Round 13 preview: Kings vs Wildcats and Phoenix

Another round. Another pair of home games.

It’s a veritable feast for fans of the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings right now, and a boon for families in these Easter school holidays.

Once again, Kings’ fans will have an opportunity to watch their team up close and personal in two games at Qudos Bank Arena as we pass the midway point of the 2020/2021 National Basketball League season.

And what contests these games promise to be.

On Thursday night, the Kings will take on a Perth Wildcats team riding an eight-game winning streak this season and coming off a win over Sydney in Perth in Round 12 in what was a game tinged by controversy.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the red-hot South East Melbourne Phoenix come to town having won six of their past seven games despite dealing with injury and a significant off-court issue.

Both teams are in the mix for the NBL21 Final Four. Perth leads the competition with a 14-4 record and even with only half their season done you’d be a brave individual to predict that they wouldn’t make the playoffs, especially given their form over the past couple of months; the Phoenix are third at 12-8 on the season and are looking increasingly dangerous.

So, for a Kings unit sitting just inside the Top Four currently with a 10-10 record, these two games are crucial, given they are against two teams the purple and gold will be duelling with all season for playoff spots and they are the second and third games of what is an unprecedented five-game homestand.

Of course, the immediate attention will be on a Wildcat unit that has beaten Sydney four consecutive times and dominated the Kings in the second half of their Round 11 game in the Harbour City. But where Head Coach Adam Forde will take a lot of confidence is Sydney’s performance a week ago in Perth, a battle that his team controlled for large stretches, only to be undone by a couple of big fourth quarter baskets from Bryce Cotton and, shall we say, some ‘curious’ refereeing decisions.

That whole issue has been well played out, so the Kings’ complete focus will be trying to figure out how to get past a Perth outfit that has been a juggernaut of late, led by the incredible Cotton (25.8ppg, 2.7rpg, 6.0apg, 1.8spg, 43.0% FG, 35.2% 3PT FG, 90.0% FT, 35.9mpg) who was well-held for three quarters at RAC Arena by a Sydney defensive tag team of Didi Louzada and Casper Ware yet still found a way to lead his team to the win.

Then Coach Forde’s troops also have to deal with the other members of what could be called a Wildcat ‘Big Three’ in John Mooney (17.2ppg, 12.2rpg, 2.6apg, 1.0spg, 1.0bpg, 55.0% FG, 56.0% 3PT FG, 75.9% FT, 32.3mpg) and Todd Blanchfield (14.2ppg, 3.3rpg, 44.3% FG, 34.7% 3PT FG, 79.2% FT, 27.2mpg), who both have provided excellent support to Perth’s standout MVP candidate.

The Wildcat role players, led by the relentless Mitch Norton (7.5ppg, 3.8rpg, 4.3apg, 41.5% FG, 26.1% 3PT FG, 73.8% FT, 25.7mpg) can never be underestimated, and Perth’s ability to control the tempo and get the game on their terms is something the Sydney coaching hierarchy will need to find answers for.

Once that game is done, the Kings only have a short turnaround before they face the Phoenix in what will be the first of back-to-back games against Melbourne’s ‘second’ team.

Sydney already boasts a victory over South East Melbourne this season back in Round Eight when the purple and gold went on the road to get a 91-85 decision in a game where five Kings scored in double-figures and nine players got on the scoresheet.

Coach Forde will need that kind of production from the entire roster this Sunday against a team that leads the NBL in scoring at over 90 points a game and tops the league in both field goal and three-point percentage.

What’s been impressive about the recent form of the Phoenix is that the team has been getting it done without their starting import point guard Keifer Sykes (15.5ppg, 4.4rpg, 6.3apg, 41.0% FG, 36.7% 3PT FG, 85.0% FT, 31.7mpg) who has missed several games but may play this weekend.

In his absence, South East Melbourne has been getting terrific production from Kyle Adnam (13.9ppg, 2.2rpg, 4.0apg, 1.0spg, 39.4% FG, 36.6% 3PT FG, 89.1% FT, 25.5mpg) while former NBA forward Ryan Broekhoff (8.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 43.9% FG, 43.3% 3PT FG, 80.0% FT, 16.7mpg) had a breakout game against Illawarra last week and has the perimeter shooting ability to blow a game apart and the Phoenix frontline led by Yanni Wetzell (11.4ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.9apg, 54.3% FG, 57.4% FT, 26.6mpg) and Mitch Creek (20.3ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.5apg, 55.8% FG, 48.3% 3PT FG, 76.6% FT, 31.9mpg) has been efficient and highly productive.

There’s no doubt these two games are significant challenges for Sydney, and they could really set the Kings up well for the second half of their season.

In order to get a pair of wins, it has to start at the defensive end against two teams that are highly efficient offensively, both on the perimeter and in the paint. That means hard closeouts to the shooters, smart decisions when working the pick and roll, good communication on the floor and putting a body on someone in every rebounding contest.

Look for Casper Ware (19.0ppg, 3.6rpg, 4.6apg, 45.6% FG, 34.6% 3PT FG, 83.7% FT, 32.3mpg) to lead the way. He was brilliant in Perth and will put all his energies into leading his team to victory. Jarell Martin (17.6ppg, 6.7rpg, 52.4% FG, 39.3% 3PT FG, 72.7% FT, 25.1mpg) is a matchup problem for every team in the league and his recent work on the glass has been enormous, while Craig Moller (6.6ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.4apg, 49.0% FG, 46.2% 3PT FG, 67.7% FT, 19.5mpg) is in rare form and one suspects Dejan Vasiljevic (16.1ppg, 3.8rpg, 46.8% FG, 42.6% 3PT FG, 84.8% FT, 28.6mpg) is about to do some serious damage.

