South East Melbourne Phoenix coach Josh King has explained the blunt do-or-die message he delivered to his side to help spark a Playoffs comeback victory that kept their semi-final series alive.
The Phoenix were too strong for the Adelaide 36ers in the second half, winning 101-92 on Saturday after trailing by 12 points at the main break.
The Phoenix lifted their pressure at both ends of the floor, tightening up defensively while dominating the glass offensively. Their rebounding and second-chance points proved pivotal, while Nathan Sobey’s control and scoring presence were central to the turnaround.
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It was clear there was a strong message from head coach Josh King at halftime, and post-game he revealed exactly what was said to spark the comeback.
“It was more or less ‘get your head out of your a***’, we’ve got 20 minutes to save our season and if we’re gonna go down, we’re going to go down playing the way we’ve played all year long,” King said.
“Obviously we got hot then in the second half and made shots, but we played with way more pace, energy, mindset and I’d say we played more the way we’ve played the entire season.
“We were playing very passive and timid in the first half and they had something to do with that, but we weren’t playing at the pace we needed to and I thought the guys did an unbelievable job of adjusting in that second half.”
Now the series heads to a deciding Game Three on Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to face the Sydney Kings.
For King, the focus is simple – treat it like a “Game 7,” a term synonymous with the highest stakes in basketball.
The Phoenix coach believes his side must bring the same pace, intensity and physicality they showed after halftime if they are to win on the road.
“It’s about being really disciplined with our foul discipline, pressuring the ball and not allowing them to just get into whatever action they want, and allowing Bryce to get into an easy scoring situation,” King said.
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“If we play the way we did in the first half there, we probably won’t have a chance to win the game on the road so we’ll have to come out with better pace, and more desire, but I liked the response and it’s always about how you respond.
“And here’s the NBL headline – we’ve played them six times this year, it’s 3-3 and we’re going to Game 7 on Tuesday. Here we go.”
The keys for the Phoenix will be limiting Bryce Cotton, who still finished with 29 points – his season average against South East Melbourne – despite the loss.
They will also need to contain Adelaide’s depth, including Nick Rakocevic, Dejan Vasiljevic and Flynn Cameron.
At the other end, continued production from Sobey – who has been a driving force for the Phoenix throughout the season and this series – will be crucial if South East Melbourne are to secure the win and advance to their maiden NBL Grand Final series.