Anthony Edwards scored 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns produced a crucial late burst of long-range shooting as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105-100 on Tuesday to keep their NBA Western Conference finals series alive.
Minnesota, trailing 3-0 in the best-of-seven series heading into game four, held off a furious late rally to close out a battling victory at the Mavericks’ home arena.
Edwards led the Minnesota scoring but the decisive contribution came from Towns, who drained a trio of three-pointers to help the Timberwolves take a 98-92 lead with less than two minutes remaining.
Edwards extended the cushion to 100-92 via a jump shot with 1min 47sec left on the clock to leave Minnesota in control.
But there was still time for Dallas to give the third seeds a nervous finale, closing to within three at 100-97 before Edwards’ sublime pull-up jumper from 21 feet put the Timberwolves five points clear with 40 seconds left.
The visitors held that advantage through to the buzzer and now have slender lifeline to cling to as they head to game five back in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Edwards said afterwards he had been determined to prevent Dallas clinching a clean sweep.
“I’ve never been swept in my career, even though I’ve been to the playoffs three times,” Edwards told TNT television.
“I took it personally.
Edwards played a starring role to keep Minnesota’s season alive. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I definitely didn’t want to get swept, especially here on their home court, hearing the fans talking trash all day. I think we came out and competed at a high level today.
“I think I was aggressive. I didn’t shy away from the ball and they kept giving it to me and trusting me,” added Edwards.
Dallas meanwhile were left frustrated after losing despite another triple double from Luka Doncic, who finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Doncic however had an off-night from long-range, making just four-of-11 from three-point distance. As a team, Dallas went 14-from-40 outside the arc.
“This one’s on me,” Doncic said after the loss. “We got to do better. They’ve won one game, we’ve just got to focus on the next one.
“It was close in the end but we couldn’t finish. So they won and now we just have to focus on the next one.” Towns finished with 25 points, with Mike Conley adding 14 and Rudy Gobert 13.
A Luka Doncic game-winning three-pointer has lifted the Dallas Mavericks past the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-108 in epic scenes to see the Mavericks improve to 2-0 as they return to home court.
With Rudy Gobert guarding him and Dallas trailing 106-108, Doncic nailed the massive step back triple to give Dallas the lead with three seconds left before cursing at the French big man, leaving the Minnesota crowd stunned.
The Wolves had one last chance to win it, with Anthony Edwards dishing to an open Naz Reid, whose shot just rimmed out to seal a big Mavericks win.
Get on Board the NBA Finals | Every game of the NBA Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
It capped off a wild seesawing affair including 11 lead changes in the fourth quarter, with Dallas now in control of the Western Conference finals series.
“We wanted that (matchup),’ Doncic, who finished with 32 points 10 rebounds and 13 assists, told TNT of the last possession.
He later added: “I can’t move fast, but I can move faster than him,‘ Doncic added later, poking fun at Gobert.
The series now moves to Dallas for Game 3 on Monday (all times AEDT).
A miracle three-pointer from Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard delivered the Pacers a much-needed win over the New York Knicks in game three of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Down 2-0 in the series and down as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, the Pacers fought back to lead late in the piece, before a Jalen Brunson triple tied the points with 41.1 seconds to play.
Tyrese Haliburton missed a three and then was closely double-teamed as he regained possession. He passed to Nembhard, who had been ice-cold in shooting all night.
But with the shot clock expiring and under defensive pressure, Nembhard launched a hail mary from 31 feet that somehow went in – with even his teammates and Nembhard himself looking stunned.
It was the longest made three of his career, and just his third of the series.
“I probably held the ball a little too long, I should have been more aggressive,” Haliburton said. “I put (Nembhard) in kind of a bad situation and he just made an unbelievable shot — big, big shot.
“He really stepped up to the moment when we needed him most.”
Watch the best of the NBA Conference Semi Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Pacers on the board against the Knicks! | 00:55
Brunson failed to find the basket with a desperate three-pointer of his own before the Pacers held on to reduce their series deficit to 2-1 on their return to home court.
“Everybody knows what it looks like when you go down 3-0,” Haliburton said, a nod to the fact that no NBA team has rallied from that deficit to win a playoff series.
“We had to come out play desperate, play hard,” added Haliburton, whose Pacers will now try to level the series at home on Sunday.
Nembhard finished with just five points on two-of-eight shooting – but his three-pointer at the death meant his awful game up to that point was immediately forgotten.
Teammate Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 35 points on 14-of-26 shooting and added seven assists. Myles Turner had 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Pascal Siakam had 26 points and seven boards.
Donte DiVicenzo matched Haliburton with 35 points of his own for the Knicks with a remarkable 7-of-11 from three-point range, while Brunson had 26 points. Josh Hart had 10 points and 18 rebounds.
Hollywood star and Knicks fanatic Ben Stiller had a hilarious response to the gutting defeat.
First, he tweeted: “We won’t cry.” Then when a fan responded with a picture of him crying – from one of his many films – Stiller replied: “Ok maybe a little”.
The move to Indianapolis — and the determination to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole — clearly energized the Pacers, who kept the banged-up Knicks in check early.
Haliburton had six of the Pacers’ 12 three-pointers.
The Knicks, already missing Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic, were also without OG Anunoby after he suffered a hamstring strain in their game two victory.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who wasn’t confirmed to start until after pre-game warm-ups after hurting his right foot on Wednesday, got off to a slow start, but New York briefly pulled ahead in the second quarter — foreshadowing a third-quarter surge that saw them take a 90-85 lead into the final period.
But the Knicks couldn’t hang on and the Pacers will try to level the series at home on Sunday.
Nembhard couldn’t believe his miraculous winner.Source: Getty Images
Friday’s other game saw the Minnesota Timberwolves trying to push the defending champion Denver Nuggets to the brink as they hosted game three of their Western Conference semi-final.
Minnesota, who dominated the Nuggets in winning the first two games in Denver, were bolstered by the return of Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who missed game two because of the birth of his first child.
The NBA’s play-in tournament is just over a week away and already the top 10 teams in each conference are already locked in.
Beyond that point there is still plenty to be decided over the final few days of the season, with the Western Conference in particular looking wide-open ahead of the playoffs.
Elsewhere in the East, Boston remains the clear contender to beat but the sliding Bucks are at risk of tumbling down the standings with a cluster of teams fighting for home court advantage.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
‘Drunk uncle’ Ingles taunts & rips Bulls | 01:12
Read on for a full breakdown of just where every team stands in the NBA playoff race!
EASTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage chance of finishing in specific spot)
1. Boston Celtics (62-16)
Locked into No.1 seed
2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-31)
Locked into playoffs, with a possible seeding of No.2-6 (40% No.2, 19% No.3, 21% No.4, 14% No.5, 6% No.6)
3. Orlando Magic (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (26% No.2, 20% No.3, 18% No.4, 16% No.5, 8% No.6, 7% No.7, 5% No.8)
4. New York Knicks (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (12% No.2, 24% No.3, 27% No.4, 26% No.5, 10% No.6, 1% No.7, less than 1% No.8)
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (21% No.2, 29% No.3, 21% No.4, 15% No.5, 10% No.6, 3% No.7, 1% No.8)
6. Indiana Pacers (45-34)
Possible seeding of No.2-8 (1% No.2, 8% No.3, 11% No.4, 18% No.5, 39% No.6, 18% No.7, 6% No.8)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (44-35)
Possible seeding of No.3-8 (Less than 1% No.3, less than 1% No.4, 7% No.5, 18% No.6, 38% No.7, 37% No.8)
8. Miami Heat (43-35)
Possible seeding of No.3-8 (Less than 1% No.3, 1% No.4, 5% No.5, 9% No.6, 34% No.7, 51% No.8)
9. Chicago Bulls (37-41)
Locked into play-in tournament, with a possible seeding of No.9-10 (92% No.9, 8% No.10)
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)
Locked into play-in tournament, with a possible seeding of No.9-10 (8% No.9, 92% No.10)
ELIMINATED
Brooklyn Nets (31-48)
Toronto Raptors (25-53)
Charlotte Hornets (19-59)
Washington Wizards (15-64)
Detroit Pistons (13-65)
At this point it seems almost inevitable that Boston will be representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, although given the Celtics’ postseason struggles in recent years nothing is guaranteed.