These are two big games for the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings.

Two more games in front of the best fans in the NBL.

Two battles in the Hoops Capital.

Get loud and proud, Kings fans.

Rise With Us Sydney.

 

WHO

Sydney Kings vs. Perth Wildcats

Sydney Kings vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix

WHEN

Thursday 8 April, 7:30pm AEST tipoff (vs. Wildcats)

Sunday 11 April, 3:00pm AEST tipoff (vs. Phoenix)

LOCATION

Qudos Bank Arena

TICKETS

Thursday vs. Wildcats available HERE

Sunday vs. Phoenix available HERE

TV/RADIO

Thursday: ESPN; SBS On Demand; NBL.TV; Cluch Radio, SWR99.9FM Radio

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

THE PLAYERS

Kings

Casper Ware (import); Dejan Vasiljevic; Didi Louzada (Next Star); Jarell Martin (import); Jordan Hunter

Brad Newley; Craig Moller; Shaun Bruce; Tom Vodanovich; Daniel Kickert; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Archie Woodhill (development player); Lochlan Hutchison (development player)

Wildcats

Bryce Cotton (import); Mitch Norton; Todd Blanchfield; Jarred Bairstow; John Mooney (import)

Jesse Wagstaff; Clint Steindl; Kevin White; Corey Shervill (development player); Tom Jervis; Luke Travers; Wani Swaka Lo Buluk

Phoenix

Keifer Sykes (import – subject to fitness test); Cameron Gliddon; Reuben Te Rangi; Mitch Creek; Yanni Wetzel

Ryan Broekhoff; Ben Moore (import); Dane Pineau (subject to fitness test); Kyle Adnam; Adam Gibson; Kendall Stephens; Izayah Le’afa (development plater)

THE COACHES

Kings

Adam Forde (NBL rookie head coach, NBL career record 10-10)

Wildcats

Trevor Gleeson (8^th season with Wildcats, record with Perth 158-87, NBL career record 261-175, five NBL championships)

Phoenix

Simon Mitchell (2^nd season with Phoenix, NBL career record 21-27)

2020/2021 REGULAR SEASON SERIES

Vs. Wildcats

Wildcats lead 3-0

Wildcats def. Kings 113-106 @ John Cain Arena, Melbourne, Round 6

Wildcats def. Kings 89-65 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 11

Wildcats def. Kings 95-89 @ RAC Arena, Round 12

Vs. Phoenix

Kings lead 1-0

Kings def. Phoenix 91-85 @ John Cain Arena, Round 8

NBL LADDER

Kings 10-10, fourth

Wildcats 14-4, first

Phoenix 12-8, third

KEY STATS

Kings

Points: Casper Ware, 19.0ppg

Rebounds: Jarell Martin, 6.7rpg

Assists: Casper Ware, 4.6apg

Wildcats

Points: Bryce Cotton, 25.8ppg

Rebounds: John Mooney, 12.2rpg

Assists: Bryce Cotton, 6.0apg

Phoenix

Points: Mitch Creek, 20.3ppg

Rebounds: Ben Moore, 7.0rpg

Assists: Keifer Sykes, 6.3apg

KEY MATCHUP

Vs. Wildcats

Casper Ware vs. Bryce Cotton

Well of course it is. Whenever these two go head-to-head, sparks fly and there’s always been that key moment that often decides the ballgame, whether that be a big shot or a dodgy call. Cotton has had the wood on Ware for the most part and there’s no question that burns Casper and gives him enormous motivation, and he’ll be primed to take it to Cotton right from the start on Thursday. Interestingly, the Wildcats prefer to switch off defensively and you often see Mitch Norton getting the assignment of containing Sydney’s floor leader; Ware on the other hand will see a lot of time on Cotton, especially when the game is there to be won. As ever, these two superstars will ultimately decide who gets the W in this ballgame.

Vs. Phoenix

Jordan Hunter vs. Yanni Wetzel

Sure, there are more high-profile matchups to look at, but this battle between two of the competition’s most promising big men will be a huge key to how Sunday’s game plays out. They are both similar in that they have good size, are extremely mobile and play with a lot of confidence. Wetzel has arguably a more refined offensive game; Hunter can be a force defensively with his ability to change shots at the rim. Foul trouble to either player might be crucial given neither team has much depth in the post to cover for either of them, albeit that will be mitigated on the Phoenix side if Dane Pineau plays, but from the Kings’ perspective Jordan needs to be aggressive and physical all 40 minutes if Sydney is to prevail.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings finally bounce the Wildcats?

How will Sydney’s defence fare against a potent Phoenix offence?

HISTORY

Vs. Wildcats

All-time Head-to-Head

100 games played; Wildcats lead 61-39

In Sydney

52 games played; series tied 26-26

At Qudos Bank Arena

15 games played; Wildcats lead 8-7

Vs. Phoenix

All-time Head-to-Head

5 games played; Kings lead 5-0

In Sydney

2 games played; Kings lead 2-0

At Qudos Bank Arena

2 games played; Kings lead 2-0

DID YOU KNOW?

The Kings have protected the ball very well this season, and currently sit second in the league with the fewest turnovers committed per game, averaging 10.2 per contest. Last week in the win over Brisbane the team committed just five turnovers, which equalled the third-fewest in a game in franchise history. Remarkably, that was the second time this season that Sydney has committed only five turnovers in a game, hitting the same mark against the Cairns Taipans at the Cairns Pop-Up Arena in Round One. In addition, the Kings dished off for 27 assists in the Bullets’ victory, and the 27/5 assist to turnover ratio was the best ever in a game for the Sydney Kings.