Game 2: 5 things we learned from miracle comeback

• Adelaide 36ers and Bryce Cotton face 'Massacre' response‍
• Cotton game-winner levels series as KD loses his cool
• Puncher's chance: Inside a series-changing 22 seconds in Game 2

Everyone thought the NBL26 Championship Series was dead after a 44-point Sydney Kings domination and even more so when Brian Goorjian's men held a double-digit lead in the third quarter of game two.

Everyone, except the Adelaide 36ers, and most importantly Bryce Cotton.

The six-time MVP added another unforgettable performance to his legacy in the NBL, shaking off the stranglehold of the Kings' defence to score 15 fourth-quarter points and put home the game-winner over the outstretched hands of Torrey Craig to level the series at 1-1 heading back to Sydney on Sunday.

Cotton and Adelaide's comeback sparked insane scenes from the home crowd, erupting like it was the old Clipsal Powerhouse of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where championships were the norm for the 36ers.

It also sparked ugly scenes as Kings star Kendric Davis reverted back to the old KD from last season when he was with the 36ers - making fans forget the incredible growth in maturity he had shown this season with the Kings.

Regardless of what happened post game, the series is well and truly alive and Sydney might have awoken the beast that is one of the best players to ever hit Australian shores in three-time champion Bryce Cotton.

Here are five things we learned from a memorable game two.

THIS IS A DIFFERENT BRYCE

Bryce Cotton is a fierce competitor - you don't win six MVP awards, three titles and rise to become one of the top two players in NBL history without being exactly that.

But, I'm sure people have noticed, I think this is a different Bryce. The man has nothing left to prove in the NBL but to me, he is playing like he has something to prove. Perhaps Kendric Davis' comments post-MVP night may have sparked this, or maybe it was everyone thinking the series was dead after game one.

However, Cotton seems more fired up than usual. More willing to seek out confrontations, yes I know the post-game debacle was initiated by Davis, but even the way Cotton responded. I don't think we've seen that apart from in a playful manner with the late Corey 'Homicide' Williams when he was courtside commentating a game at RAC Arena many years ago.

While Cotton continues to say "it's just playoff basketball", I can't help but think there's a fire burning inside the former Wildcat that's a little bit more intense than usual.

And I'm here for it.

On top of that, he found something in the fourth quarter against the Kings. He finished with 28 points but had just 13 going into the final period but, as the greats do, he was able to make adjustments and make it at the right time to save Adelaide's season.

Dare I ask... Have Sydney awoken the beast? Has Davis' antics been the catalyst for a new Cotton we haven't, or have rarely seen in the NBL?

All I can say is watch out on Sunday. More than 13,000 people in the building and Bryce with the memories of an embarrassing game one performance in his mind? We could be in store for one of the great performances in league history in game three.

WELCOME TO THE PARTY FLYNN CAMERON

We called it on the latest edition of Cut to the Jase with myself and Jason Cadee.

Flynn Cameron needed to find the form which saw him take home the league's Most Improved Player award. And he did.

I'm sure there was nothing better for his confidence then seeing his first triple in 15 attempts go down early in the first quarter. After that, he was a real threat from the perimeter, and to be honest, kept the 36ers afloat while Cotton and others were struggling.

On Cut to the Jase, I spoke about while Cameron would be learning how to impact such an important series in a significant role for the first time in his career - this is also what he wanted when he made the decision to sign with Adelaide. So, he needed to step up.

Hitting 4-from-7 from downtown, including one extremely tough basket in the second half, for 17 points along with five rebounds and one assist I'd say is a massive step in the right direction for the son of Kiwi legend Pero Cameron. But also, a great sign for the 36ers.

On top of that, former NBA guard John Jenkins came along for the party too. Going 4-from-8 from the three-point line and while Dejan Vasiljevic only went 2-from-9 from long range, 12 points is a valuable contribution the 36ers needed every part of to keep their season alive.

But this can't be a one-off because you feel comfortable in front of a home crowd. This trio needs to replicate this for the rest of the series of the 36ers are any chance of taking home their first title in 24 years.