Milwaukee has dropped four straight games and finds itself vulnerable, with the Magic, Knicks and Cavaliers all still a chance of sneaking ahead of the Bucks to claim home court advantage.
The Bucks have a tough run home with the Celtics, Thunder and Magic (twice) on the schedule, giving third seed Orlando a big opportunity to jump Mikwaukee in the standings.
Elsewhere, Chicago and Atlanta is locked into the play-in tournament, although both teams will count themselves fortunate to be in that position despite owning a losing record.
Miami will have no issue with having to fight its way out of the play-in tournament, having made the NBA Finals last year from a similar position, although Philadelphia will be particularly desperate to avoid that fate given Joel Embiid has only just returned from injury and any extra rest will be welcomed.
Booker needs to be separated from Aussie | 00:21
WESTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage chance of finishing in specific spot)
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (54-24)
Locked into with a possible seeding of No.1-3 (55% No.1, 36% No.2, 9% No.3)
2. Denver Nuggets (54-24)
Locked into with a possible seeding of No.1-4 (34% No.1, 31% No.2, 34% No.3, less than 1% No.4)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-25)
Locked into playoffs, with a possible seeding of No.1-4 (11% No.1, 32% No.2, 57% No.3, less than 1% No.4)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-28)
Possible seeding of No.2-7 (Less than 1% No.2, less than 1% No.3, 98% No.4, 1% No.5, less than 1% No.6, less than 1% No.7)
5. Dallas Mavericks (48-30)
Possible seeding of No.4-8 (2% No.4, 97% No.5, 1% No.6, less than 1% No.7, less than 1% No.8)
6. Phoenix Suns (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.4-10 (Less than 1% No.4, less than 1% No.5, 25% No.6, 27% No.7, 27% No.8, 19% No.9, 1% No.10)
7. New Orleans Pelicans (46-32)
Possible seeding of No.4-10 (Less than 1% No.4, 1% No.5, 49% No.6, 27% No.7, 11% No.8, 9% No.9, 4% No.10)
8. Sacramento Kings (45-33)
Possible seeding of No.5-10 (Less than 1% No.5, 19% No.6, 33% No.7, 33% No.8, 14% No.9, 1% No.10)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-34)
Possible seeding of No.6-10 (5% No.6, 12% No.7, 23% No.8, 36% No.9, 24% No.10)
10. Golden State Warriors (43-35)
Possible seeding of No.6-10 (Less than 1% No.6, 1% No.7, 6% No.8, 22% No.9, 71% No.10)
ELIMINATED
Houston Rockets (38-40)
Utah Jazz (29-49)
Memphis Grizzlies (27-51)
Portland Trail Blazers (21-57)
San Antonio Spurs (19-59)
Welcome to the wild West, where the top seed is still up for grabs and the surging Lakers are a chance of avoiding the play-in tournament after once looking at risk of missing the post-season entirely. Minnesota has winnable games against the Wizards and Hawks down the stretch and it is a similar story for Denver, with the defending champions facing the Jazz, Spurs and Grizzlies.
A Thursday match-up between the Timberwolves and Nuggets though could very well decide top seed in the West.
Both teams have already wrapped up home court advantage along with Oklahoma City while the Clippers are in prime position to also do just that despite strong recent form from Dallas.
The Mavericks look all but locked into the five seed and a first-round match-up against Los Angeles.
Elsewhere, the Western Conference play-in tournament could very well be stacked with superstar talent and specifically three of the teams under the most pressure this post-season — the Suns, Warriors and Lakers.
Phoenix currently sits sixth in the West ahead of New Orleans but face the Clippers (twice), Kings and Timberwolves in a tricky run home. The Pelicans (Trail Blazers, Kings, Warriors, Lakers) don’t have it much better though.
Sacramento (Thunder, Pelicans, Suns, Trail Blazers) also has a brutal few games to end the season while the Lakers (Warriors, Grizzlies, Pelicans) have a mixed bag of fixtures left.
There is still the distinct possibility the Lakers and Warriors could finish in the 9th and 10th seed, meaning LeBron James or Steph Curry could be facing a do-or-die blockbuster game to save their season.
Josh Giddey has endured a tough third season in the NBA and opened up on the learning process in a recent interview ahead of the playoffs.
Speaking of which, there could be up to seven Australians featuring in the post-season this year, so what could their roles look like?
Below foxsports.com.au looks at how all the Australians in the NBA have been tracking in recent weeks.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
NBA Wrap: Curry & KD rewrite record book | 02:56
JOSH GIDDEY (OKC Thunder)
It still remains to be seen just how heavily Giddey will factor into Oklahoma City’s plans in the playoffs but the Australian is doing his chances of earning a prominent role no harm recently.
In case you’ve missed Thunder games this season, NBA teams have made little secret of their strategy to either sag off Giddey completely beyond the arc or at most put a big on the young guard.
Sure, Giddey has made them pay from time to time but largely it is a sacrifice worth making if it means clogging the paint and the ability of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to get clean looks at the rim.
But recently Giddey has started to look more like himself again, averaging 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists this month while shooting a solid 34.3 per cent from beyond the arc.
Josh Giddey has been playing well recently. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The outside shooting hasn’t always been there like it was in a loss to Milwaukee on Monday, where Giddey went 4-for-6 from downtown to actually force the Bucks to start closing in on him.
But both Giddey and the Thunder have come up with different ways for him to make an impact without the ball in his hands, most notably using the Australian as a screener more.
It wasn’t something coach Mark Daigneault had given much thought to before this season but OKC had to be flexible given the new way rival teams were defending Giddey.
“And being open to that and understanding that that’s his path forward when he gets played like that, and that’s what’s best for the group when he’s on the court getting guarded like that.”
Full strength Bucks dominate OKC | 00:56
What was most pleasing from Giddey’s standout game against Milwaukee, where he had 15 points in the first half alone, was the confidence in which he was shooting when given an open look.
There was no hesitation, no suggestion that the missed shots or way teams were defending him was getting to him. It has been a learning experience for Giddey though.
“It ain’t a secret,” Giddey told Lorenzi in a raw interview earlier this month.
“It certainly takes its toll. You start to question yourself and you see things on social media. As much as I try to stay off of it, it’s hard to ignore and you start to buy into it a little bit.
“When you see enough of that s***, you start to believe it, and that’s a tough thing to deal with. And I’ve tried to avoid it as much as I can, but [it] kind of naturally just finds its way back to me.
“Sometimes it can be a confidence killer. Seeing a big guard gap you and daring you to shoot the ball. But you have to stay confident. You have to trust it because the second you don’t, they win and it falls into their hands.”
If Giddey fell into the trap he would also have likely seen his minutes reduced as Oklahoma City leaned more heavily on new acquisition Gordon Hayward.
But Hayward, who the Thunder traded for at the deadline, hasn’t shot at nearly the same volume as Giddey and hasn’t done enough as it stands to pose a significant threat to his minutes in the playoffs.
That could of course change given Hayward’s post-season experience while opposition teams may only target Giddey even more heavily too.
More games like the one against the Bucks though will continue to build Giddey’s confidence as OKC prepares for its first playoff run with this young group.
“He got off to a really good start, made some shots and played well, especially in that first stretch,” coach Daigneault said after the loss to the Bucks.
“That was a bright spot tonight but obviously we needed the team to play like that.”
BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)
Nothing new to report on Simmons, who earlier this month was ruled out for the remainder of the season before undergoing surgery for the nerve impingement in his lower back.
It casts even more uncertainty over his playing future as Simmons enters the final year of his contract with the Nets on an expiring $40 million salary.
