Preview: Adelaide v Tasmania

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Thursday 13 October, 2022
Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Foxtel, Sky NZ

Who won last time?

Tasmania 80 (Adams 31, McVeigh 14) d Adelaide 72 (Johnson 16, Dech 15) – Round 18, NBL22, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
An undermanned Adelaide went from 12 down in the second term to 10 up in the third as Daniel Johnson and Sunday Dech combined for 15 points in 12 minutes. But after leading by six early in the final stanza they were forced to watch the Josh Adams show, the explosive import scored eight points in a 16-0 JackJumper run that turned the game on its head.

What happened last game?

The 36ers turned the basketball world on its head with a stunning defeat of Phoenix thanks to their red-hot shooting, then came back to earth thanks to OKC’s red-hot shooting. The JJs had been brought back down with a thud after their Cinderella season, starting 0-3 and 16 points in arrears of Brisbane during the second period. But Milton Doyle and Rashard Kelly lifted the team on their shoulders and Jack McVeigh came good late to get the W.

What’s working?

Craig Randall – Bryce Cotton, Nathan Sobey and Chris Goulding have all dominated NBLxNBA games, but no one had done it twice in a row until Randall produced 35 points at 62 per cent on the Suns, then 27 at 52 per cent against OKC to go with eight dimes. Randall is streaky, and averaged 16.3ppg at only 40 per cent in the Blitz, but those two NBA-level performances will have the JackJumpers focusing lots of attention on the G-League MIP.

Third-term defence – While Cairns went ballistic in Hobart in Round 1, in Tassie’s other three contests they’ve conceded a total of 30 points at 30 per cent in third quarters, while forcing 12 turnovers, showing their trademark defensive grit from last season is still there, albeit not consistently. Of note, their three opponents’ leading scorers – Mitch Creek, Barry Brown and Tyler Johnson – have scored a combined six points in those three periods.

What needs stopping?

Slow starts – Tassie started well against Cairns, but in three other games are -25 at quarter-time, outscored 43-24 on ‘ones and twos’. The JJs are +24 after half-time in those contests, but twice left themselves too big a mountain to climb. They overcame Brisbane with Rashard Kelly starting the second half and playing 20 of 25 minutes, but in their three losses he’s averaged less than 22 minutes for the game. Perhaps his presence is needed earlier?

Plan A & Plan A – CJ Bruton’s put together a line-up that can seriously shoot, and on the slightly longer NBA arc seven 36ers dropped a triple on Phoenix, with all of them shooting 50 per cent or better as the team went 24/43. However, four days later they couldn’t throw a beach ball in the ocean, yet still hoisted 19 three-point attempts in the opening half. While Daniel Johnson’s absence hurt their offensive variety, more paint touches were needed.

Who’s matching up?

Mitch McCarron v Josh Magette – Those who questioned McCarron’s point guard pedigree –  despite his championship success at that position – were put in their box by his 23 assists to three turnovers in 68 minutes on NBA hardwood. You’d imagine Tassie will make him prove himself as a scorer. Magette will need to do likewise after opening NBL23 8/32 and having Jarrad Weeks and Sean Macdonald preferred over him in the second half on Sunday.

Robert Franks v Rashard Kelly – Will the 1/5 from deep Franks from OKC be on show on Thursday, or the 6/10 version from Phoenix? If it’s the latter, he can drag Kelly and Co away from the rim and open up offensive rebounding lanes, of which he grabbed four against the Thunder. Kelly’s past two games have delivered 19 rebounds in 50 minutes, including six o-boards, and his 3/4 outside shooting against Brisbane added a new string to the JJs bow.

Craig Randall v Milton Doyle – This has shoot-out written all over it, but so far both players have been like a box of chocolates. If you’re as good as your last game, however, Randall was superb in OKC and Doyle single-handedly carried the JackJumper offence for much of the night, his series of deep pull-ups both audacious and clutch, while his running floaters and bankers were sublime en route to 32 points at 52 per cent and four assists.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/BrisbaneBullets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrisbaneBullets</a> led by 16 in the second quarter... they lead the <a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JackJumpers</a> by 1 at three quarter time thanks to tough plays like these ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on 10 Peach, 10play and Kayo Freebies - YOU DON&#39;T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE <a href="https://t.co/HqkcAjcQpo">pic.twitter.com/HqkcAjcQpo</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1578964685868896256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Who’s saying what?

