Match Preview: “Win or go fishing”

It’s “win or go fishing” for the Adelaide 36ers on Wednesday night as the NBL Championship Series comes to game four.

The Sydney Kings went ahead 2-1 in the series with a 106-93 win in Sydney on Sunday with the margin perhaps flattering the home side considering how tight the first three quarters were.

Sixers coach Mike Wells has spoken of how much his side feeds off the energy of the home crowd at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre and with another sell-out crowd locked in, the home side will have plenty of support behind it.

In fact, history suggests the home side has won each of the last six games between Adelaide and Sydney, and the home side has won each of the last 15 championship series games that the Sixers have been involved in.

Sixers star Bryce Cotton is closing in on yet another slice of history, nearing 1000 points in NBL26. He needs 17 points to get to 1000 for the season (though if you include his 34 points in the Ignite Cup Final he has already passed that mark).

Only three other players have reached 1000 in a season and that milestone has only happened on nine previous occasions (with Andrew Gaze getting there seven times).

Never in the modern 40-minute era has a player got to 1000 points.

Cotton has averaged 37.5 points in his last four games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre but the Kings have made it hard for him to score. Across seven meetings this season, Cotton has managed an average of 16.9 points per game against the Kings.

Speaking on SEN SA Breakfast ahead of the game, Cotton said his side had taken a lot of confidence from Sunday’s defeat in Sydney.

“We had pockets of the game where we showed a lot of control,” he said.

“I think we had a six-or-seven-point lead at two different times, so just not capitalising on those little pockets and then just closing possessions with rebounds.

“Those are two things that are obvious and, you know, the intricate stuff I'm never going to say because we need to go out and do it.

“The way the series has gone so far,” he continued, “each team has protected their home court.

“So, we’ve got to do that tomorrow and then hopefully we take that to a game five and from there it's a coin toss.”

Wednesday night’s game gets underway at 7:00pm ACDT / 7:30pm AEDT.

If you can’t be there to watch in person, you can catch it live on ESPN via Kayo or Disney+, or on free-to-air television on 10Drama.

ADELAIDE 36ERS vs SYDNEY KINGS
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Wednesday 1 April, 7:00pm ACDT / 7:30pm AEDT
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports or Disney+ or 10Drama

OVERALL
Played 118, Adelaide 66, Sydney 53

At AEC
Played 12, Adelaide 7, Sydney 5

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Mar 29, 2026 – Kings 106 def 36ers 93 at Qudos Bank Arena
Mar 27, 2026 – 36ers 91 def Kings 89 at AEC
Mar 21, 2026 – Kings 112 def 36ers 68 at Qudos Bank Arena
Jan 25, 2026 – Kings 106 def 36ers 101 at Qudos Bank Arena
Jan 2, 2026 – 36ers 85 def Kings 79 at AEC

KEY STATS

·       Adelaide has won each of its last seven games at Adelaide Entertainment Centre following a loss.

·       The home team has won each of the last six games between Adelaide and Sydney.

·       The home team has won each of Adelaide's last 15 Championship Series games.

·       Adelaide has lost the second half in nine of its last 10 Championship Series games

·       Bryce Cotton has averaged 37.5 points in his last four games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

·       Bryce Cotton has recorded 4+ assists in 35 consecutive appearances - longest active streak of any player in the league.

·       Sydney has won 15 of its last 16 games.