Kings coach Brian Goorjian insists there was “no intent” to deliberately target Bryce Cotton in his side’s 44-point demolition of the 36ers in the opening NBL Championship Series game.
Cotton, who last month collected his sixth league MVP, was held to just 10 points as the Kings stormed to a 112-68 win in Sydney.
It was the largest margin of victory in grand final history.
Cotton averaged a whopping 36.3 points in the Sixers’ 2-1 semifinal triumph over the Phoenix.
But the Kings had his measure during the regular season, limiting him to a 15.0 scoring average against them on 36 per cent shooting.
He was hit in the face at least three times in the first half on Saturday night, including in the opening 40 seconds by Matthew Dellavedova.
Bryce Cotton (left) was closely watched by Matthew Dellavedova. (AAP: Mark Evans)
Cotton had only one free-throw attempt for the game.
Goorjian said there was no pre-conceived plan to rough Cotton up.
He said Kings point guard Kendric Davis received similar treatment from the 36ers.
“The same thing has happened to Kendric [Davis], when you’re guarding a good player like that, Dellavedova’s hand just got caught up,” Goorjian said.
“It’s not part of the game plan. It was an accident.
“I don’t think it was bad and there was no intent in it.”
Davis has outscored Cotton in all five Sydney-Adelaide clashes this season and took the early lead for grand final MVP honours by posting 25 points and seven assists in game one.
The American spoke publicly of his disappointment in finishing two votes shy of Cotton for league MVP honours.
Goorjian said Davis had moved on.
“He’s grown a lot,” Goorjian said.
“He’s not that worried about the league MVP … that’s all done. The only thing that’s left is to win the championship.
“He got other people involved and then he had the killer punch towards the end of the game.
“I thought he played a good all-round game.”
Game two of the Championship Series will be played in Adelaide on Friday night.
AAP
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