What direction Brooklyn goes in from that point is unclear at this stage, although Erik Slater, a reporter from Clutch Points and host of Bleav in Nets, told foxsports.com.au a buyout is unlikely.
What is next for Ben Simmons? Mike Lawrie/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“Nobody’s going to want to sign Ben, he’s not a player that is going to have that much interest, I feel, on the market,” Slater said.
“This is his last big contract, so there’s no reason for him to leave money on the table. That should rule out a buyout.”
Instead, the more likely scenario is that the Nets let Simmons’ contract expire and free up cap space to take a swing at one of the league’s big-name free agents in 2025.
Otherwise, they could look at making a trade that would send a host of role players to Brooklyn in exchange for Simmons, whose expiring contract would be appealing to a team looking to get off long-term money on their books.
“If I had to guess right now, I would think the overwhelmingly likely scenario is that they just let him expire,” Slater said.
“It’ll ultimately depend on how teams are viewing their cap sheet and who’s looking to get off some long-term money and whether the Nets could potentially be interested in those pieces.”
DYSON DANIELS (New Orleans Pelicans)
Daniels has already been ruled out of New Orleans’ game against Oklahoma City but is very much closing in on a return.
The Bendigo product has been sidelined since early February after being diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee.
The Pelicans though have gone to another level in Daniels’ absence to put themselves in a strong position to contend for fourth seed in the West and possible home court advantage come the playoffs.
Daniels said last week that he was “hopefully” going to be ready in a week or two.
Dyson Daniels is nearing a return. Chris Gardner/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Look for the Pelicans to ease Daniels into the action before building him up ahead of the post-season, where the Australian along with Herb Jones will be New Orleans’ two crucial pieces on defence to match up against some of the league’s biggest stars.
Daniels told reporters after his first full practice last week that this was the “biggest injury of his career” and while it was “tough” to watch from the sidelines it gave him a new perspective on assessing the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
“I’ve taken a lot of things from what the team is doing well and what we can do better,” Daniels said.
“It’s [the rehab process] been tough. A lot of earning mornings spent in the weight room, just strengthening exercises and stuff like that. A lot of conditioning. The stuff you don’t want to do but have to do.
“… I’m super excited [to be nearly back]. We’re in a really good position right now. We’ve got to keep our foot on the gas, keep pushing. Fourth spot is right there for us with home ground advantage.”
Bench CLEARED – Draymond incites scuffle | 00:43
JOSH GREEN (Dallas Mavericks)
Another Australian on the mend is Josh Green, who went down with an ankle injury after stepping on Derek Lively II’s foot in a game against the Thunder earlier this month.
Coach Jason Kidd told reporters on Monday that Green is out of his boot and doing some pool work.
“So trending in the right direction,” Kidd said, although Green is still not in a position to start on-court activity yet.
The hope for Dallas is that Green will be healthy enough to see playing time before the post-season so he has a chance to ramp up towards the consistent 20-plus minutes he was seeing before the injury.
Kidd though added he was comfortable with the Dallas rotation with or without Green, which brings us to his Mavericks teammate Dante Exum.
DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)
Exum shapes as a serious X-factor for Dallas off the bench in the playoffs and showed his value against San Antonio, coming up clutch late to help seal a 113-107 win.
Luka Doncic had an off shooting night against the Spurs, going 6-for-27 from the field, and while that usually would result in a Mavericks loss it wasn’t the case last Thursday.
Instead, 16 points from Exum, who went a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, helped Dallas home as coach Jason Kidd declared post-game that the Australian was “huge” down the stretch.
“Dante played amazing,” Doncic added post-game.
Those kinds of performances are the ones that will see Exum earn Kidd’s trust in the post-season.
Exum followed it up with a scoreless game against Utah in 15 minutes but he only attempted one shot in the game which saw four of Dallas’ starters hit double figures, with Doncic leading the scorers on 34 points.
Dante Exum got plenty of praise from his teammates. Sam Hodde/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
And that is the thing with Exum. He is not always going to be making shots or putting up points but that doesn’t mean he isn’t making an impact, as teammate Kyrie Irving pointed out in his assessment of the Australian’s game against the Spurs.
“He’s a pressure reliever,” Irving said.
“He’s like one of those Swiss army knives that you can throw in there at any point, can play with anybody out there at any point and it makes a big difference for us, takes a tonne of weight off our shoulders.”
Exum will be a valuable piece in the playoffs, offering Kidd a third ball-handling option off the bench while his defensive versatility is also obviously a plus.
JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)
Where did that come from?
After seemingly looking destined for a reserve role with the Rockets, injuries have opened the door for Jock Landale to suddenly emerge as a key piece of Houston’s playoffs push.
The Rockets are the league’s most in-form team, having won 11 of their last 12 games to threaten the Warriors, who sit just ahead of Houston in 10th position.
Houston’s rapid rise is particularly impressive given it has been without standout centre Alperen Sengun, who went down injured earlier this month and was feared to be at risk of missing the entire season.
However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported there is a “very real chance” he could be cleared to return before the end of the regular season.
In the meantime, Landale has taken advantage of his increased playing time since Sengun’s injury, scoring double figures in five of seven games without him.
That included 15 points in the first quarter alone in Houston’s most recent win against Portland.
Jock Landale has made the most of his opportunity. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Landale also has made a big impression on the defensive end, recording a career-high seven blocks in Houston’s 137-114 road win over the Washington Wizards.
“It was great,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said of Landale.
“We acknowledged him in the locker room, about that. He was part of the unit that really got us going, from an energy standpoint. Meeting guys at the rim, making the right plays in there, and deterring shots, even if he didn’t block it.”
“It is always good to get an opportunity to get out there with the boys to make a push toward the Play-In Tournament,” added Landale.
“I think we have gained some good traction. That’s where my mind has been; having a lot of fun.”
Vibes are clearly immaculate at Houston and after a tough start to the season Landale is also enjoying his basketball, described by commentator Craig Ackerman as the “most popular man in a Rockets uniform tonight” after playing a leading role in the team’s 103-101 win over the Spurs.
Landale obviously feels comfortable too, comfortable enough to cheekily call out teammate Dillon Brooks after he was ejected in Houston’s win against the Bulls.
“Dillon Brooks, if you’re listening. This ain’t Memphis, man. Stop getting yourself ejected. We need you out here. We need that physicality,” Landale said.
JOE INGLES (Orlando Magic)
The hope for the Magic is that Ingles is really about to show his worth as Orlando prepares for its first post-season run with its young, developing core.
The Magic sit fifth in the Eastern Conference and are locked into a playoff berth with a chance of pushing up the standings to earn home court advantage.
It is an impressive step in the right direction for a team that undoubtedly has even better days ahead given its relative inexperience, although that is why Ingles was brought over in the first place.
Ingles’ poise and steady presence as the creator for the second unit should see him earn a consistent role for the Magic in the playoffs, even if he has been regularly targeted on the defensive side of the ball.
Joe Ingles will be a much-needed veteran presence. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
DUOP REATH (Portland Trail Blazers)
Reath proved a handful in his latest start against the Nuggets, once again proving his all-round skillset by finishing at the rim and draining a trio of 3-pointers on the way to 24 points in a 114-111 loss.
The 27-year-old also had eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal in the game and is shooting at 38.3 per cent from downtown, excellent numbers for his position.
A feature from ESPN’s Andrew Lopez on Tuesday lifted the lid on Reath’s journey to the NBA and the mentorship big man Deandre Ayton has provided since he entered the league.
“He ain’t backing down from s***,” Ayton said of Reath to ESPN.
“He loves the challenge and he competes. I tested him and I’m a crazy m*****f*****. But Wop got it. Wop can play on any team in this league. Any team.”
Fellow Australian Matisse Thybulle also recalled in the ESPN story how the Trail Blazers locked room was convinced Reath wasn’t going to be stuck in the G League much longer after a dominant showing in his Rip City Remix debut against the South Bay Lakers.
Reath exploded for 37 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in the game.
