"All the pressure on them": Adelaide embraces underdog tag

Through the first four games of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Championship Series, the home team has held serve.

Sydney won Games 1 and 3, by 44 and 13 points respectively, while Adelaide triumphed in Games 2 and 4.

So heading into the all-deciding Game 5 on Sunday, one would think the Kings have the advantage at Qudos Bank Arena.

But 36ers GM Matt Weston says Adelaide heads into Game 5 full of belief, embracing the underdog tag rather than shying away from it.

“After Game 3, I thought we played pretty well in Sydney. There was a patch there where it sort of got away from us, and then we were chasing,” Weston said during the club’s media availability on Thursday.

“But Game 5's are interesting. I actually think when you're on the road, you have a bit of an advantage because you don't have the level of expectation, and we don't have expectation. That's a great thing for us.

“People said we wouldn't even get through the [Playoff] round, and here we are, going to Game 5 of the [Championship Series], so we're very excited.

“It's a free hit for us. They've got all the pressure on them. They're the favourites, and we're going back to that environment, and it's not as hostile as here.

“We’ve probably been underdogs all the way through this [Series], and that suits us well.

“That suits South Australians well, because we're always looked at like you're not Sydney, you're not Melbourne. As a Sydney guy, I'm now South Australian, but I love that.

“They've got a great team. They've got NBA guys, Olympians, and we've got a good team too, there's no doubt.

“But I love the underdog tag. South Australians love that. We're going to go up, we've got a free swing, we've got nothing to lose.”

Weston also believes the 36ers have another level to go to.

“When you talk basketball-wise, it [Adelaide versus Sydney] is the matchup that you want. The two best teams, two best players in the league going head to head,” he said.

“I wouldn't be surprised if it's going to be one of the most watched game in history.

“What a great advertisement for the game.

“[Now we have the] big bout coming up. Game 5, winner takes all.

“We've played in games where if we didn't win, we're gone. We've had it before, and I think we actually enjoy that pressure. If you think about Game 3 against South East Melbourne and [Wednesday night] game, we went to another level, so that's what gives me confidence.”

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Since being appointed in April 2024, it’s been quite the journey for Weston and the Sixers to get to this point.

As such, he knows what a win on Sunday, ending a 24-year title drought, would mean to the club.

“If I can speak on behalf of Grant [Kelley], Nic [Barbato], and all the organisation, it does mean a lot to us [to get this far], and there's a lot of joy that we have to see those fans go home the way they did last night," Weston said.

“Just having people bump into you on the street, get messages from people at a distance saying how good it is. To be able to share that with the community, and I think as a club we've connected well with the community, and you can see that.

“That's with some of the pieces that we've been able to bring in, and that shows trust and belief that we are moving in the right direction.

“There's one guy there called Bryce Cotton, he helps. But Zylan Cheatham, Nick [Rakocevic], Isaac [Humphries] have been around for a while. Just to have all those guys, I think the city's really getting across that and engaged with it, and it's great for the club.

“Now we've got the position of 42 sellouts. There's a real buzz in the city. Everyone's messaging me about the Sixers. The league's just booming at the moment.”

Game 5 of the Championship Series tips off at 2.30pm AEST on Sunday at Qudos Bank Arena, live on ESPN and 10.