Preview: Round 17 vs Adelaide

Written by Matt McQuade for Kings Media

 

18 months ago, there was a kid on his way to the NBA who made a brief pitstop at Qudos Bank Arena.

And an NBL-record crowd of 17,514 showed up to get a glimpse of a player touted in some quarters as the next big thing in basketball.

That player was of course LaMelo Ball, and this Sunday, another youngster whose next job will be on an NBA roster makes an appearance on the home court of the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings.

His name is Josh Giddey, and he will lead his Adelaide 36ers in a crucial Round 17 battle on Mothers’ Day against the famed purple and gold, who will actually be wearing black in recognition of one of the most exciting Kings’ teams in franchise history, the 1996 unit led by Shane ‘The Hammer’ Heal and Isaac ‘Ice’ Burton.

Like those two Sydney backcourt standouts of years past, Giddey is an electrifying talent and a reason to buy a ticket this Sunday. He recently became the first Australian to ever register back-to-back triple doubles, and at just 19 years of age is unquestionably the next big thing in Australian basketball.

Once he finishes up what is increasingly looking like a season that will end with him awarded the NBL Rookie of the Year award, the next time Australian fans will see him is when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announces his name when he is selected by a team at the 2021 NBA draft. So, for Kings’ fans, this is another great opportunity to watch a young man destined to do great things at the next level.

And Giddey’s 36er squad, while not performing at a consistently high level this season and barely holding on to a slim playoff hope, is still a threat this Sunday and cannot be taken lightly, particularly given their roster is now fully healthy and they are starting to play some good basketball.

Winners of their last two games and three of their past five, Adelaide has talent up and down the roster and can put a lot of points on the board in a hurry.

Up front, big man Daniel Johnson (20.6ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.7apg, 48.0% FG, 39.8% 3PT FG, 87.4% FT, 34.2mpg) is one of the great offensive players in the league and has given the Kings a lot of trouble in the past with his ability to score at every level. Isaac Humphries (13.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.7bpg, 59.1% FG, 33.3% 3PT FG, 56.6% FT, 23.3mpg) returns to Sydney with no lack of motivation after an injury-interrupted campaign and his size and mobility can cause a lot of problems; while import Brandon Paul (14.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.7apg, 1.4spg, 44.4% FG, 42.9% 3PT FG, 83.3% FT, 28.9mpg) is a big-time scorer who can really fill it up from long distance.

Then of course you’ve got a backcourt that features the brilliant Giddey (11.4ppg, 7.1rpg, 7.4apg, 1.2spg, 43.3% FG, 31.1% 3PT FG, 68.2% FT, 31.9mpg) whose great size and incredible feel for the game make him exceedingly dangerous, while Sunday Dech (9.7ppg, 4.5rpg, 2.1apg, 1.2spg, 40.4% FG, 36.4% 3PT FG, 71.4% FT, 32.7mpg) is active, aggressive and a terrific defender.

The 36ers have plenty of depth too, with import Tony Crocker, sparkplug Jack McVeigh and even oft-criticised but athletic forward Keanu Pinder capable of providing quality minutes.

For the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings, the theme for Sunday should be ‘bounce back’, after their disappointing loss to Melbourne United on the road, a defeat that snapped a season-high four-game winning streak. Head Coach Adam Forde was none too pleased in the aftermath of that performance and you can be sure that the team that takes to the court on Mothers’ Day will be breathing fire.

Indeed, the 2021 Kings are a resilient bunch, and have shown time and again that they respond to adversity very well. Expect nothing less this week, especially against an opponent that also figures to play with a high level of desperation.

Sydney will need to be tough and committed at both ends of the floor, with, as ever, the effort led by floor general Casper Ware (19.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.2apg, 44.1% FG, 34.6% 3PT FG, 83.1% FT, 32.7mpg) whose experience and defensive chops will be critical against a prodigy like Giddey.

Big man Jarell Martin (16.5ppg, 6.7rpg, 51.7% FG, 43.2% 3PT FG, 74.6% FT, 23.7mpg) was quiet last week in Melbourne and the Kings need to make a point of getting him more involved in the offence early and often, while Jordan Hunter (8.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 58.1% FG, 65.6% FT, 19.6mpg) must be effective in his big man battle with Isaac Humphries and Craig Moller (6.9ppg, 5.0rpg, 2.1apg, 50.0% FG, 42.1% 3PT FG, 72.1% FT, 20.0mpg) will be counted on to provide his usual hustle on the offensive glass and uncompromising defence at the other end.

