Preview: NBL25 R19 Away v Adelaide 36ers

A rough run of injuries might not be subsiding for the Brisbane Bullets but that isn’t denting their fighting spirit as they head to Adelaide on Friday night looking to knock off the 36ers just as they did on Christmas Eve.

The Bullets have already secured the season series against the Sixers in NBL25 having beaten them at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre by 19 points back on December 6 and then backing that up at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Christmas Eve with the 21-point victory.

The Bullets had plenty of momentum heading into Christmas on the back of that win having won five of the past six matches, but the injury toll has continued to mount ever since and with two games to go, isn’t showing signs of getting much better.

As a result Brisbane have lost eight of the past 10 matches to now sit on an 11-16 record, but a win on Friday night in Adelaide and they remain a chance of still making the top six should they also win in Cairns against the Taipans next Friday night.

Even though the Bullets will again be without Tyrell Harrison, Josh Bannan (both concussion), Deng Adel (groin) and Rocco Zikarsky (knee), there's nothing but a focus from those players making the trip on coming away with anything short of a win.

It's still a Bullets team featuring Casey Prather who is in career-best form and had 36 points last time in Adelaide while Keandre Cook had 24 points on Christmas Eve, Isaac White 23 and they are still ably led by captain Mitch Norton.

The task for Norton will be to try and limit the influence of dynamic Sixers point guard Kendric Davis while up front it's a big job for Tohi Smith-Milner, Callum Dalton and Josh Kunen to hold their own against Isaac Humphries, Montrezl Harrell and Jarell Martin.

Brisbane take on an Adelaide team who is coming off a run of playing six games in 13 days of which they won four including their past three in-a-row against Cairns, Sydney and New Zealand.

It might be a big task for the Bullets especially the physical reality of who is and isn’t available to play, but all coach Justin Schueller is focused on is making sure the group is continuing to improve and grow every day.

That includes giving full effort and giving themselves a chance to win every game they play in no matter who is playing, and Friday night against the high-powered and in-form 36ers is no different.

"Where I go to is that if it's not our time with regards to the results we were expecting this season, then if it's not our time our job is still to continue to grow and get better as a program," Schueller said.

"There's enough talent in this building we know when we're all fit and healthy, but for us as a program our focus is on keeping on getting better.

"Our mantra is that we don’t take backward steps so if we continue to have that mindset, we get to go on the road and have a great opportunity firstly against Adelaide who are in this same fight.

"All we can control is that 40 minutes so that's the mindset we'll carry forward and if playoffs isn’t for us this year, then so be it, but we have to be a better program once we're said and done."

GAME INFO

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers

Tip off: 6:30pm (AEST), Friday 31 January, 2025

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel and Kayo