THE FIRST game three of the 2026 National Basketball League (NBL) postseason has arrived, with the Adelaide 36ers set to welcome the SEM Phoenix to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre tonight, with a spot in the Championship Series on the line.

The Sixers and the Phoenix have engaged in an enthralling semi-final series over the past week, and the two teams have split the results to date, with Adelaide getting the job done before South East Melbourne returned serve a few days later in an expectedly even series.

Now in fitting fashion, the series will be decided in a third and final encounter in South Australia tonight, and given the match could truly go either way given the strength and form of the two sides, it may go down as one of the games of the season.

Adelaide 36ers vs. South East Melbourne Phoenix

Game Three
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Tuesday, March 17 @7:30pm

The Sixers started the series in perfect fashion, claiming a convincing win at home this time last week, and looked in a strong spot to head to Melbourne and get the job done given how well they played in game one. However, they were bested by a rampaging Phoenix side, and will now need to rectify that loss in Adelaide tonight if their season is to stay alive.

At their best, the Sixers are unmatched on the offensive end, boasting plenty of star power and often breaking games open in the matter of minutes. They held a strong lead in the first half of game two which is a positive, but were left to rue their inability to remain in control of the game, so watch for Adelaide to fend off any mental demons about Saturday’s performance.

The stage is undoubtedly set for a game-winning performance from the NBL’s best player in Bryce Cotton, with the six-time MVP built for big matches. Averaging 35.5 points per game across the first two outings of the series, he will be looking to drag his side into the Championship Series with another scoring explosion.

The Phoenix looked down and out midway through game two of their semi-final series against the Sixers, having conceded a tough loss in the game prior and trailing by as much as 18 points in the second quarter at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.

However, South East Melbourne was able to drag itself off the canvas for a remarkable comeback win, showing plenty of belief and playing with a lot more aggression and confidence in the second half. The result sees the Phoenix enter the decider with plenty of confidence, and if they can replicate their showing from the final 20 minutes of that game, they will prove tough to stop.

As Cotton’s importance was mentioned above, the Phoenix will be looking to get their own star guard involved as much as possible on Tuesday night. Nathan Sobey was terrific for South East Melbourne in game two, dropping 41 points in one of the finest performances of his career, and he will be looking to be just as productive in Adelaide tonight.