Round 12 Preview v Illawarra Hawks

The Adelaide 36ers make their long-awaited return to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to welcome Brian Goorjian and his Illawarra Hawks with Josh Giddey returning, and Brandon Paul into the starting line-up.

The 36ers played eight home matches at the Entertainment Centre to open the 2021 NBL season between January 15 and February 15, but that last game was the final appearance in front of the home fans up until Saturday night.

Plenty has happened in the time since with the eight games in Melbourne at the NBL Cup and now three games on the road since, and there's no question the team is excited to play in front of their home fans again and equally the supporters will be eager to welcome them back.

Everyone involved will be hoping that combination leads to a much-needed win too for the 36ers.

Unfortunately the Sixers return home on a five-game losing streak having lost the last two games at the NBL Cup to Perth and Brisbane, and now in the two weeks since having lost three road matches to the Phoenix, Wildcats and Taipans.

The Sixers left after that last home game against Brisbane with a 5-4 record and now they return at 7-13 and desperate to win, and needing that boost that naturally comes from a supportive home atmosphere.

Plenty has changed with the 36ers since that last home game to now as well. Isaac Humphries remains sidelined through a foot injury while Brandon Paul is now in the squad, and he will be starting his first game on Saturday night against the Hawks.

Tony Crocker won't be there due to a hip complaint while Jack Purchase is another new addition having been signed as an injury replacement for Humphries.

It's also going to be a fascinating night at Brian Goorjian returns to Adelaide for the first time as Illawarra Hawks coach reviving memories of battles of years past when he was coaching the Eastside Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Sydney Kings and Finally the South Dragons.

TOUGH TRIP TO CAIRNS FOR 36ERS 

The two teams met midway through the NBL Cup in the only clash that Adelaide and Illawarra have had so far in #NBL21. The 36ers were fresh off a hammering of 44 points from New Zealand while the Hawks had gone down to South East Melbourne by 17 points just days earlier.

It was all about who was going to bounce back and it was the Hawks who did the better job of that although admittedly the Sixers were just getting used to life without the injured Isaac Humphries and had yet to welcome new import Brandon Paul into the line-up.

With Tyler Harvey delivering 24 points on 6/11 shooting from deep, the Hawks proved too strong to win 98-89. He got good support too with Deng Adel delivering 19 points, eight and five assists while Cam Bairstow added 14 points and Justinian Jessup 12.

Josh Giddey impressed for Adelaide with 14 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Tony Crocker top-scored with 23 points in his best NBL performance. Daniel Johnson had another 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists with Jack McVeigh delivering 16 points and seven boards.

It's tough to read too much into that last meeting between the two teams at the NBL Cup because two of Illawarra's best performers Tyler Harvey and Cam Bairstow, and Adelaide's top-scorer Tony Crocker all won't be there on Saturday night in Adelaide.

Harvey had a brilliant game back on Monday with 28 points in the win over the Brisbane Bullets, but hurt his back late in the piece and couldn’t get through Thursday's loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix. 

He has now been ruled out at least of Saturday's game with the 36ers while Bairstow remains in doubt but could still face a late fitness test.

And Adelaide will be without Crocker for the first time this season having been ruled out with a hip compliant. 

While the 36ers do remain without imposing centre Isaac Humphries as well, the good news is that Next Star point guard Josh Giddey returns and import guard Brandon Paul has been confirmed to come into the starting line-up for the first time.

It would be an understatement to say that both teams come into the meeting at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre desperate for a win. 

The Sixers have now lost five straight following a 14-point loss in Cairns on Sunday to slip to 7-13 on the season while the Hawks are coming off a 32-point hammering at the hands of the Phoenix on their home floor on Thursday which sees them come into Saturday's game in Adelaide at 10-9.

Adelaide 36ers GM of Basketball Jeff Van Groningen has seen plenty in his time in the NBL and beyond, and he knows the difference between a losing streak, and becoming a losing club. 

He hopes the Sixers can manage to maintain their competitiveness and chemistry as a group while times are tough, but a win on Saturday over the Hawks would certainly make that an easier task.

"Confidence is a huge thing and nobody yet has put a scientific finger on it because it's an intangible, it's like momentum and those things that everybody can see that are real, but you can't manufacture and it really only comes with a turning of the tide and a win," Van Groningen said in his appearance on this week's Sixers Fix with Scott Ninnis podcast.

"Wins often beget wins and losses can do the same, which is what we're in the middle of at the moment. There's definitely no quick fix, the only quick fix would be medical miracles so when you lose a player so significant as Isaac Humphries that a six-week injury can heal in six days. The reality is that doesn’t happen and we have to work out what we're doing within the group we have. 

"There is no quick fix and the guys have to graft and work hard, and get through it, and then they have to somehow manufacture that win and then when a win comes, all of a sudden feel better and the tempo changes, the temperature changes around the group and you can often be away to a more positive mindset. 

"These are difficult times when you're in the middle of a losing streak but not becoming a losing club at times like this is a real battle. But that's what we are determined to do is to make sure we retain a winning mentality and get back on the right track."

Van Groningen also confirmed that Brandon Paul would start for Adelaide against Illawarra on Saturday night.

"He will be starting in this game as I understand it. We've made the announcement that Tony Crocker is out with a hip injury but Brandon would have started anyway. Brandon Paul was coming in to play and resume what would be a much more normalised situation for him where he was starting," Van Groningen said. 

"A coach calls makes those calls to do with who plays and who starts, and how many minutes are in those games. We have a coach and coaching staff who make their calls based on what they think is giving the team the best shot. They are not trying to lose games, that is counter intuitive to their careers to try and says it doesn’t matter about winning or losing. 

"They are trying to come up with the best possible scenario that will assist the team in winning, and they are with the team more than anyone. It's a decision that the head coach ultimately makes and his decision in those early few games that Brandon played was that he was coming off the bench."

HUNGRY JACK'S 2021 NBL SEASON – ROUND 12

ADELAIDE 36ERS v ILLAWARRA HAWKS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Saturday 7.30pm ACDT

Broadcast – ESPN, SBS on Demand, NBL TV, Twitch