Wells expecting Sixers to rally and respond

Adelaide 36ers coach Mike Wells has backed his side to respond in game two of the NBL Championship series after a disappointing opening performance on Saturday.

The Sixers went down to the Kings by 44 points in Game One in Sydney at the weekend, failing to find any real rhythm.

Wells and the group reviewed the performance early in the week and the American said the practice had been full of energy and intensity.

Speaking after training on Thursday, Wells said the group has shown throughout the season an ability to respond to adversity.

“From the beginning of the year, when we started in August, and we talked about our team and our culture, and it probably started at, actually, the moment we lost the Southeast in a play in game last year, our goals were to kind of change our team and change the culture, and, you know, through the course of the year, I think we did a pretty good job,” he explained.

“Our group has been solid, like I've said multiple times. They've been really, really, really coachable.

“You have the ups and downs of a long season. Every time that we've had some adversity, you've seen the group rally, and play better, and play together.

“And times when we've had a chance to really practice and dial in, I think that that has always shown on the court the next game.”

There has been some commentary about the physicality of the Kings on Saturday night, particularly the attention put into six-time MVP Bryce Cotton.

Asked whether his side needed to be more aggressive, Wells didn’t think so.

“I think that our group plays a very professional style,” he said.

“We don't hold, we don't grab, we don't flop, we don't do a lot of those other things. We don't hit people above the shoulders.

“We don't practice that way. I'm always talking about freedom of movement on the court. I think it's basketball, it's not AFL.

“I think there's a style and a rhythm to the game that I'm always trying to get the referees to see my way.”

Wells was full of praise for the Kings, not just for the showing in game one, but for their season as a whole.

But he said his side knew what it needed to do in front of its home fans, and was excited at the opportunity.

“I think that they played really, really well in game one, and you got to tip your hat,” Wells said.

“They're a very talented group. They're well coached, they're well prepared. They've got a lot of good players, and our job as professionals, and in a grand final series, is to come home and do what we need to do to protect home court.”

Wells was also quick to quash a report of division in his playing group, following strong support from co-captain DJ Vasiljevic a day earlier.

“I only know what's inside these walls, and there hasn't been any divide within the group inside the walls,” Wells said, “so I can't really speak to anything else outside the walls.

“They've been great to coach. I've really enjoyed coaching this team this year, so it's kind of interesting to me to have somebody ask me that question, because I know what's inside these walls, and what our culture's been, and our group, and my leadership group.

“It's been a hell of a journey. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to be an NBL head coach, and to coach in the grand final, and this group's been exceptional.

“We'll try to, to use a Greg Popovich term, gin the group up again, to get the kind of response that we need.”

Game two tips off at 7pm ACDT on Friday night.