'Bromance is over': Bryce vs KD rivalry to explode

• ‍Andrew Gaze backs BryceCotton to chase NBL MVP history‍
• Nothin' but Cotton: 36ers hold home court in semis
• Josh King's Game 2 halftime spray: 'Get your head out of your ass'

Forget the previous competitive respect between six-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis.

"It's over", according to 1990 NBL MVP and NBL commentator Derek Rucker.

Ever since the two had gone head-to-head in the league, from last season's battles between the Adelaide 36ers and Perth Wildcats to now with Cotton a 36er and Davis starring for the Sydney Kings, they had spoken about their respect for each other as competitors.

The pair would regularly embrace after their contests with Davis speaking about how he looked up to Cotton.

But that respectful relationship could have turned upside down heading into one of the most anticipated NBL Grand Finals series in history after Davis' controversial comments following Cotton's two-point win in the MVP voting. The Kings point guard took to Instagram Live after the awards ceremony to vent his frustration and this week he'll have the chance to show he is the best player in the league if he can lead Sydney to a title over Cotton and the 36ers.

"Oh Jase, that bromance (between Cotton and Davis) is over," Rucker said on the latest episode of the Cut to the Jase podcast.

"I think you know Kendric said some things also about he wanted to bust Bryce's ass, I think it was words like that when he was up speaking at the MVP awards night with Kelsey Brown.

"I just think Bryce is not an overly extroverted person but he pays attention, and even though he won six MVPs, he still has a chip on his shoulder and things rile him up, things get him going.

"It's going to be a fantastic matchup because no one has stopped Kendric in three months."

There's storylines everywhere you look heading into the NBL26 Championship Series - from 36ers sharpshooter facing the team he won two championships with and had a controversial release from, to Kings assistant coach Andrew Bogut's tweets about Adelaide reportedly having discussions around the future of coach Mike Wells.

"There's so many storylines between these two teams that I had totally forgotten about Bogues' tweet," Rucker said on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"I think that certainly wrangled the 36ers. I believe there was some stories that the Sixers requested an apology from Bogut and the Sydney Kings and I think there was some type of tepid apology made that Andrew Bogut was not a part of.

"Look, there's a lot of two and fro. There's also the DJ situation and how he departed from Sydney, I don't think they're exchanging Christmas cards in the in the holiday period. There's just so much that's going down.

"Does it matter? I think it depends on the individual. For me, it wouldn't matter because I would be focused, if I were Bryce, I would just be focused on who ever is in front of me trying to kick their butt. So, that would be my primary focus. But maybe a guy like Matt Kenyon, maybe he feels there's there's something that has been offensive and that fires him up a little bit more to defend KD.

"You're never quite certain how an individual is going to react to any outside noise or external trash talking."

Cadee said he believed that's where Adelaide forward Nick Rakocevic comes into play, especially considering he's recent run of form to help lead the 36ers to the decider.

"This is where Rakocevic is perfect because I would love to play alongside him . Why? Because he's talented, he can play, he can catch, you can throw it to him on the block, he can get buckets and he's going to level someone," he said.

"Especially if someone does something stupid or pisses him off. If you're playing with him in this type of series, he might rock, he might do nothing, he might play the whole game, get no fouls, and not cause anything. But guess what? He's got people thinking that something might come their way."

Game one of the five-game series tips-off on Saturday at 6.30pm (AEDT) at Qudos Bank Arena.