Sports

NBL Grand Final Series Preview

Posted on | Posted by TABtouch

Following an enthralling Semi Final series; the two teams which dominated the regular season in the Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings will go to battle in what will be a Grand Final series for the ages.

Grand Final Series Information:

– Best of five game series (if required)

– The Sydney Kings will host three of the five games in Sydney due to finishing on top of the NBL ladder at the end of the regular season.

– All games can be watched on ESPN and 10.

GAME 1:

Date: Saturday March 21st @ 7pm AEST

Venue: Kudos Bank Arena (Sydney)

GAME 2:

Date: Friday March 27th @ 7:30pm AEST

Venue: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

GAME 3:

Date: Sunday March 29th @ 2:30pm AEST

Venue: Qudos Bank Arena

GAME 4: 

Date: Wednesday April 1st @ 7:30pm AEST

Venue: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

GAME 5: (If Required)

Date: TBC

Comparing The Two Teams:

These two teams have been dominant all Season. When comparing both teams, there is very little to separate them in terms of the key statistics.

Winning Percentage – Kings (72%) vs 36ers (69%)

Away Wins – 11 for both teams

Home Wins – Kings (13) vs Adelaide (12)

Total Points Scored – Kings (3276) vs 36ers (3042)

Total Points Against – Kings (2879) vs 36ers (2890)

Key Summary:

The Kings have the most potent offence in the league behind South East Melbourne Phoenix. The Kings average 113.8 points per game which is higher than the 36ers 105.3 points per game. The 36ers rely heavily on Bryce Cotton to carry the offence, where the Kings are a more well-rounded offence.

The Key Story Lines:

Bryce Cotton vs Kendric Davis.

These dynamic import point guards finished first and second in the NBL MVP race, with Bryce Cotton edging out Kendric Davis by just two votes to win his sixth NBL MVP award. We have arguably never seen two guards who have been so dominant go head-to-head in a Grand Final Series.

Kendric Davis came out and mentioned on the record that he felt the NBL MVP voting was a ‘popularity contest’ so there is sure to be some spice as these two go to battle on Saturday!

There is no doubting the scoring power of these two stars of the competition. Bryce Cotton averages 26.2 points per game and Davis 24.8 points per game. Both will play crucial roles in bringing the ball up the court and running off screens to find good looks at the three point line.

The battle between Davis and Cotton will be one of the must-watch storylines of the series.

Semi Final Confidence:

The Kings were stretched by the Wildcats during the Semi Final Series, winning game 1 by a single point and taking out the series by 6 points in Perth. The Wildcats coach John Rillie found ways to beat the Kings inside the paint, evident in dominance by the Wildcats big in Joe Lual-Acuil and Doolittle in the post.

In contrast, Adelaide dominated game 3 against the South East Melbourne Phoenix, leading by up to 19 points during the game. The Kings played two games in the Semi’s vs the 36er’s three but the 36ers would be full of confidence leading into game 1.

Stopping Adelaides Three Point Shooters:

The key to beating the 36ers is trying to stop Bryce Cotton. The six time NBL MVP has a formidable record in Grand Finals. Bryce is a two time NBL Grand Final MVP and three time NBL Championship winner. Put simply, Cotton is a dynamic scorer who can beat guards on the drive and score in bunches from the three point line. Cotton averaged 36 points across three games in the Semis and broke the all time Adelaide club record for most points score in a finals game (38).

When South East Melbourne double teamed Bryce at the three point line, he was often able to find DJ Vasiljevic open who scored 27 points on the back of 6/10 from the three point line. These two guards are a nightmare match up for the Kings and will be influential throughout the series.

GAME PREDICTION:

The combination of the star power of Kendric Davis and home court advantage should see the Kings have the edge in the opener.

SUGGESTED BETS:

Head To Head: Kings H2H @ $1.40

Same Game Multi: Kings To Win , Bryce Cotton 25+ points & Kendric Davic 25+ points @ $3*

*Odds correct at the time of publication.

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