Cheatham: There’s no underdog in Championship Series

The bookies may have the Sydney Kings as NBL title favourites, but Adelaide’s Zylan Cheatham says there is no underdog heading into game one of the Championship Series.

The Kings will have home court advantage in the best-of-five grand final series and come in on the back of a 13-game unbeaten streak.

They also won three of the four meetings against Adelaide this season.

But when asked about whether the Sixers would be embracing the underdog tag, Cheatham said he didn’t agree there was an underdog.

“The whole underdog concept is an opinion,” he smiled.

“Honestly, I think we've been top of the table, they've been top of the table. I don't think there's really an underdog at this point.

“I think it's two of the top teams that have executed at the highest level that meet in the finals here.

“I don't think there's an underdog in this situation. We definitely don't look at ourselves as below any team in this league.”

Cheatham and teammate Nick Rakocevic spent part of Thursday afternoon at Adelaide Oval, where he met cricketer Liam Scott, who is preparing with his SACA teammates for a second consecutive Sheffield Shield final.

Scott spoke of his nerves going into last season’s final, knowing how much it meant to the state to end a 29-year title drought.

Cheatham said the Sixers were aware of a similar 24-year barren spell between NBL championships but it was not something that the group was turning its attention to.

“I think for guys like DJ (Vasiljevic), Ice (Humphries), I mean, those guys who have kind of been through the storm a little bit more, I think it kind of hits them a little bit harder,” Cheatham explained.

“But for us, obviously, knowing that we haven't been there in a while, it's something that we keep in mind, but it's not something we harp on.

“It’s not something we really discuss as much.

“We're kind of living in a moment, focussing on the task at hand, and that's kind of the approach we're going with.”

Many of the pundits are licking their lips at the prospect of NBL26 MVP Bryce Cotton coming up against his runner-up Kendrick Davis, particularly after Davis’ comments following the count.

But for Cheatham, individual match-ups aren’t even a consideration.

“We don't really get too far into that,” he said.

“I mean, the award is the award, and it went how it went.

“For us, it's a matter of us playing Adelaide 36ers basketball versus the Sydney Kings.

“It's not about individual matchups, and I think if we execute at a high level, we'll put ourselves in a good spot.”

Game one tips off at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday night at 7pm.

You can catch it live on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+.

Adelaide will host Game two on Friday 27^th March from 7pm. Tickets are on sale to members currently, with the on-sale to the general public from Saturday at 10am ACDT.

More information is available at our Finals Hub.