'Disappointed' Ninnis won't accept bad habits

Adelaide 36ers head coach Scott Ninnis was “hugely disappointed” after his side’s 100-82 loss to Perth Wildcats at the Entertainment Centre on Thursday night.

Going into the main interval trailing 54-48, the home side was blitzed by the Wildcats 28-9 in a torrid third quarter and Ninnis knows how his side can turn it around.

“It (third quarter) was more about our offense than it was about our defense, we were just putrid offensively,” Ninnis said post-match.

“The ball stagnated, which allowed them to get out and run and pick up some easy baskets.

“The disappointing thing was some of the body language in that third quarter, the lack of intensity to get out to wide open shooters I think is bad habits that we have had at various times during the year.

“I just won’t accept that, that is not what we are as a group right now and to slip back into some of those habits, that was hugely disappointing from my point of view.

“We all know that is not up to scratch that game.”

Ninnis said for his side to be successful it has to be a team effort with multiple contributors at both ends of the floor.

“We cannot have a game where we don’t have five or six guys not playing well,” Ninnis said.

“We are not that team that can just rely on two or three guys to get us a win.

“And when you have some of your stars that have down games, and we don’t have other people stepping up.”

Ninnis said the side will review the defeat and will embrace the quick turnaround which sees Adelaide travel to Illawarra to play the Hawks on New Year’s Eve.

“After you get your ass kicked, the opportunity to play three days later is to me, is a wonderful thing,” Ninnis said.

“We will look at this game tonight and tomorrow and then we have to be focused on Illawarra.”

Ninnis said Adelaide’s poor free throw shooting (12/25) was something his side needs to work on after being consistent from the line this season.

“We missed 13 goddamn free throws, we missed six in the first half and we are down by six,” Ninnis said.

“We are not a 48 per cent free throw shooting team, that’s a mindset, that’s a mental thing.”

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Perth led for a majority of the game and the 36ers spent most of the contest playing catch up basketball, Ninnis was disappointed with his side’s response after the Christmas Eve win against the Bullets.

“We had an opportunity to come out now after the game against Brisbane and take another step forward, instead we took two steps backwards,” Ninnis said.

“Then to come out in the third quarter and lay a giant turd was just not what we expect, it’s something we won’t accept.”

Adelaide will travel to Illawarra on Saturday for the New Year’s Eve Showdown against the Hawks at the WIN Entertainment Centre.