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Tasked with making Bryce Cotton work for every touch, Dellavedova helped limit the star guard to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Cotton still found ways to impact the game, finishing with 12 assists as he shifted into more of a playmaking role under heavy defensive pressure from the Kings.<\/p>\n
Wells, however, was frustrated by what he felt was an imbalance in how that pressure was officiated.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatthew Dellavedova played how many minutes? He had zero fouls, guys,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, zero fouls. This was the exact same thing that we had in game one. Now the scoring was different. The foul output for the game in game one was 11 to 24. Today was 11 to 24. The main guy that\u2019s on Bryce Cotton had zero fouls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, if they want to beat up the MVP and take him out, that\u2019s what the refs have allowed him to do. He doesn\u2019t even get to the free throw line, guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 29: Bryce Cotton of the 36ers is challenged by Matthew Dellavedova of the Kings during game three of the NBL Grand Final series between Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers at Qudos Bank Arena, on March 29, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Cotton attempted just two free throws for the night and was called for three personal fouls himself, despite absorbing consistent physical defence.<\/p>\n
Wells\u2019 frustration grew as he pointed to the second-half whistle, with Sydney called for just four fouls in the second-half entirely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were in this game to win this game, but we didn\u2019t have a chance to do that. So that\u2019s kind of just, you know, that\u2019s hard for me. They only had four fouls the entire second half. Okay, let that sink in now. They were called for four fouls the entire half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether he would raise the issue with NBL Head of Referees Scott Butler, Wells admitted he was still processing the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good question. I don\u2019t really know how to answer it at this point right here in this moment because I do have a lot of emotion about it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you know, when I see the foul count and we\u2019ve almost played the entire fourth quarter and they\u2019re winning and there\u2019s one foul on them and they\u2019ve only fouled four times the second half. They had 11 for the game. That\u2019s hard for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the frustration, Wells was quick to praise John Jenkins, who continued his strong form off the bench with 22 points, his second-best scoring performance since joining the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought John Jenkins was outstanding with his shooting. He really shows his veteran poise and his ability to make shots on the road. And this is really a tough environment to play in. And the crowd was great. That\u2019s what John does.\u201d<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 29: 36ers head coach Mike Wells reacts during game three of the NBL Grand Final series between Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers at Qudos Bank Arena, on March 29, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
During the post-match press conference, Sydney Kings import Tim Soares, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, was asked about Kendric Davis\u2019 remarkable night. Glancing at the stat line, Soares admitted he thought there had been a mistake.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that was a typo,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Davis finished with 34 points, 15 assists and zero turnovers, setting a new career high in assists and an NBL Finals record in the process. His previous best of 14 also came against Adelaide earlier in the season.<\/p>\n
While his scoring stood out, it was his control of the offence that shaped the game. Davis consistently created for others, bringing teammates into the flow. Jaylin Galloway added 17 points, while Xavier Cooks produced 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a well-rounded performance.<\/p>\n