This is a crucial game for the Sydney Kings – as they all will be down the stretch of NBL21. There are five teams engaged in a dogfight for two playoff positions, and any slip-ups, especially at home, could be costly.

It’s all about the bounce back this Mothers’ Day.

Rise With Us Sydney.

 

WHO

Sydney Kings vs. Adelaide 36ers

WHEN

Sunday 9 May, 3:00pm AEST tipoff

LOCATION

Qudos Bank Arena

TICKETS

Available HERE

TV/RADIO

SBS Viceland; SBS On Demand; NBL.TV; Cluch Radio, SWR99.9FM Radio

THE PLAYERS

Kings

Casper Ware (import); Shaun Bruce; Craig Moller; Jarell Martin (import); Jordan Hunter

Tom Vodanovich; Daniel Kickert; Dexter Kernich-Drew; Jarrad Weeks; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Archie Woodhill (development player); Lochlan Hutchison (development player)

36ers

Josh Giddey (Next Star); Sunday Dech; Brandon Paul (import); Daniel Johnson; Isaac Humphries

Tony Crocker (import); Jack McVeigh; Keanu Pinder; Brendon Teys; Daniel Dillon; Alex Mudronja; Owen Hulland (development player)

THE COACHES

Kings

Adam Forde (NBL rookie head coach, NBL career record 14-13)

36ers

Conner Henry (1^st season with 36ers, record with 36ers 12-16, NBL career record 29-30)

2020/2021 REGULAR SEASON SERIES

Kings lead 2-1

36ers def. Kings 85-80 @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Round 3

Kings def. 36ers 94-75 @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Round 4

Kings def. 36ers 94-77 @ John Cain Arena, Melbourne, Round 6 (NBL Cup)

NBL LADDER

Kings 14-13, third

36ers 12-16, seventh

KEY STATS

Kings

Points: Casper Ware, 19.4ppg

Rebounds: Jarell Martin, 6.7rpg

Assists: Casper Ware, 4.2apg

36ers

Points: Daniel Johnson, 20.6ppg

Rebounds: Isaac Humphries, 7.1rpg

Assists: Josh Giddey, 7.4apg

KEY MATCHUP

Casper Ware vs. Josh Giddey

It’s been proven throughout the season that as these two floor leaders go, so go their respective teams. And it’s fair to say that Casper Ware has dominated the head-to-head matchup in the three games these two teams have played this season, outscoring Giddey on all three occasions and averaging 21.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 52.4% from the field, 44.0% from three-point range and 83.3% from the free throw line against the 36ers. In contrast, Giddey against the Kings in NBL21 is averaging 8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting the ball at 39.3% from the field and 57.1% from the free throw line – he is yet to make a three pointer against Sydney this season, currently sitting at 0 for 10. But those numbers do not reflect the tremendous improvement in Giddey’s game over the past few months, and his size, vision and confident attitude will serve him well against a super competitor in Ware, who will look to make life as difficult as he can for the precocious youngster.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings shut down Daniel Johnson?

Who will win the Ware-Giddey matchup?

HISTORY

All-time Head-to-Head

96 games played; 36ers lead 54-42

In Sydney

46 games played; Kings lead 25-21

At Qudos Bank Arena

11 games played; 36ers lead 7-4

DID YOU KNOW?

This is the fifth time in franchise history that the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings have played on Mothers’ Day. Unfortunately, the day hasn’t been very kind to the purple and gold, who are just 1-3 all-time on Mothers’ Day – their sole victory came in Round 4 of the 1993 season when they edged the South East Melbourne Magic 103-100 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with Dwayne ‘D-Train’ McClain erupting for 43 points and five steals. Long-time Kings’ fans would remember the first ever game the Kings played on Mothers’ Day in 1992, the infamous ‘Mothers’ Day Massacre’ at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne when the Andrew Gaze-led Melbourne Tigers blew out Sydney 112-87, and the last time the Kings played on Mothers’ Day was ironically against Adelaide in Round 15 of the 1998 season at the Sydney Entertainment Centre – a game that would also live in infamy as the 36ers scored 55 points in the final quarter and won 147-121. The 147 points are the most ever conceded by the Kings in a game at home.