Adams heroics not enough in game two

A brilliant display from Josh Adams wasn't enough for Tasmania on Sunday at MyState Bank Arena, as the the Sydney Kings took a 2-0 lead in the Hungry Jack's NBL Grand Final Series. 

A capacity crowd of 4,738 watched as Adams hit 36 points, but a DJ Vasiljevic three-pointer in the final ten seconds ultimately sealed the four-point win for the Kings. 

It was a game destined to go down to the wire with both teams making huge play after huge play. Just when it appeared Xavier Cooks had been the hero for Sydney, Adams stepped up with two miraculous three balls for Tasmania.

Jarrel Martin scored a couple of early buckets for Sydney down low but Josh Magette brought the Hobart crowd to their feet with a three ball. Josh Adams and Jack McVeigh kept them roaring, and it was a hot opening with both teams trading buckets.

Adams then shook off a sore hand to throwdown a breakaway dunk leading to a Chase Buford timeout for Sydney, but the JackJumpers kept, rolling hitting seven straight points to lead 18-10.

They were then up 21-13 with four minutes in the first term to go, before Sam McDaniel extended the advantage to nine with a three ball.

Tasmania were up 27-17 by quarter-time on the back of a combined 18 points from Adams and McVeigh along with 12 rebounds to six.

Sydney turned the momentum a complete 180 to start the second quarter, coming out and hitting the first 14 points which included triples to DJ Vasiljevic, Tom Vodanovich and Ian Clark.

They'd turned that 10-point deficit into a four-point lead to put the onus back on the JackJumpers to respond, and they did through their two experienced heads, Jarrad Weeks and Clint Steindl.

The pair combined for 14 points in the back half of the first half including Weeks drained three triples with one on the buzzer to see Tasmania go into the break up 48-44.

Adams, McVeigh and Weeks had combined for 36 of Tasmania's 48 points on 12/20 shooting, but Sydney had closed the rebound gap and had picked up some confidence.

Sydney again started the third quarter well and an and-one from Cooks put them back on top before MiKyle McIntosh responded with a make from three-point land for Tasmania.

A couple of Adams buckets had the JackJumpers back on top shortly after but the lead continued to seesaw the rest of the third period with Tasmania only on top 70-68 by three quarter-time courtesy of a pair of Fabijan Krslovic free-throws.

Game 3 will be back at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday evening.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL FINALS – GRAND FINAL GAME 2

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 86 (Adams 36, Weeks 11, McVeigh 10, Magette 10) 
SYDNEY KINGS 90 (Vasiljevic 20, Cooks 20, Martin 20)

Sydney leads best-of-five series 2-0

BOX SCORE