Adelaide 36ers thump defending champions Perth by 35 points in game one of their semi-final series

ADELAIDE is one game away from the NBL grand final after crushing two-time reigning champions Perth by an incredible 35 points to go 1-0 up in their semi-final series last night.

Mitch Creek throws down a slam dunk in Adelaide’s 109-74 win over Perth to start their NBL semi-final series. Picture: Paul Kane (Getty).

ADELAIDE is one game away from the NBL grand final after crushing two-time reigning champions Perth by an incredible 35 points to go 1-0 up in their semi-final series last night.

The Wildcats return home facing elimination in game two on Friday night and having to deal with the psychological fallout of being annihilated on the road.

A 14-0 run to start the third quarter and three gigantic three-pointers from Nathan Sobey within a minute to open the fourth sealed the win 109-74.

It was the first time all season Perth has leaked 100 points in a game and they just didn’t have the depth of scoring to match the Sixers.

Bryce Cotton was their only player in double figures while Adelaide had six led by Josh Childress (22) and Mitch Creek (20).

But it was Adelaide’s defensive pressure that was a standout.

In the dying seconds of the first three quarters Perth had final possession but either turned it over or failed to get a shot up - and the 36ers made them pay.

Daniel Johnson has had his defensive critics but his work under the basket on big men Angus Brandt, JP Tokoto and Derek Cooke was enormous.

DJ finished with nine defensive rebounds and was the source of several stops while Josh Childress who usually plays with effortless ease was on a mission and was super-aggressive under the basket.

The home crowd was told to stand until Perth scored and they were on their feet for nearly four minutes at the beginning.

Meanwhile Creek and Johnson went to work, the Sixers got the start they wanted and at 14-6 down Perth coach Trevor Gleeson called a time out.

It seemed to work and Perth clawed their way back led by league MVP Cotton who went on an eight-point spree.

Creek’s play midway through the second quarter summed up why he’s Adelaide’s MVP.

He stopped Tokoto from scoring, sprinted down the other end with the ball, got the one-two from Ramone Moore and finished with a two-handed slam.

This time it was Damian Martin who kept Perth in touch with his antagonising defensive work, but Lucas Walker’s third foul was also unsportsmanlike which gave the Sixers some breathing space again.

On the half-time buzzer Adelaide got another defensive stop, forced the turnover and Moore drained the jumper to send the home side into the main break leading 50-44.

The Sixers came out firing in the second half and went on a 14-0 run with Creek taking a charge at half-court as Adelaide took control of the game.

Emotions finally bubbled to the surface mid-way through the quarter when Matt Hodgson got a tech foul for throwing the ball into Jesse Wagstaff’s back and Creek and Cotton clashed after a Sixers basket.

But Adelaide maintained its composure and three consecutive threes from Nathan Sobey to open the final quarter opened the floodgates.