Adelaide 36ers v Illawarra Hawks
Wednesday, November 19, 7.30pm AEDT
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
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Talking points
Battle of the MVP favourites
The competition’s two top MVPs candidates, Bryce Cotton and JaVale McGee, will lock horns for the second time this season, in an explosive Ignite Cup.
Five-time MVP Bryce Cotton is leading the league in scoring (27.4) and posting career high marks in assists (6.3) and steals (2.5), while three-time NBA champion McGee is posting 21.8 points, 10.4 boards and 1.8 blocks per game for the Hawks.
Adelaide got the better of Illawarra by two points in their previous encounter, but since then, the reigning champions have started to find their mojo.
This also marks Adelaide’s first ever Ignite Cup fixture, whereas Illawarra has split its two previous Wednesday night matches.
Starting lineup change for Adelaide?
The 36ers made a starting lineup change last round, replacing two-time champion Dejan Vasiljevic with Matt Kenyon.
And despite winning both matches in Round 9, against Tasmania and Cairns, do the 36ers make another change to their first five?
Newly arrived import Troy Brown Jr was solid in his NBL debut, producing 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, in just 23 minutes on the court.
It seems inevitable that his minutes will continue to grow and he will end up starting for Mike Wells’ side.
What they’re saying
Adelaide guard Dejan Vasiljevic on playing 150 NBL games:
“I reflected a bit in the car on the way here because after 21 games, in my first season, I tore my Achilles and didn’t know how many more games I’d play.
“To get to 150 is pretty cool and hopefully I get another 150 in me.
“It’s a big achievement. Obviously, a lot of sacrifice from people in my circle so it’s just a proud moment.
“Obviously, when you have an injury like that, you think you probably are done, you probably won’t play or whatnot.
“So just to come back and what I’ve done and obviously be here in Adelaide is pretty cool.”
Hawks coach Justin Tatum on where he thinks Wednesday’s game will be won and lost:
“I think for us, it’s about rebounding the ball. If Bryce has a good game or doesn’t have a good game, when they miss shots, we have to get the ball.
“Looking at our losses, you see teams got four or five more attempts than us in the course of the game. Then you go to the rebounding, and they have 12 or 13 offensive boards.
“That’s where we feel the game lies at. We know they have good players, we just have to finish plays.”
Missing in action
Adelaide
Ben Griscti – Neck – TBC
Illawarra
Daniel Grida – Concussion – TBC
Jonah Bolden – Groin – TBC
Sam Froling – Achilles – TBC
>> View full injury list