Duop Reath has been a big success story this season. Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“After the game, everybody’s joking as we’re walking out the gym like, ‘Well, Wop just played himself out of the G-League’,” Thybulle said.
He was right too, with Reath called up to make his NBA debut against the Lakers two days later and he has never looked back since that point.
“I told Matisse as soon as I walked on the court to do my warmup, the lights were a little bit brighter at Crypto.com Arena,” Reath told ESPN.
“It felt like this is how I visualised it, the warmup, my pre-game warmup, everything was the way I visualised it. And I was just telling him, yeah, ‘Man, dreams do come true’.”
Portland is in the middle of a rebuild and out of playoff contention so there won’t be any post-season basketball for Reath.
MATISSE THYBULLE (Portland Trail Blazers)
The same goes for Blazers teammate Thybulle, who has been sidelined since early last week with a sprained ankle.
Thybulle was a game-time decision for Portland’s game against the Rockets before later being ruled out.
Despite the injury setback the Australian still comfortably leads the league for blocked 3-point shots (25) and Portland will welcome his disruptive defence and improved outside shooting when the Australian returns for the final stretch of the season.
Matisse Thybulle is closing in on a return. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
PATTY MILLS (Atlanta Hawks)
Mills has been given more playing time since making the move to Miami, benefiting from injuries to fellow guards Josh Richardson and Tyler Herro.
Herro has now missed 15 straight games with a foot injury and there is no real clarity on when he could return while Richardson has already been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder.
Mills should see steady minutes until Herro is healthy and had a solid game against Cleveland on Monday, scoring 10 points to go with three assists, two rebounds and a pair of steals.
As a whole though Mills has struggled from 3-point range since joining the Heat, shooting only 20.0 per cent.
He will need to improve on that number to have any chance of seeing any significant playing time in the post-season for the Heat.
Obviously Mills has other intangibles to offer Miami like his general leadership and locker room presence but his 3-point shooting is still his greatest on-court strength.
Patty Mills has a big opportunity. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
JAYLIN GALLOWAY (Milwaukee Bucks)
Galloway is continuing to produce plenty of highlights in the G League since being snapped by the Milwaukee Bucks after his impressive season with the Sydney Kings in the NBL.
The 21-year-old put a Salt Lake City defender on a poster in his Wisconsin Herd debut and backed it up last week with a ferocious dunk.
Galloway had six points, three rebounds, one assists, one steal and one block in the 125-111 win over Capital City Go-Go, later scoring a career-high 13 points in a 105-85 victory against the Raptors 905.
Galloway also had four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in that win.
The young Australian won’t feature in Milwaukee’s post-season action but could push for minutes in the rotation next season with more impressive performances this year.
However, the Mavericks star poured fuel onto the flames when he decided to step over Durant while the latter was on the ground.
Durant’s Phoenix teammate Josef Nurkic was quick to the scene and shoved Williams, sparking a retaliation from the latter when he tried to push Nurkic away.
The incident then lead to an all-in scuffle as players from both teams tried to diffuse the situation.
Durant, Nurkic and Williams all received technical fouls for their role in the altercation.
The incident was the flashpoint in a contest which witnessed a significant capitulation from the Mavericks in the second half.
Having led by one point at half time, Dallas was outscored 43-20 in the second half as they capitulated in front of their own fans.
Dallas superstar Luka Doncic was the only bright spot for the hosts as he came agonisingly close to a triple double with 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists but received little help from his teammates.
Devin Booker dazzled for the Suns with a 46-point haul while Durant finished with a double-double courtesy of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Devin Booker went off against Dallas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
WARRIORS’ TOUCHING TRIBUTE AFTER COACH’S SHOCK DEATH
The Golden State Warriors paid an emotional tribute to Dejan Milojevic on Wednesday as the team returned to play for the first time since the Serbian assistant coach died last week from a heart attack.
The Warriors went on to beat the Atlanta Hawks 134-112, but it was all about the moving scenes before the match that dominated the headlines.
In a moving pre-game ceremony ahead of the Warriors’ home game against Atlanta, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr led a lengthy ovation to salute the 46-year-old affectionately known as “Deki”.
Warriors players wore team jerseys emblazoned with Milojevic’s name while the Serbian national anthem was played in honour of the late coach.
Players then placed their jerseys on Milojevic’s usual seat on the Warriors bench.
Warriors players also wore t-shirts with the word “Brate” — “brother” in Serbian — during the warm-up.
That gesture was mirrored in Dallas, where Mavericks star Luka Doncic wore the same T-shirt ahead of his team’s clash with Phoenix.
“The world lost a beautiful soul last week,” Kerr told a hushed Chase Center crowd on Wednesday.
“Deki was a wonderful friend, a hell of a basketball coach, a great man and most importantly, a beautiful grandson, son, husband and father.
“What he meant to us is a huge part of who we are. He’s a part of our soul. The outpouring of love that we received this past week from all over the world … is a direct reflection of the joy and love that he brought to everybody he met.
“So tonight, rather than a moment of silence, I’d like for all of us to give Deki an ovation that he can hear up in heaven.”
Milojevic, who played in Spain and Turkey as well as his homeland, where he began his coaching career, joined the Warriors as an assistant in 2021.
He was part of the staff on the team that won the NBA championship in 2022. He died last week after collapsing during a team dinner in Salt Lake City, plunging the Warriors and the NBA community into mourning.
Warriors players will play with a patch bearing Milojevic’s initials — “DM” — on team jerseys for the remainder of the season.
A DM logo inside a heart will also remain on the Warriors home court for the rest of the season.
The Warriors held a moving tribute for Dejan Milojevic. (Photo by EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
ELSEWHERE …
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ eight-game winning streak came to a grinding halt at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks emerged 126-116 victors over the Cavaliers in their first game since firing for former head coach Adrian Griffin.
Griffin’s firing came as somewhat of a surprise given Milwaukee were 30-13 and sitting in second in the Eastern Conference standings at the time.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo came up big with a triple double as he finished with a box score of 35 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists.
New Miami recruit Terry Rozier endured a disastrous debut for his new team after the Heat lost 105-96 to a heavily-depleted Memphis Grizzlies.
Rozier, who moved to Miami on Wednesday as part of a deal to send Kyle Lowry to Charlotte, scored nine points along with four rebounds and five assists in the defeat.
The Oklahoma City Thunder jumped into a share of the Western Conference lead as number three NBA scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander netted 37 points to lead the host Thunder over Orlando 112-100.
The Thunder’s win streak stretched to five games and with a record of 27-11 the club matched the Minnesota Timberwolves atop the West.
Josh Giddey scored 12 points with eight rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes in Sunday’s contest (all times AEDT). It included Giddey making his 1000th field goal of his career.
Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Two more Aussies took the floor on Sunday, with New Orleans’ Dyson Daniels and Dallas’ Josh Green squaring off.
Daniels’ Pelicans got the win 118-108 despite being without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum or Trey Murphy on the second end of a back to back.
It meant Daniels drew a spot start, filling up the box score with 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists in 37 minutes to play a key role in the team’s win – New Orleans’ seventh victory from its last nine games to move into the West’s sixth seed.
Elsewhere for the Pels, rookie Jordan Hawkins scored a season-best 34 points, hitting 11-of-19 shots from the floor including 6-of-12 from three-point range.
Kyrie Irving’s 33 points led the Mavericks, who were without Luka Doncic due to an ankle injury. Green scored nine points with six rebounds and four assists.
ELSEWHERE …
Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum added 27 as the Boston Celtics remained unbeaten at home, defeating Houston 145-113 in former Celtics coach Ime Udoka’s return to Boston.
The Celtics improved to an NBA-best 30-9 overall and 19-0 at home, the league’s only undefeated club at home stretching its team-record home win streak to start a season.
Brown, who scored 21 points in the third quarter when the Celtics pulled away to stay, hit 11-of-15 shots from the floor, 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and added six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
“Being aggressive. A lot of times defence gets you going,” Brown said of his third-period success.
