Sobey
Opportunity and moments Dech seizes on as he’s found himself back in the starting five and in a role that works for him – go and stop the best scoring opposition guard. He did that Sobey last time they met sitting essentially toe-to-toe to him on coverage – not a show the former Sixer wants to experience again.
Sobey was back to his best on Tuesday night with 30 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists – it was the charity stripe that got him going. He was a perfect 12 of 12 from there whereas against the Sixers he got their for two of two only. Sobey gets his energy from getting on the rim early so Sixers again need to watch out for him getting the ball on the move and getting a clear path to the rim.
Daniel Johnson vs Gorjok Gak
Will DJ start on the bench tonight again? Is this the new norm? The body language and the production the Sixers are getting from him the last two games says it could be. Johnson is averaging 14 points in his last two games coming off the pine compared to his season average of 11.9. In some ways its a blessing in disguise for everyone in this team, Johnson can sometimes be the focal point of the offence in the starting lineup and thats potentially better suited to a lineup of Clark, Drmic, Harris and Galloway. You have the offensive potency but don’t lose the defensive edge – but the key is Sotto and his ability to impact defensively early in games for the Sixers to keep doing that.
And thats where Gak who’s hit some big form can really cause some problems. His last month he’s averaged 10.2 points, 7.4 rebounds in an increase of six minutes per game. He’s looked lively and energetic and has seized his opportunity against opposition under a new lease of life under coach Greg Vanderjagt.
THREE QUESTIONS TO SWOOP ON
What does Ian Clark bring and where does he fit in tonight’s game?
I anticipate he’ll play between 15-20 minutes now that he has his legs back under him in. The likely timing is around the later part of each quarter for McCarron with the Sixers running a Clark, Drmic, Cleveland/Dech combo against the Bullets. Clark will slip into the second point guard position but also in future games into the fourth quarter closer positions with the skipper and AC.
Krebs and Johnson have returned – how important are they to the Bullets?
The stats tell the story. Krebs did all the team things to collect 15 points, 5 rebounds and had a plus minus of 14. Johnson brings NBA experience and while he hasn’t fire to the levels of expectation I think we all had – he’s doing bit of everything for this team with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists against the Wildcats.
How do the Sixers make sure they aren’t complacement considering their last result?
The reality is the Sixers can’t afford to be cause although they are raging favourites tonight – the Bullets win over the Wildcats on Tuesday must be capitalised on. The big new years eve clash looms in Cairns but if they can’t win this one then that matchup creates more pressure on a club that needs to win a majority of its final run home to may the play-ins or maybe even the top four.
So who wins?
The Sixers have fate in their hands still this season and taking care of games like tonight needs to be just the norm. Make no mistake though now the Bullets have some stability with a win and a secured head coach for rest of season (plus a additonal assistant in Pero Cameron that will be a head coach in this NBL league in the future) they will be a much tougher proposition than few weeks ago.
At full strength and “needing” the win to get ahead of the logjam – the Sixers should win their fourth win in a row and setup the New Years Eve clash for a fifth against a vulnerable Cairns team.
COD Prediction: 36ers by 15 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 