Adelaide's road to success

The last time the Adelaide 36ers visited John Cain Arena, they were blown out.

Going into the game full of hope after three straight wins, Mike Wells’ team simply had no answers for Melbourne United’s depth, as six players registered double-figure scoring.

The 36ers started strong, leading my five at quarter-time, but were outscored 82-50 thereafter, in a tough watch for their fans.

Back in Melbourne on Sunday, Adelaide will again go in with confidence after a strong win over Illawarra, but fully wary of how good United can be.

“They put one on us down there last time, so they have our full attention,” Wells told the 36ers’ website.

“We will get organised over the next couple of days and give it our best shot.”

Adelaide’s home and road records are as contrasting as could be; 5-1 at home, 1-3 away. If they plan to be legitimate contenders, winning away from home is simply a non-negotiable.

“I’m much more aware of how hard it is to win a game in this league, particularly on the road. Everybody’s home court is a unique challenge,” Wells said.

“You can create your own energy internally, and that’s defence ... offence will come and go,” Wells said.

“Role players play better at home, the only thing you can change is your defence. It’s all about our defence, it’s all about our attention to detail.

“That’s how you can weather a storm (on the road), like if we get off to a bad start, or get on a run in the middle of the game.

“If I have to take a time out, it’s to take a breath and reset and try and get a few defensive stops in a row.

“Our huddles were better (against Illawarra), but our next challenge is how we handle that on the road against a really talented United team.”

Adelaide currently sits fourth on the NBL table after ten games and will be desperate for a victory heading into the FIBA Break.

Montrezl Harrell and Kendric Davis would both be early contenders for the league’s MVP, while Dejan Vasiljevic was in fine shooting form on Sunday, with 23 points and 4-of-7 from range.

The 36ers will face a United side coming off a big win over Perth, and an incredible 46-point haul from Chris Goulding.

Melbourne hosts Adelaide on Sunday at 2.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN, 10 and 10 Play.