“I get it on the run and when we play like that in transition we’re tough to beat.”
Udoka guided the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals, where they lost to Golden State, but he was suspended just before the start of the 2022-23 season training camp over an improper relationship with a team staffer.
Udoka ultimately was dropped and replaced by former assistant Joe Mazzulla on a permanent basis last February.
“I’m glad to see Ime back coaching on the sidelines,” Brown said. “I’m glad to see a lot of the staff we spent time with over there in Houston. I wish those guys the best of luck.”
Asked how he reflected on his departure, Udoka said, “Job not finished. The relationships you build and the people you impact, so that would be the biggest thing.”
When it came to his regrets, Udoka was equally matter-of-fact.
“The biggest thing I’d say overall is letting some people down, for sure,” Udoka said. “But we’ve talked it out and I’ve seen a lot of these people throughout the summer and talk regularly and so we move past it.”
Jokic hits 12th triple-double for Denver | 00:52
Mazzulla played down the impact of Udoka’s return with the Rockets, who hired him as head coach last April.
“The fact Ime is back is great,” he said. “But I don’t think that really has anything to do with winning or losing.” Both were important to the Celtics after being thumped 135-102 at Milwaukee on Friday.
“Last game we didn’t feel like we were at our best,” Brown said. “We wanted to come out and make sure we stayed undefeated on the home court.”
At Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points, Damian Lillard added 27 and Khris Middleton netted 24 with 10 assists to lead the Bucks over visiting Golden State 129-118.
Jonathan Kuminga scored 28 off the bench to lead the Warriors, who rested star guard Stephen Curry.
Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 16 rebounds while DeMar DeRozan added 20 points to lead the Bulls over host San Antonio 122-116.
Tre Jones scored 30 points to lead the Spurs, who were without French rookie star Victor Wembanyama, who is playing restricted minutes due to an ankle injury.
In Atlanta, Kyle Kuzma scored 29 points and the Washington Wizards (7-31) snapped a six-game losing streak with a 127-99 victory over the host Hawks.
Playing without LeBron James due to a left ankle injury, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the in-form Utah Jazz 132-125 to fall outside the play-in.
With it, LA since its In-Season Tournament triumph has fallen from the six seed to the 11th – a period in which it’s ranked 21st in defensive rating, 23rd in offensive rating and 25 in net rating, per StatMuse.
Lauri Markkanen and Colin Sexton combined for 56 points for the Jazz in the win, while D’Angelo Russell top-scored with 39 points to go with eight assists and Anthony Davis racked up a triple-double (15 points, 15 boards, 11 assists) with four blocks.
Utah claimed its fifth-straight win – including its eight victory from its from nine games and 11 from 13 – to improve to 21-20 on the season.
The stakes weren’t supposed to be so high, so early but they were. And, so, the Boomers had no choice but to win.
If only things were that simple though, up against the host nation and a vocal crowd like few others. The gravity of the situation was certainly not lost on coach Brian Goorjian.
“We’re playing for our f***ing lives,” he yelled after a lethargic Australia fell into an early 8-0 hole against Germany, later going on to lose 85-82 and leave its World Cup hopes in a precarious position.
It wasn’t meant to end this early and it didn’t. But for a team coming off a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic, expectations were high and Goorjian was acutely aware of that. “It’s an interesting world this international basketball,” the Boomers coach said post-game.
“You win a medal, first medal in the history of this region [then] you lose one game by a basket and you come into tonight and it’s like you’re coaching for your life and the team is playing for their life.
“I felt just like I did before the Slovenia game today. Olympics at stake, moving on at stake and a fired-up team that had played tremendous on its home court.”
Australia got past that first hurdle. Now comes a much bigger, 6-foot-7 one in the form of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and a Slovenia team after revenge.
The equation, once again, is simple for the Boomers. Win and keep their World Cup hopes alive. Lose and that earlier defeat to Germany means they have no chance of progressing.
Ahead of Friday night’s (10.10pm AEST) Tokyo bronze medal game rematch, foxsports.com.au looks at four of the key talking points to come out of the tournament so far.
The Boomers are preparing for Luka Doncic and Slovenia. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
BREAKOUT BOOMER COOKS PROVES HE BELONGS
When Xavier Cooks was first substituted in for the opening quarter of the game, Australia was already up 16-11. But in a matter of minutes, the 28-year-old had quickly proven why he has emerged as such an important member of the Boomers in what is his World Cup debut.
Better still, in less than 60 seconds Cooks already had blocked a dunk while slamming it home on the other end to flash his immense value as a versatile two-way player.
A few minutes later Cooks was at it again, this time using his length and athleticism to block a Keisei Tominaga shot before getting out in transition for another emphatic dunk off a Joe Ingles pass.
This wasn’t any standard dunk though. This felt like the moment Cooks really arrived, setting the tone for a statement game from the NBL’s reigning MVP.
As five-time NBL championship coach Trevor Gleeson said on ESPN: “He’s just telling everybody, ‘I belong’.”
Cooks has taken a different journey to other NBA players in this Boomers team, finally getting his shot after years toiling away in Germany and, most recently, the NBL.
Xavier Cooks dunks it home. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“The whole journey has been pretty cool and pretty surreal,” Cooks told foxsports.com.au before the World Cup.
“Everyone’s journey is not getting drafted and all that kind of stuff. It took me five years after college to get there and to be honest with you I think I needed that journey.
“It helped me learn different aspects of the game and develop my game throughout the time.”
“… I’m not going to lie to you, I do get a bit nervous over there [in the NBA],” he added.
“So it’s great to have a coach [like Wes Unseld Jr.] that’s supportive and has your back.”
For Cooks, this moment is particularly special given what came before. The versatile forward was set to make his Boomers debut at the 2019 World Cup but suffered a knee injury during training camp.
Heading into this year’s tournament, all the talk — at least externally — was whether it would be Cooks or Jack White who would be the final cut. Obviously it turned out to be neither as Boomers big man Jock Landale was ruled out through injury.
For Cooks though, this breakout tournament has been a chance for the rest of the basketball world to see what the Sydney Kings — and now Washington Wizards — have already seen.
Although even at Washington Cooks is in a battle for minutes having only recently joined the team, while in the NBL Sydney’s offence often ran through the 28-year-old.
So there was a question of what sort of role Cooks would play, even if a player of his size and athleticism is obviously beneficial regardless of where he lined up.
Cooks has been that impressive that there are calls for him to start against Slovenia, making an immediate impact with the energy he has brought off the bench in Australia’s small-ball units.
Even if Cooks doesn’t get the start, Boomers coach Goorjian won’t be keeping him off the court that long by the sounds of things.
Xavier Cooks is making a big impact. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)Source: AFP
“Matty [Nielsen] does a lot of the subbing during the game and I called a timeout and said, ‘Make sure Xavier is not out too long’, because it’s one through five the switching when he’s on the floor,” Goorjian said after the win over Japan.
“I just thought he had such an impact. We were at a higher level to start the game but when he came in, the switching went to another level because the big fella was hurting us on the rolls the first five or six minutes then we could switch instead of drop when Xavier came in and it changed the whole game.
“As Josh [Green] was saying, the rebounding and the running, I mean he ran that middle line, he stayed attentive on the offensive glass, he passed it. He was a really unique piece, really versatile and really exciting down the road in our development.”
Green added: “He rebounded everything tonight. It’s great for him but it impacts every single other guy that is on the court.”
In fact, Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze compared Cooks’ impact crashing the glass to that of Dennis Rodman after he had 16 boards (10 offensive) against Japan.
“He’s so active on the glass, he’s got a nose for the ball,” Gaze said on ESPN.
“He’s, dare I say it, Dennis Rodman-like with his attack on the glass and that is high praise.”
Xavier Cooks is a key piece for the Boomers (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Obviously a player with Cooks’ size was always going to be a good chance of dominating against a smaller team like Japan but even in defeat against Germany he was one of Australia’s best, disrupting Dennis Schröder in one-on-one defensive situations.
