Adelaide coach Joey Wright feels the 36ers are better placed entering the NBL finals compared with 12 months ago when they bowed out in the semi-finals.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With three straight wins under their belt, including Saturday's 105-82 demolition of the bottom-placed Brisbane Bullets, it's hard to argue.
"I feel like as a coach I've got three or four more tools in the tool box," he said. "Overall we feel more comfortable with our team."
The second-placed Sixers will have home-court advantage in their upcoming best-of-three semi-final series against either Perth or New Zealand but Wright knows nothing can be taken for granted.
Last season, Adelaide were regular season champions before being upset by the Illawarra Hawks 2-1 in the semis.
"The teams in finals aren't going to just crack," he said. "They're in there for a reason.
"You can talk about home-court advantage but it's going to be tough."
The 36ers belted the wooden spoon-bound Bullets for start to finish, wrecking the retirement party of Anthony Petrie who played his 268th and last NBL game.
Petrie played 120 of those in Sixers colours and played under Wright at both Adelaide and Gold Coast.
"He (Petrie) is a competitor, a warrior and more importantly off the court, he's such a great guy," Wright said, playing tribute to his former charge.
"He called me to let me know he was going to retire ... we still have a good friendship.
"He's one of those great human beings who you like to be around."
Australian Associated Press
