'Men's team against kids': Gleeson demands more from 36ers

Adelaide 36ers coach Trevor Gleeson has called out his team's lack of fight against the Illawarra Hawks, labelling the 114-92 loss a 'men versus kids' performance.

The travelling team were the clear favourites heading into the game against the winless Hawks, but Illawarra was dominant from the outset.

The Hawks led by as many as 32 points and went into half-time 65-35 up, with the 36ers shooting 33 per cent from the field and 3/21 from three.

"I just didn't like how we didn't fight hard enough," Gleeson said. "It looked like a men's team playing against a kids team out there. So really disappointed in the brand that we put out there."

The 36ers are missing injured stars Flynn Cameron and Isaac Humphries, but Gleeson said he expected more from those filling the void.

"We got some guys out and guys got to step up. And I'm not using that ever as an excuse, but the guys stepping up have got to step up," he said.

"You can't just say, 'Okay, I'll get a chance to start now.' It's more than that. It's the movement without the ball. It's the effort crashing the glass. It's picking up defence, putting ball pressure. And I thought we did that in the second half. Certainly didn't do it in the first half."

Adelaide won the second half 57-49, but the damage was well and truly done.

Gleeson praised his bench for playing their hearts out late, but said the 36ers lacked creativity around Bryce Cotton, with the six-time MVP restricted to just four shot attempts by Wani Swaka Lo Buluk.

Cotton still top-scored with 15 points, 11 of them from a perfect 11/11 night at the free-throw line, to go with seven assists.

Adelaide's bench contributed 40 of the team's 92 points, led by John Jenkins III with 13 points and Deonte Williams with 12 on 5/10 shooting in just 12 minutes.

"We got to be a better team to create great shots for each other. We can't just say, 'Okay, Bryce is denied. I'm open. I'm shooting the three,'" he said.

"That might work when you got a whole bunch of shooters, but this team doesn't. So, we weren't very smart offensively. To have him not have a three-point attempt and only have four shots, that's not good enough as a team."

Gleeson admitted Humphries' absence was being felt, after the club said on Thursday it wouldn't rush into signing a replacement despite concerns over the severity of his knee injury.

"Isaac is a very, very good player and very important for our team," he said. "We miss him without a question. He's got great basketball IQ. We miss his IQ and we miss his shot blocking at the rim. We gave up too many points in the paint tonight."

There's little time to dwell on the defeat, with the 36ers back home to host DJ Vasiljevic and the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday.

"We have to play hard for 40 minutes. This is a tough League. If you don't play hard enough, you're not going to win in this League," Gleeson said.

"Doesn't matter here or at home. Hopefully we have a little bit more energy back home or we're going to be in trouble."