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Former NBL MVP gives his prediction for Championship series
Nicholas Quinlan • March 20th, 2026 10:43 pm
With the NBL Championship series upon us, 1990 NBL MVP and expert commentator Derek Rucker has given his prediction for who’ll win between the Sydney Kings and the Adelaide 36ers.
In a much hyped five-game series between the top two sides this season, there are plenty of storylines that will be keeping fans entertained.
One of those storylines will be the battle between Adelaide’s Bryce Cotton and Sydney’s Kendrick Davis.
The two point guards had been the leading contenders for the league’s MVP (known as the Andrew Gaze Trophy), having been the competition's highest point scorers.
In the end, Cotton won the award by a margin of two points, which sees him come within one MVP of tying Gaze’s record of seven MVPs.
And the former Brisbane Bullets star thinks that Cotton will lead the point scoring between the two.
“I think Bryce will score more than Kendrick,” Rucker said on SEN’s Vossy’s Verdict.
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“Because I think Sydney may see themselves with at least one game where they really blow the game out.
“Which means Kendrick won’t be required in a fourth quarter.
“That could be the difference in the scoring total over the course of four or five games.”
But while Rucker thinks Cotton will have more points than Davis, he believes it will be the Kings lifting the Dr John Raschke trophy in at least four games.
“Prior to Game 3 of the Semi-Final series between Adelaide and Southeast Melbourne, I didn’t think Adelaide had the strength, the force and the toughness if they were to beat Southeast Melbourne in that Game 3 to not be swept by Sydney,” he explained.
“I thought this was a sweep, get the brooms out series.
“I do not believe that is the case now, and I actually think there is a pathway for Adelaide to win this series.
“Do I think they are going to win it? No.
“But I think there is going to be at least a four-game series.
“Game 2 is going to be the monster game in Adelaide next Friday (March 27).
“That crowd down there, it's unbelievable. It is an amazing set-up they have at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.”
The Championship Series begins this Saturday with the Kings hosting the 36ers at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney for Game 1.
Tip-off takes place at 7pm AEDT.