TORREY TOUCHES

17 points on 7-from-11 shooting from the field and 5-from-6 from three. All those points from Torrey Craig were in the first half.

Can we get the guy some touches in the second half?

The man kept Sydney in the game in the first half before they exploded in the third quarter. He was unstoppable. Yes, Adelaide made a few adjustments, but nothing drastic. To be honest, the same thing happened in the first game, the Kings were just up by an unassailable margin, so it didn't matter.

But with Kendric Davis having one of his worst performances of the season as far as efficiency goes, going 6-from-25 and 2-from-10 from the three, Craig needed to be a focus in some critical moments to be able to put the 36ers comeback to a stop and silence the more than 10,000 fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Instead the Kings chose to ride-or-die with Davis, which I understand considering he's carried them this far, but it didn't work out. Craig was frozen out of the game, didn't score in the second half and that allowed Adelaide's defence to put more attention on Davis and get enough stops to win the game.

Adelaide kept Sydney to just 12 points in the fourth. Unheard of for Sydney during their recent winning streak.

HUMPHRIES' PAINT INTIMIDATION

Tim Soares was the best big on the court in game one. He dominated Adelaide's trio of big men in Isaac Humphries, Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic.

That needed to change in game two, and it did with Humphries leading the way.

His points and overall numbers might not stand out, apart from six blocks which is incredible especially in a playoff game, but the physicality and presence Humphries played in from the opening tip set the tone for the 36ers. Swatting numerous shots away, including when Matthew Dellavedova tried to post up Bryce Cotton, and even giving a mean mug face after on of his six rejections.

The difference in the way the Kings were able to attack the paint when Humphries was taking a rest compared to when he was on the floor was evident for everyone to see. To be honest, he could have played more than the 20 minutes he finished with.

And I think if Cheatham continues to be a hesitant offensive player off Sydney's traps and hard shows on Bryce Cotton then Humphries may need to see more time at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday.

KINGS COURT: SYDNEY NEED TO ADJUST

The ball's in Sydney's court.

We and everyone else in the NBL media space asked 'where were the adjustments from Adelaide in game one?'. Now it's on the Kings to respond, especially to what happened late in the fourth quarter offensively.

I mentioned earlier that Torrey Craig needs more touches or to be involved more, so that's one, but Adelaide sent two bodies to Davis on several occasions down the stretch and it left Matthew Dellavedova free in the middle for two relatively open floaters or push shots - almost in a short roll type of situation.

Delly missed both. Now, we all know the man who has been there at the highest level can make those shots, but that's what the 36ers seemed happy to give up. That and a late rotation to Tim Soares, one where a terrible closeout led to a dunk, but apart from that the tactic proved fruitful for Adelaide.

What will Sydney's adjustments be to counter that in game three?

I also mentioned after game one that I wouldn't be trapping Davis if I were the 36ers because every time they showed an aggressive coverage, KD tore them apart with his speed and ability to escape the coverage or split the defence and find his own shot or open teammates.

However, Davis seemed more passive than usual against this late in the fourth. It shows that even the most confident looking players can be impacted by a low-percentage shooting night.

NBL26 Championship Schedule

Game 1
Sydney Kings 112 Adelaide 36ers 68
Saturday, March 21 – 7pm AEDT
📍 Qudos Bank Arena

Game 2
Adelaide 36ers 91 def Sydney Kings 89
Friday, March 27 – 7:30pm AEDT
📍 Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Game 3
Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers
Sunday, March 29 – 2:30pm AEDT
📍 Qudos Bank Arena
📺 ESPN & Channel 10

Game 4 (if required)
Adelaide 36ers vs Sydney Kings
Wednesday, April 1 – 7:30pm AEDT
📍 Adelaide Entertainment Centre
📺 ESPN

Game 5 (if required)
Sydney Kings vs Adelaide 36ers
📍 Qudos Bank Arena – Details TBC
📺 ESPN