Match Preview: Sixers with “free swing” at Championship

It all comes down to this – Sunday afternoon in Sydney will see the NBL Championship decided between the Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings.

The Sixers drew level in the best of five series with a 92-91 win in Adelaide on Wednesday night but so far the winners have been the home sides. In fact, the home team has won each of the last seven games between the sides.

When it comes to Championship Series games involving Adelaide, the stats are even stronger in favour of the home side. The home team has won each of the Sixers’ last 16 Championship Series games.

The punters will have the Kings going in as favourite, and Sixers General Manager of Basketball Operations, Matt Weston says that suits him just fine.

“We've probably been underdogs all the way through (the finals), and I think that suits us well,” he said.

“I think that suits South Australians well because we're always looked on like ‘oh, you're not Sydney, you're not Melbourne’, and as a Sydney guy, I'm now South Australian, but I love that.

“(Sydney’s) got a great team. They've got NBA guys; they've got guys who are Olympians. And we've got a good team too. There's no doubt.

“But I love the underdog tag. I think the South Australians love that, and we're going to go up (to Sydney) and we've got a free swing. We've got nothing to lose.”

Weston said regardless of supporter allegiances, anyone who followed the NBL would be pleased with the way the series has panned out, and that it would be decided in game five with MVP Bryce Cotton leading his side against his MVP runner-up Kendrick Davis and the Kings.

“I think when you talk basketball wise, it's the matchup that you want,” he explained.

“The two best teams, two best players in the league going head to head.

“I wouldn't be surprised if it's going to be one of the, if not most, watched games in history. And what a great advertisement for the game.”

Sunday’s game gets underway at 2:00pm ACST / 2:30pm AESDT.

If you can’t be there to watch in person, you can catch it live on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+, or on free-to-air television on Channel 10.

SYDNEY KINGS vs ADELAIDE 36ERS
Qudos Bank Arena, Sunday 5 April, 2:00pm ACST / 2:30pm AEST
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+ or Channel 10

OVERALL
Played 120, Adelaide 67, Sydney 53

At Qudos Bank Arena
Played 23, Adelaide 13, Sydney 10

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Apr 1, 2026 – 36ers 92 def Kings 91 at AEC
Mar 29, 2026 – Kings 106 def 36ers 93 at Qudos Bank Arena
Mar 27, 2026 – 36ers 91 def Kings 89 at AEC
Mar 21, 2026 – Kings 112 def 36ers 68 at Qudos Bank Arena
Jan 25, 2026 – Kings 106 def 36ers 101 at Qudos Bank Arena