Adelaide 36ers' Bench A Road Block For Playoff Success!

Listen to the boys chat about the importance of bench-depth

Why the Adelaide 36ers Will Struggle in Their Playoff Run

As the NBL season hurtles toward its conclusion, the Adelaide 36ers find themselves poised to make the play-in tournament. However, while their position may look promising on paper, the reality is far more precarious. A glaring lack of bench depth could be their undoing, limiting how far they can go in the playoffs.

Depth: The Achilles' Heel of the 36ers

Depth is critical in the NBL, where games are intense, injuries are inevitable, and rotations are tested under playoff pressure. For Adelaide, this has been the season-long issue that they just can’t seem to solve. The 36ers have the worst bench production in the league, averaging a paltry 17.9 bench points per game. To make matters worse, their bench has the league’s worst differential, conceding 12.3 more points per game than they score.

With Montrezl Harrell, Kendric Davis, and DJ Vasiljevic logging heavy minutes, Adelaide is overly reliant on their starting five. In tight games, reserves like Jason Cadee, Sunday Dech, and Jarell Martin are seeing limited court time, often between 10-15 minutes. This shallow rotation isn’t sustainable in the playoffs, where depth often makes the difference between winning and losing.

The Illawarra Benchmark

Contrast this with the Illawarra Hawks, who have set the gold standard for bench depth this season. Their reserves not only contribute significantly on the scoreboard but also make an impact across the stat sheet. Will Hickey, Hyunjung Lee, and Lachlan Olbrich are all in the league’s top ten for +/- when on the court, with Hickey leading the pack. Furthermore, Hickey, Lee, and Olbrich rank 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in points per 40 minutes, proving their ability to deliver even in limited minutes. This depth allows Illawarra to keep stars like Tyler Harvey, Trey Kell lll and Sam Froling fresh while maintaining high levels of performance.

For Adelaide, the comparison is stark. Their inability to replicate Illawarra’s balanced rotation leaves them vulnerable, especially in close contests. The 36ers do not have the offensive depth to get good bench matchups, like the Illawarra Hawks, and ultimately win games from there. Without a reliable bench to exploit mismatches or maintain momentum, Adelaide faces an uphill battle.

Injuries and Fatigue: A Ticking Time Bomb

Another concern for the 36ers is the toll of playing their stars for extended minutes. Harrell, Davis and DJ are all averaging over 30 minutes per game at the moment leading into the postseason. This workload increases the risk of injury and fatigue, which could be catastrophic given their lack of depth.

Most teams this season have had injuries to star players at certain points. It’s all about the next-man-up mentality. For Adelaide, that next man simply isn’t ready to step up. One injury could spell disaster for the 36ers, effectively ending their playoff hopes. This fragility highlights just how crucial bench depth is, particularly in the high-stakes environment of the postseason.

Can Adelaide Go Beyond the Play-In?

While Adelaide has what it takes to beat any team on their day, their inconsistency and reliance on starters make it difficult to see them advancing deep into the playoffs. Wins against strong teams like Illawarra and Sydney prove their potential, but sustained success requires more than just a strong starting five.

With must-win games against Brisbane this week and South East Melbourne and Perth to follow, the 36ers’ playoff fate hangs in the balance. Even if they secure a play-in spot, their lack of depth means they’ll be hard-pressed to go beyond the semifinals. Adelaide might scrape into the semis and get through the play-in, but is as far as it will go.

Depth separates contenders from pretenders in the NBL, and Adelaide’s lack of bench production is a glaring weakness. Teams like Illawarra and Sydney have demonstrated the importance of a strong second unit, using their depth to navigate injuries and maintain momentum. Meanwhile, the 36ers’ heavy reliance on their starters leaves them vulnerable to fatigue and injury.

As the playoffs approach, Adelaide’s stars will need to perform at their absolute peak to give their team any chance of success. But without more from their bench, the 36ers’ playoff run looks likely to be short-lived.