Perfect timing for Sixers

After a third straight win over the Sydney Kings and already having three wins over the Illawarra Hawks, Adelaide 36ers coach Mike Wells feels the stars are aligning on Sunday for a first win in Melbourne.

The turnaround this season for the 36ers all began back on December 30 on a Monday night at Qudos Bank Arena. They shocked the Kings with a brilliant performance having lost their previous three games by 20-plus points.

They have largely been terrific ever since and returned to Sydney on Thursday night for the Play-In Qualifier, and got the job done winning 95-88.

That was a third win for Adelaide in Sydney in six weeks, to see them advance to a Play-In Game this Sunday at John Cain Arena against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The reward will be a Playoff series against the regular season champion Hawks who the Sixers have won all three encounters against this season.

To get that chance, the Sixers need to win at John Cain Arena on Sunday having lost this season to Melbourne by 27 and 20 points, and to the Phoenix by 20.

Wells feels the timing is perfect on Sunday to change that.

"We've got a tonne of respect for their (South East Melbourne) players and their system, and we just played down there a week or so ago but this is an interesting game for us on our journey," Wells said.

"We haven’t won in Melbourne or in that arena this year and we've had a lot of things happen down there, but I think it's the perfect game at the perfect time for our group. I'm excited that we're going to be down there Sunday at 2:30."

Wells has been consistent in his belief that when the 36ers are at full strength and since settling on his eight-man rotation that they can be as good as any team.

They did lose their last three games of the regular season, but that was without Jarell Martin who made his return to help take down his former team on Thursday night.

The Sixers have only played nine games with that eight-man rotation – Montrezl Harrell, Isaac Humphries, Lat Mayen, DJ Vasiljevic, Kendric Davis, Martin, Jason Cadee, Sunday Dech – available.

They have won six of them including the last four straight following Thursday's win over the Kings.

Wells couldn't have been more impressed with what his team did at both ends led by Vasiljevic and not only with the captain going 7/11 from downtown.

"I've said since the beginning that when have our top eight that we feel we're as good anybody," Wells said.

"When we put that group out there and we can compete and connect, I just think that's what it looks like. You won't have it all your own way when you're trying to eliminate someone or end their season, and they have a lot of pride and came out swinging.

"But the resiliency for our group to get our feet back under us, to dig in on the defensive end and the rebounding, and to figure out what we needed to do on the offensively.

"There was timely big baskets and I know DJ made some huge threes for us, but there were some huge steals too and I want to shoutout his defence. What I saw from DJ and a lot of our group was that they were ready to make winning plays."

The Sixers were always going to have an advantage inside with Sydney missing Xavier Cooks and Keli Leaupepe.

They were forced to double Harrell in the post and he ended up with seven assists with 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Davis was superb once more with 24 points, six assists, five rebounds and two assists.

The continued standout defence of Mayen and Dech stood out to Wells too.

"We have some dominant players and we did share the ball, and I want to shout Trez's seven assists with no turnovers," he said.

"That's what happens when you double team him, he is a hell of a passer and he sees the floor, and is a willing passer. He found DJ early to get him going but then there's what Lat and Sunday do. They are our glue pieces and they are two unbelievable people No. 1.

"They take the other team's best offensive player and we have the ability to tag team there, and can also play them together at times. They just give us a lot of defensive flexibility now that our group is healthy."

Martin was playing his first game since their win over the New Zealand Breakers, and had a particularly big fourth quarter scoring seven of his nine points while having a statement block.

With the way Harrell and Martin were playing, Humphries only played 16 minutes but he also had a significant impact with eight points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Cadee also showed his 423 games of experience with three points and four assists to extend his career at least until Sunday.

"Jarell also made a couple of huge baskets down the stretch and I rode him for a while out there," Wells said.

"Then there's Jason as our glue guy who has had a hell of a career, and we're going to keep him in business here and not allow him to retire just yet.

"I want to shoutout Ice too. I stayed with Trez and 'Rell down the stretch, but Ice was great rolling and putting pressure on the rim, and defending the rim. That's why I think our top eight's really good."