Kings Run Riot in Record Game 1 Statement

Alexander Bebendorf

The Sydney Kings couldn’t have asked for a more emphatic start to the NBL Championship Series, dismantling the Adelaide 36ers 112-68 in a one-sided Game 1 at Qudos Bank Arena. In front of 13,181 fans, Sydney combined relentless defence with scorching efficiency to produce a 44-point victory - the largest margin in Championship Series history - and take a 1-0 lead in dominant fashion.

From the outset, the Kings set the tone. They burst out to a 15-7 lead and never looked remotely threatened, stretching the margin to 20 by half-time after holding Adelaide scoreless for more than two and a half minutes early in the second quarter.

Any lingering hope of a 36ers response was quickly extinguished after the break. Sydney opened the second half with an 8-0 burst, part of a crushing 14-1 run that blew the lead out beyond 30 points and effectively ended the contest before the final quarter.

The numbers only reinforced the gulf between the sides. The Kings shot a remarkable 66 per cent from the field, including 13-of-24 from three-point range, while Adelaide struggled to 35 per cent shooting and a wasteful 9-of-37 from deep.

Kendric Davis orchestrated the performance superbly, finishing with 25 points and seven assists, while Tim Soares delivered a dominant showing inside with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists on 8-of-10 shooting. Jaylin Galloway added 15 points and hit three triples, with Makuach Maluach (12) and Torrey Craig (11) ensuring the scoring load was shared.

Defensively, Sydney’s job on Bryce Cotton proved just as decisive. Matthew Dellavedova led the effort to limit the Adelaide star to 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, forcing four turnovers and restricting his usual influence.

Adelaide, by contrast, never found rhythm. Isaac White led the scoring with just 11 points, while Isaac Humphries and Nick Rakocevic each contributed 10. Beyond that, the struggles were stark: Flynn Cameron shot 1-of-8, DJ Vasiljevic 2-of-10, and Zylan Cheatham 2-of-9 in a night where little went right.

The contest was effectively decided in a devastating second quarter. With Adelaide going small, Soares took full advantage, pouring in 17 points in the period alone as the Kings powered to a 59-39 half-time lead.

From there, it only became more lopsided. Sydney’s ball movement and shot-making continued to carve up the 36ers defence, while their own intensity ensured Adelaide never built any momentum.

By the fourth quarter, the result long decided, it turned into a celebration for the home side. Shaun Bruce marked the recent birth of his second child with a three-pointer, while Jason Spurgin added a late flurry to cap off a near-perfect night.

The Kings now carry a 13-game winning streak into Game 2, which shifts to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night. For the 36ers, the challenge is immediate and significant — find a response, or risk the series slipping away just as quickly as Game 1 did.