Now Cooks could have a similar role against Doncic. But whatever role he plays on Friday, Gleeson said Cooks just needs to keep leaning on the intangibles that make him such a valuable asset for the Boomers.
“He was big energy off the bench,” Gleeson said on ESPN.
“He was sensational and that’s what Australia needs. They need that spark off the bench and he filled that role superbly. I think you still bring him off the bench but he can finish the game if he’s playing that well.
“He’s playing the role he needs to play for the Boomers. He doesn’t need to step out and drop down a 3. He needs to be the hard worker making sure he’s setting screens, using his strength which is his athleticism, hustle and finishing a great target around the rim.”
Speaking of energy, Josh Green provided that on both ends of the floor against Japan and shapes as a key piece of Australia’s World Cup charge after an injury-interrupted opening.
Green made his first start of the World Cup against Japan, replacing Matisse Thybulle and making an immediate impact with his elite on-ball defence.
The 22-year-old also made a quick four-point play, proving a much-needed shooting threat that helped space out the floor for ballhandlers like Josh Giddey to thrive and pick apart the defence.
If you had listened to Goorjian in the past month though, you’d know two things.
First, this was always part of the plan and Green would have seen bigger minutes sooner had he not been dealing with an elbow and, then later, ankle injury before the tournament.
Along with that, Goorjian has also stressed that this is just a glimpse of what Green is capable of and that needs to be true for Australia to be a hope at this year’s World Cup given the way the USA and Canada are playing.
Green did show those glimpses last season at Dallas, stepping up without Doncic and Kyrie Irving to record three-straight games of 20 points or more in March.
Josh Green fights every play. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I saw it when I came back from the camp, the guy that I met for the first time a year ago and the player that came into camp the first couple of days, I told him, I said I was so proud of the development,” Goorjian said after the win over Japan.
“Full credit to the Dallas Mavericks and what they’re doing with their youth because he came in just a much better basketball player than what was in Tokyo the last time.
“He’s been out the whole time, hasn’t really trained with us or played many games with us, you’re just seeing a glimmer of what’s coming and he’s along with Josh Giddey, the next stage of this thing and a tremendous person and part of the team and culture.
“I was excited for him tonight and now this is just another piece to add which is really important as this tournament gets tougher and tougher.”
While Green will be given the task of defending Doncic early in Friday’s game, his offensive production will also continue to be important if Patty Mills has a few off shooting nights.
The Boomers need another dynamic scorer like Green to take the attention away from Mills and Giddey, who led the way for Australia against Japan with 26 points.
Dallas Mavericks teammate Dante Exum has also proven a key piece off the bench in that regard for the Boomers.
“He is so important on the offensive end,” Gleeson said on ESPN of Green.
“Teams are collapsing on Giddey and Patty. You need a third scorer out there. Matisse wasn’t guarded, they were filling up the paint and all of a sudden the drive is going in there and they’re playing against bigger bodies.
“That will happen against Slovenia. Josh Green is so important to the offence and he proved that tonight.”
Boomers denied game-tying opportunity | 00:31
PROOF GIDDEY IS THE GUY… AND HIS EVOLUTION AS A SCORER
Touching on Giddey, one of the biggest questions entering the tournament was what sort of role he would play and whether the offence would primarily run through him or Mills.
Well, the answer was pretty clear early on in Australia’s win over Finland and opposition teams certainly seem to be prioritising getting the ball out of Giddey’s hands too.
The Boomers were trailing by just one point with seven seconds on the clock and had a single play to potentially win the game, although there was one problem — Giddey wasn’t on the floor.
The 20-year-old had to sit out the possession due to the blood rule with a cut on his forearm; one that German guard Maodo Lo made a very concerted effort to point out to officials.
Maodo Lo points out blood on Josh Giddey’s elbow.Source: FOX SPORTS
“I don’t know if this was caught on the cameras,” Uluc said.
“There was a German player who got the ref’s attention, grabbed Giddey’s arm and showed the ref, ‘Look there is blood on this guy’s arm’.
“They were, I guess, so concerned about the prospect of Giddey continuing to be the creator for the Boomers down the stretch that this German man grabbed Giddey’s arm, made sure to get the ref’s attention and said, ‘Look he’s bleeding’, and obviously Giddey had to go off the floor.
“There is an understanding around this tournament of the potential of this team when Giddey is finding his way as the main creator of this team.”
That potential became a reality on Tuesday against Japan as Giddey created for both himself and others, scoring 26 points to go with 11 assists in a 109-89 win.
It hasn’t all been perfect from Giddey though and it would be unrealistic to expect that anyway from a 20-year-old in his first World Cup.
Instead, Giddey has learned along the way as the young Australian guard at times struggled to find his rhythm under constant pressure from a physical Germany defence.
What has been particularly pleasing though is the way Giddey, particularly in the last two games of the tournament, has leant into playing with a similar physicality himself.
At 6-foot-8 Giddey had an obvious size advantage against Japan’s smaller guards and he quickly became unstoppable at the rim, either finishing at the rim or passing to open teammates.
Josh Giddey drives to the basket. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Even against Germany, in the third quarter in particular and late in the game as Giddey started to take over, he was starting to play with more force going downhill.
That in itself showed a serious level of maturity from the 20-year-old, who was not fazed by the early turnovers and pressure but instead reassessed how he needed to change his game.
Giddey has touched on the need to be more aggressive on a consistent basis, having shot at 62 per cent at the rim in his second year with the Thunder compared to 57 per cent in his rookie season.
“It can’t be a sometimes thing,” Giddey told reporters earlier this year.
“It kind of has to be an every night thing and I think for me I pick and choose a little bit. I think being aggressive and being aggressive smartly doesn’t mean you’re jamming the ball in every time but I think there were times in the past where I’ve been too passive, just diverting to others.
“I think I’ve got to keep my foot on the gas and that doesn’t mean scoring or making a play every time, just keeping the unit on the floor in attack and playing aggressive, because I think that’s when we’re at our best.”
The same goes for Giddey in the national team, where he will see even more attention and physicality from opposition defences without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the focal point.
Boomers open World Cup with a bang | 01:29
HOW TO DISRUPT DONCIC… AND DOES IT INCLUDE A CHANGE TO THE STARTING FIVE?
Speaking of focal points of an offence, that is obviously what Doncic is going to be on Friday night and his presence alone presents an interesting dilemma.
Outside of bringing in Green, which again was always part of Goorjian’s plan, the Boomers coach has hesitated against making any other changes to his starting five this tournament.
That though theoretically could change on Friday if Australia doesn’t want to risk repeating the same mistake it made against Germany.
Stopping Doncic is obviously going to be the key to the Boomers keeping their World Cup hopes alive and that means a starting team with plenty of size and athleticism.
Goorjian himself said after the win over Japan that leaning into those two strengths is the “blueprint” for success, creating stops on the defensive end and transition points.
“The blueprint for our success, what we’ve talked about leading in this, is the small ball, switching, the defence,” Goorjian said.
“The blueprint was the first half [against Japan].”
Athleticism will be particularly important in slowing down the Slovenian superstar, who could feast on a starting line-up that features both Nick Kay and Duop Reath.
Kay in particular was heavily targeted off the switch against Germany and while Green should get the first crack at Doncic, you’d think Australia would benefit from having Thybulle, Cooks or maybe even both starting to try stop the four-time NBA All-Star from getting on a roll early.
Thybulle and the Boomers did extremely well on that assignment in Tokyo, holding Doncic to 22 points on 20 field goal attempts while forcing him into eight turnovers.
“Luka might be the best player in the competition right now,” Gleeson said on ESPN.
“You’re going to have to have different looks. Josh Green, Thybulle will get a bit of a look at him. Even some traps, some blitzes, taking the ball out of his hands in the back court, all those different schemes.
“I think Brian and the coaching staff are going to start working on it right now.”
The other challenge for coach Goorjian is just how much attention he gives Doncic, who is averaging 30 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists this World Cup.
