Preview: Round 18 vs Adelaide 36ers | Nissan Arena

When: 3pm, Sunday 3 April 2022

Where: Nissan Arena, Brisbane

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; 10 Peach; 10 Play

Tickets: AVAILABLE HERE

In their second last home game of NBL22, the Brisbane Bullets take on the Adelaide 36ers. The Bullets will be playing for pride as they look to finish their season off strong.

WHO WON LAST TIME?

Brisbane 77 (Patterson 32, Franks 15, Drmic 7, Moss 7) d Adelaide 73 (Johnson 15, Bairstow 12, Malou 11) - Round 11, Nissan Arena

Adelaide held a 10-point advantage on the road at three quarter-time. But the Bullets fought hard until the end.

Deng Deng and Isaiah Moss helped them back in the game before they went on a stunning 12-0 run to go from seven points down to five up, with Patterson scoring eight of those.

That included a massive throwdown dunk after a horror backcourt pass from Adelaide captain Mitch McCarron. That had the Nissan Arena crowd pumping and there was no turning back with Patterson putting up 32 points to go with six assists, five steals and four rebounds.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST START?

Both teams have already played earlier in Round 18 of the NBL with Brisbane and Adelaide suffering disappointing losses that they are now determined to bounce back quickly from in this clash at Nissan Arena on Sunday.

The Bullets made the trip to Wollongong to play the Illawarra Hawks on Thursday night and they became the latest victims of one of the hottest teams in the league, going on to lose 87-70.

Despite a tough outing, Robert Franks delivered another 13 points, 13 rebounds and five assists with Tamuri Wigness adding 11 points and Lamar Patterson 10 to go with five assists, but it was Next Star Tom Digbeu who was the great positive. He put up 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Playing against a team fighting for their playoff lives in the Tasmania JackJumpers, the 36ers managed to build a double-figure lead late in the third quarter and were still up by six early in the fourth term.

However, the JackJumpers turned things around with a 16-0 run to set up the eventual 80-72 victory.

WHO’S IN FORM?

Robert Franks – Franks has been outstanding in his first season with the Bullets. Coming into Round 18, he had been putting up a stunning 23.6 points and 10.4 rebounds a game over his last few rounds.

On Thursday in Wollongong he battled hard again with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five assists against the Illawarra Hawks ,where he also help to limit Duop Reath to five points on 1/7 shooting.

Sunday Dech –His coach knows exactly what Sunday will bring every game and that's great energy, being aggressive offensively where he can create off the dribble, set up his teammates or shoot the outside shot, tough defence.

He had another solid performance against Tasmania on Friday night finishing with 15 points, five points and two assists to continue what has been a fine season in a challenging campaign.

STATS LEADERS

BULLETS
Points: Robert Franks 18.1ppg (#5 in the NBL)
Rebounds: Robert Franks, 8. 7rpg (#5 in the NBL)
Assists: Jason Cadee, 4.9apg (#8 in the NBL) 

36ERS
Points: Daniel Johnson 15.77ppg
Rebounds: Cam Bairstow, 8rpg (#7 in the NBL)
Assists: Mitch McCarron, 5.2apg (#5 in the NBL) 

Who’s matching up?

Robert Franks v Daniel Johnson – If you talk about marquee match ups between bigs in NBL22 and it's hard to go past this battle between Robo and DJ.

Both players are among the best and most versatile bigs in the league, both can play the four and five position, and both of them are capable of torching their opponents.

Franks has been a shining light for the Bullets this season while Johnson has found his usual groove in recent times for Adelaide as well. Whoever gets hot in this matchup could go a long way to determining who comes away with the victory.

ON THE RECORD
Bullets Hostplus Head Coach James Duncan has implored his team to stick to the game plan and follow the scout coming into the game against Adelaide.

“We'll have a game plan ready for Adelaide and if we're able to follow that game plan, and the details to that game plan, then we'll put ourselves in the best chance to win the game. If we don't then it's a toss up and things get difficult," Duncan said.

"They're in a little bit of the same situation as ourselves but I'm not really looking at it like that. My focus is on who is going to play the way we need them to play, and getting collectively together on that boat moving in that direction together. That's my focus and the focus I'm trying to get the guys to do."

Bullets forward Robert Franks had a terrific battle with Duop Reath on Thursday and can look forward to taking on Daniel Johnson on Sunday against Adelaide, but he's more worried about the team performance.

"There's a lot of talented bigs and I take pride in just every game giving it my all. I really don't circle a team on my calendar that I want to play so every game I'm just trying to go out there to be the best version of myself," Franks said.

"At the end of the year, now we're playing for our fanbase and for moving forward in the future. We're at home so we have to bring that energy. They are going to be excited to be there and we have to give them something and take pride in wanting to win a basketball game, and to perform at a high level out there."

NEXT HOME GAME

The Bullets will celebrate Member’s Round presented by Bob Jane T-Marts for their last home game of NBL22. Brisbane will host the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday 9 April. Tip-off is at 5:30pm at Nissan Arena. Get your tickets HERE.