As a coach, it’s understandable to want to go with what works.

Last season, as the JJs made their way to an unthinkable grand final, import MiKyle McIntosh had his role coming off the bench late in the first quarter and providing a spark.

The thick-set Canadian averaged 18 minutes per game. If he was hot he would get some extra burn, but only twice did he play more than 24 minutes.

Come NBL23, and coach Scott Roth slotted new import Rashard Kelly into that same role, perhaps overlooking two important factors.

One, Kelly’s CV tell us he is a serious upgrade over his predecessor. Two, the JackJumpers are without Clint Steindl, Will Magnay and Sam McDaniel, and need all the help they can get right now.

The penny dropped for Roth during last Sunday’s contest, after Kelly had played just 21, 21 and 23 minutes in the opening three games and just seven in the opening half against Brisbane.

With his side trailing by 14 at intermission, Roth pulled the trigger and played Kelly plenty as his side roared home to a memorable overtime win.

“Rashard’s been fantastic, he’s been doing it at both ends of the floor and it’s my bad really these first two or three games not getting him more minutes,” Roth said afterwards.

“We’ll have to think about how we get him out there longer, for the 26-30 minutes he deserves out there because he’s been really impactful.”

Kelly posted 10 points, eight rebounds, two o-boards, two assists, a block and a steal in a masterful second half, along with a dagger game-sealing triple.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nothing like overtime on a Sunday ? @rashardkelly_ clutch. <a href="https://t.co/DNb3Taxe52">pic.twitter.com/DNb3Taxe52</a></p>&mdash; Tasmania JackJumpers ? (@JackJumpers) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers/status/1579415337678041088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He has to potential to be one of the best two-way players in the NBL, and his best form will be needed against dynamic Adelaide forward duo Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland.

“He’s played the three, played the four, been at the five, he’s guarded just about everybody on the floor,” Roth said.

“When he’s playing all those different positions it’s hugely valuable to us and it gives us more size and a little bit bigger athlete, so I've just got to do a bit better job with him.”

Fellow import Milton Doyle seems to do a better job when Kelly is out there, their combination evident from the first game in Melbourne, and huge down the stretch against the Bullets.

“I got a couple of good looks each game but some of them were in and out. Now seeing the ball go in, hopefully it keeps going in and it keeps me rolling,” Doyle said.

“I think everybody hopes for a game like this where you get hot, score a couple of points, a 30-point game is unbelievable for a lot of people so if I can keep it going it’ll be great.”

He knows how tough Thursday’s task in Adelaide is though.

“Every team is a challenge, but with those guys getting a win over an NBA team it’s a bigger challenge for us coming in and facing them,” he said.

The 36ers, who went just 10-18 last year before undergoing a roster overhaul, know there’s no sneaking up on anyone after their exploits in Phoenix.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CRAIG. RANDALL.<br><br>Ya welcome.<br><br>Watch: <a href="https://t.co/6FLdNfCwJC">https://t.co/6FLdNfCwJC</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwoopTheHoop?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SwoopTheHoop</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreSixers</a> <a href="https://t.co/fS0RBiQyE9">pic.twitter.com/fS0RBiQyE9</a></p>&mdash; Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1576785209596395522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We’re embracing having a target on our back, but we’re coming for everybody just like they’re coming for us,” red-hot guard Craig Randall said.

“I hope Thursday’s massive, we’re here, everybody’s here, so I hope it sells out.”

Mitch McCarron is shying away from the expectations either.

“We’ve got some talented imports and we knew they were going to be good,” he said. 

“They’re locked in, we’re ready to go and the goal is a championship.

“We know we’re behind the eight-ball a little bit, in terms of, it’s Round 3 now, we haven’t played a game yet, so we’re ready to go.

“There’s no excuses from us. We know what the standard is and we want to meet it.”

However, he is more than wary of a JackJumper team that loves nothing better than beating more fancied rivals.

“I think they’re going to be desperate, they just got their first win,” McCarron said.

“They know that losing a bunch of games early can hurt you later in the season, so I’m sure they’re motivated coming to Adelaide.”