Stopping Doncic is one thing but Slovenia has plenty of shooting threats outside of him, ranking inside the top-10 this tournament for attempted 3-pointers per game at 31.7.
Luka Doncic. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Slovenia, like Japan, is not shooting it particularly well though (29.3 per cent) but Australia don’t want to give the likes of Klemen Prepelic, Mike Tobey, Zoran Dragic and Aleksej Nikolic the chance to heat up.
The Boomers did well to pressure Japan’s shooters but coach Goorjian added they would need to take it to “another level” to compete with the likes of Slovenia.
“I thought they shot poorly from the 3-point line but in this it was because a lot of them were contested, they were tipped and the switching was really good,” he said.
“That is going to be the challenge for us [taking it to] another level the next couple of games. We made them shoot pull-up 2s, we made them take it into the key, but we defended that 3-point line and we’re going to have to do that moving forward.”
HOW TO WATCH EVERY BOOMERS FIBA WORLD CUP GAME
It is not just the Australia vs Slovenia game! You can watch every Australian Boomers and Team USA game plus the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Final FREE & LIVE with ESPN on Kayo Freebies. Join Freebies now, no credit card required >
The Denver Nuggets are NBA champions, defeating the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the Finals at Ball Arena on Tuesday to claim a 4-1 series victory.
Nikola Jokic, who was later crowned Finals MVP, led the way for the Nuggets as the Serbian superstar finished Game 5 with 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.
“It’s good, it’s good. The job is done now. We can go home now,” the understated Jokic said post-game.
Tue, 13 Jun
Tuesday June 13th
What Jokic did on the court though was anything but understated.
Jokic averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists in the Finals, while he also became the first player in NBA history to lead the playoffs in total points, assists and rebounds.
Maiden champs – CLUTCH FINAL MOMENTS | 01:58
Nikola Jokic was crowned Finals MVP. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
As for Miami, it ended an unprecedented run that few saw coming as the Heat stormed into the Finals and threatened to become the first eighth seed in NBA history to win a title.
Miami barely scraped into the playoffs, trailing at the end of the third quarter against the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament before rallying late to seal their spot in the postseason.
That was supposed to be it for the Heat, a moral victory in a season that had otherwise failed to amount to much and looked like it would leave more questions than answers.
Instead, led by coach Erik Spoelstra and on the back of the famed Heat culture, Miami continued to defy the odds as the top seeded Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics all fell.
They kept surprising until it wasn’t surprising anymore, until they were one of the two best teams in basketball left and just four wins away from writing their name in the NBA record books.
The Denver Nuggets are NBA champions. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
But Nuggets coach Michael Malone understood that this wasn’t the David and Goliath battle it was being billed as.
He knew better than that.
He also knew what was at stake and that any change in mindset could see Denver throw away its best chance at ending a 47-year title drought – its best chance to demand respect.
“You get to the NBA Finals, it’s not about seeding anymore,” Malone said before Game 1.
“And for those who are thinking that this is going to be an easy series, I don’t even know what to say to you people.
“This is going to be the biggest challenge of our lives. This is the NBA Finals. You’re trying to win the first NBA championship in franchise history, and it’s going to be the hardest thing that we’ve ever done — which is the way it should be.”
And yet the Nuggets still made it look easy.
The Nuggets had to fight for the win. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Nikola Jokic made it look easy as he constantly found different ways to put his name in the history books, further redefining the center position.
Jamal Murray made it look easy as he became the first player to ever record 10 or more assists in his first four NBA Finals games.
The Heat had scrapped and clawed their way to the top and while the feeling may be hollow, there is no shame in losing to a Nuggets team that will rightfully go down in history as an NBA juggernaut.
In winning Game 5 at Ball Arena, the Nuggets finished the playoffs with a 16-4 record – the most dominant title run since the Golden State Warriors dropped just one game on the way to the 2017 championship.
Bam Adebayo made sure Miami did not go down without a fight, putting up 20 points and 12 rebounds as Jimmy Butler had a slow start before catching fire in the fourth.
Kyle Lowry certainly delivered off the bench, making four 3-pointers to score 12 points while Caleb Martin (10) and Max Strus (12) also made some clutch shots.
Max Strus was on fire early for the Heat. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
As for Denver, Jokic was heavily involved as expected but it was the performance of Michael Porter Jr. in particular that would have been most pleasing for Nuggets coach Malone.
Even as his shooting, scoring and minutes decreased, Porter Jr. never lost his confidence and instead found other ways to make an impact in Game 5.
Porter Jr. had another rough shooting night on Wednesday but continued to drive to the rim with aggression and was rewarded, finishing the game with 16 points.
His activity on the glass was also especially important as Porter Jr. grabbed 11 defensive rebounds in the win.
It was hardly a comfortable win like the first three Denver had in the Finals, going just 3-for-23 from downtown while Miami held a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Instead, it was a dogfight until the very end as the Nuggets found a way to win on the back of defensive intensity and physicality.
Jokic makes history as Denver take lead | 02:31
FULL GAME RECAP:
The Heat made a fast start, with active hands from Adebayo seeing the Miami big man steal the ball from Jamal Murray and dunk it home for the first bucket of the night.
Porter Jr. then travelled as Denver turned it over again and while Miami didn’t capitalise right away, Strus made a 3-pointer soon after as the Heat jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope eventually made Denver’s first bucket of the game and quickly had a pair of scores before a shot from Gordon rattled home to give the Nuggets a 6-5 lead.
That was despite a sloppy start from the Western Conference top seed, with Denver committing four early turnovers – only saved by the fact Miami scored just two points off its mistakes.
The Heat really couldn’t have asked for a better chance to build an early lead and silence the Ball Arena crowd but instead, they missed a few clean looks to keep the Nuggets in it.
In fact, Butler missed both free throw attempts midway through the first quarter as Murray then found a clear lane to the rim for an easy dunk.
Peyton Watson and Christian Braun celebrate. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
It proved a critical turning point early in the game as Porter Jr. scored and then found Jeff Green open for a dunk to put an exclamation mark on a 12-0 run for Denver after the slow start.
Strus put a brief stop to the Nuggets’ charge with an and-1 but it was short-lived as Nikola Jokic made a 3-pointer to push Denver’s lead out to 15-8.
Strus was at it again a few minutes later as he threw it up to Adebayo for the slam and soon after had his own dunk as Miami drew back to 16-14.
The Heat then took the lead as the Nuggets found themselves facing an early dilemma on the defensive end, with Jokic sitting after he picked up his second foul and Gordon also on the bench with a pair of fouls.
It meant Denver had to run with Green at the five and Miami immediately went after the veteran, with Adebayo attacking in the post for back-to-back and-1s to force the Nuggets into a timeout.
The Heat made the Nuggets work for the win. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
That in turn prompted Nuggets coach Malone to introduce DeAndre Jordan into the game despite having played just 10 minutes in the postseason.
Jordan had an immediate impact too, blocking a Gabe Vincent shot as Porter Jr. grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed Murray 3-pointer in transition to score.
Porter Jr. then got on the inside again to take his personal tally to a team-high seven points in the opening quarter.
Adebayo though finished a dominant quarter with a bang, making a hook shot as he finished the quarter on 14 points to help Miami to a 24-22 lead heading into the second.
That was despite Butler going scoreless in the first quarter.
Butler though opened the second with six quick points while Duncan Robinson flashed his offensive versatility, draining a 3-pointer and later cutting to the basket off an Adebayo dish.
That pushed the Heat’s lead out to 39-29 in what was an 18-point first-half turnaround as the Nuggets offence struggled with Gordon on the bench after picking up his third foul.
As has been the case so many times this postseason, Jokic stood up when Denver needed him, making a layup and assisting on a Caldwell-Pope jump shot as the Nuggets drew closer.
The wait is over for the Nuggets. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
A Robinson turnover then saw Bruce Brown dunk it home as Spoelstra called a timeout, with Denver going on a 6-0 run.
