Round 1 Preview v Melbourne United

The longest NBL pre-season in history is now over and it's the Adelaide 36ers who open up the 2021 campaign at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night and it just happens to be against an opponent many experts are labelling championship favourites.

The 2019/20 season came to an end for the 36ers last year in Perth way back on February 15 with the last home game a week earlier, so it's now only a couple of weeks shy of being a full year since the Sixers played an official game in front of their loyal members and fans.

That all changes this Friday night and the 36ers are excited and raring to go in front of what is expected to be the biggest crowds any team can play in front of early in the NBL season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

It's a juicy opponent first up for the Sixers too with the season-opening game coming up against a Melbourne United entering the season as title favourites so the stage is set for the quite the cracking way to open up the long-awaited 2021 NBL campaign.

The game gets underway from 7pm Adelaide time on Friday night with tickets still available with 75 per cent capacity allowed inside Adelaide Entertainment Centre. If you can't be there in person, you can watch the game live on ESPN or on SBS on Demand and NBL TV.

There are plenty of reasons to look forward to the 36ers match up with United on Friday night as well and it certainly shapes as an ideal way to open up #NBL21, and provides a chance for the Sixers to make a statement.

With so much hype and expectation surrounding Melbourne for this coming season, an impressive performance from Adelaide would make the rest of the league stand up and take notice of what this new-look 36ers outfit is capable of.

DJ'S CORNER – PLAYER COLUMN VOLUME 3 

HENRY BACKS THREE-MAN LEADERSHIP GROUP AS CAPTAINS 

And there have been quite a number of changes at the 36ers since that final game of last season against the Wildcats almost 12 months ago.

First of all there is a new coach on board following the appointment of former NBA player, Wildcats head coach, G-League Coach of the Year, Conner Henry. He has also brought with him Jamie Pearlman to be alongside him as his lead assistant coach.

On the playing front, there's been quite the turnover in the roster at the Sixers but the end result is a young and exciting squad that 36ers fans should be looking forward to getting behind.

Firstly the Sixers have added a player courtesy of the NBL Next Stars program and he looks to have all the makings of a future NBA star, and that's Josh Giddey who is making his professional debut this season.

Joining him in the backcourt will be a guard 222 games of NBA experience, Donald Sloan and the second import for the 36ers this season will be experienced swingman, Tony Crocker.

It was a significant signing for the 36ers to have five-time club MVP Daniel Johnson recommit for the next three years and he will be joined in the frontcourt this season by Isaac Humphries and Keanu Pinder.

Another significant free agent signing for Adelaide this season was Sunday Dech who joins after his career-best season with the Hawks. Coach Henry admitted he was the club's No. 1 free agency target and was delighted to have secured his signature.

With Johnson, Brendan Teys, Jack McVeigh, Daniel Dillon and Alex Mudronja back with the 36ers as well and there is plenty to like about this squad for #NBL21.

Friday night's opponents Melbourne United arrive in Adelaide with a talented roster too.

They welcome back Chris Goulding, Mitch McCarron, David Barlow, Jo Lual-Acuil and Shea Ili while adding superstar import Scotty Hopson and NBA prospect and Australian Boomer Jock Landale.

That sets the stage for a fascinating opening game of the 2021 season and there are tantalising match ups wherever you look.

That's none more so than in the battle of two of the best and most versatile and athletic big men in the competition, Johnson and Landale. Both near seven-footers are tremendous shooters but have inside games as well, are strong rebounders and that contest will go a long way to deciding the contest.

Melbourne has its own young gun in Jack White on debut as well so with Giddey lining up for the 36ers, which exciting rookie can make the best start will be fascinating to watch.

If star imports Sloan and Hopson end up matched up against one another, that's going to be intriguing to watch how it unfolds as well and that's just the beginning of what will make Friday night such an exciting occasion at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Round 1 2021 Hungry Jack's NBL Season

Adelaide 36ers v Melbourne United
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Friday 7.00pm ACDT

Broadcast – ESPN, SBS on Demand, NBL TV, Twitch 
Tickets available by clicking here