Round 18 Preview v Tasmania JackJumpers

The Adelaide 36ers recorded their first win of the NBL season at the expense of the Tasmania JackJumpers and will be looking to repeat the dose at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night.

The 36ers are back on their home floor at the Entertainment Centre this Friday night to host a JackJumpers team fighting for their playoff lives, but it was a similar story back on Sunday against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The Phoenix arrived in Adelaide for Sunday's game needing a win to avoid falling outside of the NBL's top four at the end of Round 17, but the Sixers delivered perhaps their best and most complete performance of the season.

Despite the absence of Cam Bairstow, the 36ers produced a terrific showing virtually the entire 40 minutes to end up beating South East Melbourne 100-92.

It was the first time the Sixers have reached triple figures in scoring this season with 11 players managing to score including six reaching seven points or more in the impressive victory.

Daniel Johnson put up 22 points and 10 rebounds, Sunday Dech 21 points, five boards and three assists, Mitch McCarron 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Hyrum Harris 11 points and five boards, and Dusty Hannahs 10 points.

Not only did that mean that Adelaide has now won two of their past three matches this season including the last two at the Entertainment Centre, they actually delivered a cruel blow to the Phoenix's playoff hopes.

They have the chance to do something similar to the JackJumpers now on Friday night with Tasmania coming into Adelaide in good form having won five of their previous six matches.

However, with a 12-10 record, they still find themselves two games outside the top four with four rounds of the season to go so they can't afford a slip up against the 36ers on Friday night.

The two teams have already faced off twice this season including Adelaide winning in Hobart for their first win of the season, 83-80, thanks to some late heroics from Dusty Hannahs.

The second clash took place in Hobart as well and it was the JackJumpers prevailing on that occasion 76-71.

Adelaide coach CJ Bruton liked a lot of what his team produced to beat the Phoenix on Sunday and is hoping to see more of the same this Friday night against the JackJumpers.

"I was happy with the attention to detail definitely. When you go over the game plan to try and win a game, and when your team sticks to it and you are successful with everyone buying into what you are asking them to do as a coach, and can get the win so then it's pleasing," Bruton said during latest Sixers Fix podcast.

"When you start going out of their own comfort zone and for some reason a player goes and does their own thing, it can go pear shaped very quickly from a 21-9 lead to turn into a 26-25 one.

"It's not just making shots, but it's the shots you take to allow the other team to get back into the ball. There's two sides to it but when they do the right thing it leads to a lot more hope and belief, and trust in the process that we can give ourselves the best chance to win."

HUNGRY JACK'S 2021/22 NBL SEASON – ROUND 18

ADELAIDE 36ERS v TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Friday 7.00pm ACDT

Broadcast – ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sport NZ