The timeout had the desired effect as Lowry drained back-to-back 3-pointers while another Denver turnover gifted Butler and the Heat another easy bucket to re-establish their lead.
In the end Miami took a 51-44 lead into halftime after a late Porter Jr. dunk capped off what was an impressive start to Game 5 for the 24-year-old.
Neither team was really able to get into much of an offensive rhythm with Adebayo (18 points) the only player in double figures by halftime.
Gordon, having proven the difference in Game 4, had just three points and played just seven minutes in the first half after running into foul trouble while Murray had only four points.
The Nuggets continued to struggle from 3-point range as the third quarter opened but weren’t panicking, instead getting into the paint and finding points that way as they reduced the deficit to 60-57.
Aaron Gordon made a big impact for Denver in the Finals. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Murray then eventually made Denver’s second 3-pointer of the night to tie up the game.
Miami pushed the lead back out to 64-60 before the Nuggets defence got their offence going again, forcing two-straight turnovers that were quickly turned into four points.
Then Porter Jr. finally drained a 3-pointer before Lowry answered back to give the Heat a 71-70 lead heading into the fourth.
The win – and championship – seemed to be there for the taking early in the final quarter for Denver as Miami struggled to get its offence going but the Nuggets had a few costly misses of their own.
Butler, meanwhile, finally started to get going with back-to-back 3-pointers before nailing three-straight free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.
Nuggets coach Malone challenged the call, with Butler appearing to kick out in the process of shooting but the decision stood as the Heat closed the deficit to 86-85.
Jimmy Butler stepped up late but it was not enough. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Butler then scored again as Miami took the lead, only for Jokic to step up and give Denver the lead back – but a hustle play from Lowry soon after keep the ball alive and gave the Heat another possession.
Miami then turned it into two free throws for Butler, who made both and gave the Heat an 89-88 lead heading into the final two minutes.
But Denver then went up 90-89 as Brown followed a Murray miss to grab the offensive rebound for the put-back before a clutch defensive play from Caldwell-Pope pushed the lead out to 92-89.
As good as Butler had been in the final quarter he came up with a poor pass that was snapped up by Caldwell-Pope, whose anticipatory defence has been key to Denver’s rise this season.
Caldwell-Pope, who won his first NBA championship with the Lakers back in 2020, then was fouled and made both free-throws as Miami needed three points in the final 20 seconds to send it to overtime.
Butler then rushed a 3-point attempt which missed, with Brown fouled as the Nuggets went on to seal their first-ever title.
The Denver Nuggets are one game away from their first NBA championship after taking Game 4 of the NBA Finals, defeating the Heat 108-95 in Miami on Saturday [AEST].
So much of Denver’s success has been a product of the Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray two-man game, with the pair making history in the Nuggets’ 109-94 win in Game 4.
On Saturday though, while Jokic and Murray certainly had their share of shining moments, it wasn’t just Denver’s superstar duo who helped put the Nuggets on the brink of glory.
Rather, Aaron Gordon — the team’s unsung hero all season long — stood tall after a dominant Game 1 showing to lift on both ends of the floor.
Who will win it all? Watch every game of the 2023 NBA Finals between Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat LIVE on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Aaron Gordon stepped up. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
Gordon (27 points, six rebounds, six assists) was at his aggressive best on Saturday, with strong finishes over defenders and even a masterful pass to set up a Murray layup.
“Aaron did it all for us tonight,” coach Michael Malone said post-game.
“We’ve seen that now in four games in the NBA Finals where Aaron has had moments where he has carried us offensively. I couldn’t be more proud of Aaron and his impact across the board tonight.
“… He brought his hard hat. He was a warrior.”
Murray was coming off a 34-point triple-double against the Heat in Game 3 but wasn’t able to get into his usual shooting rhythm, forced into tough shots as he went 5-for-17 from the field.
Murray was at his playmaking best though, becoming the first player in history to record 10-plus assists in his first four NBA Finals games as he finished with 12 in Game 4.
His shooting struggles though made Gordon’s contributions on the offensive end particularly important in further proof of just how much of a success that aggressive trade with Orlando back in 2021 has been.
Malone was especially complimentary of Gordon after Denver’s Game 1 win, describing him as “truly selfless” in taking on whatever role is best for the team.
“We always talk about Nikola embodying Nuggets culture, and I think Aaron Gordon is a prime example of somebody who’s truly selfless,” Malone said.
“He understood with Jamal and Michael coming back this year being healthy that his role was going to change. He never once fought it.
“He’s embraced it from day one of the season and gone out there, whether it’s guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and now obviously guarding a guy like Jimmy Butler.
“He does a lot of the dirty work for us, and a lot of times he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves.”
Gordon was at his aggressive best. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Gordon though will certainly get plenty of credit for his role in Denver’s title run should it close out the series with a win in Game 5 as the Nuggets travel back home.
Bruce Brown also came up clutch for Denver in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points and finishing the game with 21 to silence the Miami crowd.
“He has absolutely delivered when they needed him most,” Jeff Van Gundy said in commentary.
“He’s just given them great production.”
Miami though can take some confidence from its Game 2 victory against Denver, where it inflicted a first home defeat of the playoffs on the Nuggets to level the NBA Finals.
The Heat will need better production from starters Gabe Vincent and Max Strus for that to happen, with the pair combining for just two points in Saturday’s loss.
Jimmy Butler, meanwhile, has not had a vintage Finals performance yet even though he was solid on Saturday with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Bam Adebayo was also a force on both ends (20 points, 11 rebounds) while Kevin Love (12 points), Duncan Robinson (12 points) and Kyle Lowry (13 points) had some crucial shots.
In the end though it wasn’t enough as the Nuggets held on to win their third game of the series.
It was a particularly impressive win for Denver considering Jokic appeared to twist his ankle on an offensive rebound in the first quarter in an early injury scare.
While the Nuggets superstar stayed in the game, he didn’t seem to be moving as confidently at times.
It didn’t seem to matter much though as Denver jumped out to a 18-11 lead on the back of a strong defensive showing early in Saturday’s game as Miami struggled from deep.
The Heat’s 3-point shooting has often been a barometer for their success and early on Miami just couldn’t find its rhythm, going 1-for-7 in the opening 11 minutes.
That was before Lowry and Butler each drained a clutch 3-pointer in the final moments of the quarter to see Miami take a 21-20 lead.
Elsewhere, Michael Porter Jr. continued his offensive struggles after going 0-for-4 from the field in the first quarter and visibly looking down on confidence.
Michael Porter Jr. has been down on confidence. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But what would have pleased coach Michael Malone was how Porter Jr. was aggressively attacking the rim and fighting for rebounds, finding other ways to make an impact.
Jokic went to the locker room and was out of the game to open the second quarter as he tested out his ankle, later returning to the court after loosening up.
By that point the game was tied up at 30-all, with Gordon scoring Denver’s first eight points of the quarter to help the Nuggets keep up with a Miami team that was starting to catch fire.
Jokic certainly didn’t look fazed by the ankle issue though, quickly draining a rainbow 3-pointer.
A few sloppy turnovers from Miami near the end of the second quarter got Denver’s transition offence going as the Nuggets pushed out to a 54-45 lead.
The Heat though closed out the half on a 6-1 run, with Adebayo hammering it home before Butler missed two late free throw attempts.
The Nuggets had struggled to finish off the first and second quarters but were locked in at the end of the third, pushing out to a 86-73 buffer to put the Heat on the ropes.
A controversial call early in the fourth though saw Jokic pick up his fifth personal foul, although coach Malone opted against challenging it as the two-time MVP went to the bench.
Things could have easily fallen apart for Denver at that point but instead the Nuggets stepped up on defence, answering Malone’s call before the game.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope came up with a critical strip on Butler that then ended with a Brown dunk on the other end as the Nuggets had a nine-point lead once Jokic re-entered the game.
That proved to be enough, with Brown heating up late too to make sure the Nuggets finished comfortable winners.
