Match Preview: Sixers seeking strong series start

The Adelaide 36ers are headed to Sydney for Game One of the NBL Championship series up against a Kings line-up with home court advantage and a strong form line.

The Kings have won their last 13 straight games – one of them against the Sixers in January at Qudos Bank Arena, where the sides will meet again on Saturday night.

The Kings have had extra rest after sweeping Perth in their Semi Final series and have won three of the four encounters between the sides this season.

But the Sixers have a strong record at Qudos Bank Arena, coming away victorious in 13 of their 21 visits there to face the Kings.

The Sixers have had some success in scoring points on turnover against Sydney, averaging 10 points per game via that mechanism as compared with 5.3 to the Kings, but Brian Goorjian’s side has averaged 47.5 points in the paint against the Sixers compared to 33.5 coming the other way.

The Kings have also got on average eight points more per game from their bench players.

Shaun Bruce did not travel with the Sydney team to Perth to face the Wildcats in Game Two of the Semi due to family reasons but is expected to return for Saturday night’s game, while the Sixers go into Saturday night’s game in full health.

Six-time NBLMVP Bryce Cotton has been exceptional for the Sixers in the playoffs, and even before that. He has averaged 37 points over his last five games, but the Kings will take some comfort knowing he has averaged just 16.3 points per game against them this season, his lowest average return against any side.

Cotton says the Sixers would be wary of allowing the Kings’ talented line-up to settle into the game.

“For me their biggest threats are just how talented they are,” Cotton said.

“They love to play off talent so we have to understand there’s going to be certain guys that want to play one-on-one and we’re going to have to make it tough for them.

“Once they see one or two easy baskets flow that’s when they can start taking the heat-check threes and all of a sudden they’re feeling really good so we need to try to eliminate those.”

Cotton is a three-time NBL Championship winner from his time at Perth and says he and two-time Championship winner DJ Vasiljevic would help guide their less experienced teammates through the best-of-five series.

“Me and DJ are going to have to make sure we share our wisdom and our perspective throughout this series because we’re the only guys on the team I think who’ve won (NBL) championships,” he explained.

“All of our experience is going to be useful knowledge to the team and even reminders to ourselves about just kind of staying calm, staying in the moment no matter how things are going.

“It’s an exciting point. The rest of the league is done. Guys are back home and now there’s two teams left.”

Saturday night’s game gets underway at 6:30pm ACDT / 7:00pm AEDT.

If you can’t be there to watch in person, you can catch it live on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+.

SYDNEY KINGS vs ADELAIDE 36ERS
Qudos Bank Arena, Saturday 21 March, 6:30pm ACDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+

OVERALL
Played 116, Adelaide 65, Sydney 51

At Qudos Bank Arena
Played 21, Adelaide 13, Sydney 8

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Jan 25, 2026 – Kings 106 def 36ers 101 at Qudos Bank Arena
Jan 2, 2026 – 36ers 85 def Kings 79 at AEC
Dec 17, 2025 – Kings 97 def 36ers 93 at AIS Arena, Canberra
Oct 11, 2025 – Kings 103 def 36ers 79 at AEC
Feb 13, 2025 – 36ers 95 def Kings 88 at Qudos Bank Arena

KEY STATS

·       Adelaide has won the second half in each of its last 10 away games after trailing at half-time.

·       The home team has won each of Adelaide's last 12 Championship Series games.

·       Adelaide has won three of its last four games against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena.

·       Sydney has won each of its last 13 games.

·       Sydney has won the fourth quarter in each of its last eight games.

·       Sydney has won the second half in 18 of its last 21 games after trailing at half-time.

·       Sydney has lost the first quarter in each of its last four games.