Adelaide coach Mike Wells has sidestepped a question about the club's body-shaming complaint to the NBL, but doubled down on his refereeing critique on the eve of the championship series' fourth game.
Wells described facing questions about the slanging match between 36ers owner Grant Kelley and Sydney assistant coach and co-owner Andrew Bogut as lying among "the fine-print of the coaching job".
The 36ers contacted the NBL on Monday over what the club called Bogut's "persistent and repeated personal attacks" towards Kelley, whom he allegedly targeted with a body-shaming comment after Adelaide's game-two win on Friday.
NBA legend Bogut has since taken to social media with a post that appeared to liken Kelley to cartoon character Peter Griffin, and another that insinuated he dined at Hungry Jack's following Sunday's game.
Down 2-1 in the best-of-five series, Adelaide must win game four at home on Wednesday night to maintain their hopes of a first title since 2002.
Facing the press the day before the game, Wells was asked for his opinion on body-shaming.
"I'm going to 'no comment' on any of that stuff, if you have basketball questions you want to ask me," he said.
"I think I better stay in my lane, which is to coach the team and be focused on what I need to be focused on."
Wells credited Kelley with giving him the scope to bring key signings Bryce Cotton and Flynn Cameron to the club after last season's sixth-placed finish.
The affable coach has been ready to offer his own support amid the recent saga.
"Grant has been a very supportive person of me," Wells said.
"That's why I'm here, that's why I'm the head coach of the 36ers. He's given me the tools to be successful as a head coach.
"We've had a couple of conversations (in recent days) and his message to me is to focus on the team."
Wells stood by the criticism he levelled at match officials after Adelaide's game-three loss on Sunday, when their six-time MVP Bryce Cotton drew only three fouls in 39 and a half minutes on court.
The Kings won the foul count 24-11 and guard Matthew Dellavedova was not called for any fouls as he marked Adelaide's star player.
"I do believe that (Cotton) has not been able to get the calls that he deserves," Wells reiterated on Tuesday.
"They've got five guys that are focused on him, there's a level of physicality on him that's not what everybody else is playing with."
Wells pondered whether the 36ers may be doing themselves a disservice by not playing for fouls.
"(My players) don't scream every time they get touched, they play through things and to be honest with you, I think it's been a disadvantage for us," he said.
"Because when people yell and snap their head back and do all these different things, they've gotten calls over and over and over on us.
"What I just want is an equal whistle."
