Road to the finals for Adelaide 36ers paved with other potential candidates

ADELAIDE’s 87-81 win over the reigning NBL champion Breakers in New Zealand has firmly placed its chances of a third straight finals appearance in its own hands.

NZ Breakers vs Adelaide 36ers, Jerome Randle Round 14, NBL 2016, NSEC, Auckland | Darren White

ADELAIDE’s 87-81 win over the reigning NBL champion Breakers in New Zealand has firmly placed its chances of a third straight finals appearance in its own hands.

The 36ers’ third straight win brought their win-loss record to 10-9 behind the Breakers on 11-8.

Melbourne (14-7), Perth (13-8) and Illawarra (12-8) currently occupy the top three spots in the four but the Sixers’ draw leaves the door ajar, if they’re good enough.

Away this week to seventh-placed Townsville, they then host last-placed Sydney and Melbourne in quick succession, their run to the post-season lined by other potential playoff teams.

Adelaide’s remaining regular season games are against the Crocs (away), Sydney (home), Melbourne (home), Illawarra (away and home), New Zealand at home, Cairns, Illawarra and Perth all away.

Cairns (9-11) remains mathematically in the hunt too and could take a huge leap this week — in either direction — given it has matches home and away against top-placed United.

Melbourne’s run to the finals arguably is the toughest, with matches only against other top-four contenders.

United is away and home to Cairns, then away to Adelaide, Perth, Illawarra and New Zealand, finishing at home, but again against New Zealand.

Perth’s run most likely is the least challenging with the Wildcats at home to Sydney, Illawarra, Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide with only one road game additionally in that lot, to Sydney.

Adelaide has lost its four-game season series to Perth, down 0-3 with one to come.

It is 1-2 to Melbourne but only needs a three-point win to level that at 2-2 and pinch it on points spread.

It is 2-1 on New Zealand with a +15 points differential.

The 36ers also lead Illawarra 1-0.

In the Hawks’ last eight games, they will play Adelaide three times and twice at home in a series likely to yet prove very consequential.

Illawarra has New Zealand home and away, Perth away, Adelaide home and away, Melbourne at home, Townsville at home and Adelaide at home.

The Breakers wrap their regular season with games away and at home against Illawarra, Townsville and Cairns away, Townsville at home, Adelaide away, Cairns and Melbourne at home, then Melbourne away.

“We should feel good about the way we’re playing,” 36ers coach Joey Wright said.

“The one thing I appreciated about our win over New Zealand was the way we accepted the win and moved on.”

There are big fish yet to fry.

Originally published as Road to the finals for Adelaide 36ers paved with other potential candidates