Perth Wildcats vs Adelaide 36ers: Sunday Preview

Game Details
Perth Wildcats vs Adelaide 36ers
10.00am WST Sunday 6 March @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Watch LIVE on ESPN – available via Kayo or Foxtel

Context
The Perth Wildcats are coming off a huge week. After getting back in the winner’s column on Monday by defeating Tasmania, players and coaches returned to Perth for the first time in two months. They’ll head back on the road for this game in what will be their second last road trip of the season. The Adelaide 36ers start the round in eighth place in the standings. Sunday’s game will be their second of the weekend after taking on the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday.

What the coach had to say
Scott Morrison on Adelaide’s offensive rebounding
“Adelaide is the best offensive rebounding team in the league, so I think having al ittle bit more size out there wherever possible is pretty crucial. Even Johnson and Bairstow, they’re two of the best rebounders that we’ve faced, they really hurt us on the glass the two times we’ve played them. I’m hoping by starting big it will buy us some minutes where we have a fighting chance, and then I’m counting on the smaller guys to really box out and play their part physically to keep them off the glass too.”

Scott Morrison on changes through injury
“I don’t get frustrated about injuries, coming up through the G League, where there were call-ups, assignment players, injuries, you never knew who your roster was going to bewhne you woke up that morning. Even then sometimes you didn’t know. So I think I just taught myself to not worry about injuries, you can’t control them. We’re doing the best we can, we have a great medical staff, you just have to play with you who you have and if you’re worried about who you don’t have that’s attention you’re taking away from the game plan or figuring out how to beat one of these tough teams.”

Roster Availability 
Mitch Norton returns to the team after missing Monday’s game per the club’s head knock protocols. Matt Hodgson (calf) is not available and will be replaced in the team by Ollie Hayes-Brown. Hodgson is expected to be sidelined for between two and four weeks.
Kevin White is unavailable for family reasons and will be replaced in the team by Kyle Zunic.

Opponents to watch out for
Dusty Hannahs is coming off a 24-point game against the Kings – his second highest scoring game of the season.
Daniel Johnson continues to lead the way for Adelaide, averaging 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds, while Cameron Bairstow has been a revelation this season, averaging a similar 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Last time they met
It was back in January in just the second game of their extended road trip. Both teams were coming off extended breaks, with the majority of the Wildcats team recently recovered from COVID. The home team picked up a comfortable 74-87 win, after leading by as much as 28 earlier in the game. Vic Law top scored for Perth with 16 points.

Fun Facts and Stats
Vic Law has averaged 20.5 points and 11.0 rebounds over his last two games.
Bryce Cotton leads the league in scoring with 23.4 points per game.
Vic Law had his career-high of 37 points against the 36ers in his Wildcats debut.
One of the three greatest individual scoring performances from a Wildcat gcme against the 36ers, with Roland Brooks dropping 51-points way back in 1985. There has only been three 50-point games from Wildcats players in its history and all came in the 80s.

History
The two teams have split their results this season, with the home team winning on both of their matchups. The Wildcats have won five of the last seven games against Adelaide, but only two of their last five at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Milestones
Majok Majok will play his 150th NBL and 50th Wildcats game.