Game 5: Five key factors to decide NBL26 title

• ‍Game 1: 'Saturday night slaughter' as KD's Kings fire first shot‍
• Game 2: Cotton game-winner levels series as KD loses his cool‍
• Game 3: 'All love' as KD talks Cotton clash as Kings take Game 3
• Game 4: DJ winds back the clock to keep 36ers alive

It's all on the line at Qudos Bank Arena today as the Sydney Kings host the Adelaide 36ers in one of the most anticipated NBL Championship Series deciders in league history.

Legacies can be elevated, decisions vindicated and history can be made at the end of 40 minutes of basketball.

For Sydney and Adelaide - a win could complete two remarkably different stories.

With the Kings, victory today can seal the franchise as the most dominant team of the decade, even with years remaining. Sydney can become what the Perth Wildcats were during the last decade if they were to win their third championship in five years.

It would also cap-off one of the most dominant second halves to a season that we can remember, emblematic of the Brisbane Bullets' fairytale run to the 2007 title and put Brian Goorjian in a new stratosphere as the greatest coach in NBL history if he can add his seventh ring as head coach.

On the other end of the court, victory in today's decider would be truly the start of a new era in Adelaide.

Without a championship since 2002, and aside from two grand final appearances under Joey Wright, the 36ers have been a club starved of success ever since the glory days of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

A title would vindicate the decisions GM Matt Weston had made, headlined by ruthlessly sacking 36ers legend Scott Ninnis as coach and replacing him with Mike Well, among many more. A win would elevate Bryce Cotton to sit right alongside Andrew Gaze, or perhaps in some people's eyes put him above the great man, if he can claim his fourth championship and takeAdelaide to the top in his first year in South Australia.

On top of all that, a 36ers victory would be a dream finish to a season, which has been full of ups and downs.

Winding all the way back to the preseason where we saw the controversial departure of the enigmatic Montrezl Harrell, fast forward a little and Adelaide go on an incredible run to take top spot on the NBL standings, DJ moves into the sixth man role before disaster struck and the 36ers hit a roadblock late in the season, allowing the Kings to claim the minor premiership.

That downslide saw Wells' ability to take the team to the top questioned, a situation Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach Andrew Bogut even got involved in.

Adelaide then escaped the South East Melbourne Phoenix in the semi-finals before an all-time beating from the Kings in game one of the championship series put serious doubt over whether the 36ers could even avoid a sweep.

But through incredible comebacks in game two and four at home, the franchise is now just 40 minutes away from breaking a 24-year championship drought.

As we prepare for one of the biggest games in NBL history, here's five things to watch out for today.

DIFFERENT COACHES, DIFFERENT ADJUSTMENTS

Brian Goorjian is a master, and Mike Wells' ability to make changes this series shouldn't go unnoticed either. But the two coaches do make different types of adjustments.

Goorjian's changes have been more in the technical/tactical area - adjusting schemes defensively and wrinkles on the offensive end. From getting Kendric Davis off ball and on the move into actions, to pinning Bryce Cotton to one side of the floor on the defensive end.

While for Wells, of course there have been some detailed adjustments, I feel his moves have been more personnel and rotation based. Playing Jenkins more, DJ Vasiljevic playing big minutes once again, shortening his rotation, Isaac Humphries playing extended minutes in game four.

Both are just as difficult as the other as a coach.

Let's see what both leaders are cooking up ahead of the decider.

TOLD YOU SO

We've called for the Adelaide 36ers to run more guard-to-guard pick and rolls to eliminate Sydney's ability to put two defenders to the ball against Bryce Cotton.

We saw glimpses of it in game two and three, but not enough. Game three, we saw a lot more of it, and it was significantly beneficial for the Adelaide 36ers.

Not only did DJ Vasiljevic once again get open shots from it early in the game, knocking down a three to get himself going, but we also saw it consistently in the fourth quarter.

This time, Adelaide didn't get wide open shots for the shooters, but they targeted Kendric Davis, forcing the point guard to have to defend Cotton and opening up more attacking opportunities for the six-time MVP.

The Kings adjusted and tried to pre-switch it, sending Makuach Maluach to Davis' man to avoid him switching onto Cotton but the 36ers then brought another guard into the screen, not allowing Davis to avoid being involved in the action.

Mike Wells is an NBA guy, and this an NBA type of offensive move. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a lot more of this in game five and early as well, to try and get Cotton going but also to try and get Davuis in foul trouble.

BEST OF THE BEST

I mentioned before game four that the championship series is meant to be the best of the best, but I did not believe we had the best referee crew for the previous three games.

That changed in game four, and I think you could see it. The game was officiated as well as it possibly could be.

And finally we saw the game's two greatest officials in Vaughan Mayberry and Michael Aylen on the same game together. Let'sgope we see the same thing today.

We want the players to decide the championship.

36ERS NEED TO BE ON TORREY WATCH

Torrey Craig has torn defences apart since he arrived with the Kings, especially in his first stint off the bench.

To the point, where we've called for Sydney to get him the ball more in the second halves of games.

But watch out for Craig to be even more ultra-aggressive in the series decider. Why? No one would be feeling the game four loss more than Craig after missing a free-throw which would have tied the game.

The eight-year NBA veteran walked straight off the Adelaide Entertainment Centre after the siren.

I have no doubt he will look to make amends today and the 36ers defence needs to be on point to avoid Craig taking his game to a new level and leading the Kings to a title.

THE 'OUT OF NOWHERE HERO'

Who's it going to be?

These championship deciding games always have a role player who steps up and has the game of their lives.

While the focus is always on the superstars from each teams, there's members of each team's supporting crews which can completely turn the game on its head.

Kuoat Noi is yet to have an impact on the series and is a microwave off the bench, does Matt Kenyon have a critical defensive play in him or can Isaac White fire offensively for the 36ers?

Whoever it is, that team will take home the trophy.