With the first full month of NBA action now out of the way it’s a good time to see how the various Australians around the NBA are faring.
The increasing numbers of Australians in the league right now is fantastic for the game and is only the tip of the iceberg with guys like Ben Simmons and Thon Maker set to become potential franchise players in the next few years.
Andrew Bogut (Golden State Warriors)
Bogut is enjoying a relative prolonged period of good health (touch wood) with the Warriors this season and they are reaping the rewards.
The Warriors are currently 14-2 and sporting the second best defence in the league. The bulk of this great defence can be attributed to Bogut anchoring the floor, a talent he was brought to the Bay Area for.
On the offensive end Bogut is showcasing all the skills that make him a valuable part of the Warriors’ system. His passing has always been a great part of his game and this season he is providing headaches for opposing bigs with his soft touch and above average court vision.
His numbers won’t set the world on fire but his game is so much more than stat sheet stuffing.
November numbers – 26.3 MPG, 7.9 PPG (57.3%), 9.4 RPG and 3.5 APG*.
Dante Exum (Utah Jazz)
Exum came into the league with the unenviable task of trying to prove why he was selected #5 by the Utah Jazz. NBA pundits were critical of his game, citing his lack of experience against elite opponents and whether he was all hype and no game.
Now we have a month of basketball under our belts we can get a decent perspective of how he fits in with this young Jazz team.
Playing behind Trey Burke off the bench has certainly relieved some of the pressure, especially as Burke didn’t get off to the best start, and his game is continuing to develop. In 19 minutes a game he is averaging five points per game and 2.6 assists, solid numbers but with plenty of room for improvement.
Watching Exum play, he doesn’t seem to be using his assets as well as he could be. Having great size for a point guard and explosive speed it would be nice to see him attack the basket a bit more. Currently he only attempts 1.9 drives per game compared to fellow rookie Elfrid Payton, who averages 6.1 in only six more minutes per game.
The good news for him is that when he does drive he shoots 53.8 per cent so it clearly works when he does it (Payton only shoots 34.6 per cent on drives).
Too many times he plays meaningful minutes and doesn’t have much of an impact on the game, making the easy pass or picking up the dribble too early. I would like see him take the game on occasionally when it isn’t junk time, if he fails then it’s a great learning opportunity but at least he is trying. To use an Australian saying, he needs a bit of mongrel in him.
I am encouraged by his much improved turnover rate compared to summer league and his shooting has improved (he just needs to look for it more). December should see more improvement and hopefully a rise in numbers.
November numbers – 18.9 MPG, 5.0 PPG (37.1%), 1.8 RPG and 2.6 APG.
Aron Baynes (San Antonio Spurs)
Coming off a championship with the Spurs and a pivotal role with the Boomers, Baynes was one of the last ones re-signed from last year’s Spurs squad. This season he has stepped up his game and taken advantage of the resting policy Gregg Popovich puts in place for Tim Duncan.
As the season gets longer expect Baynes to get more opportunities to start like he did against the 76ers the other day (15 points and nine rebounds). Pop will dish out the minutes to everyone and Baynes has proven he deserves to be on this elite team.
November numbers – 16.6 MPG, 7.5 PPG (59.2%), 4.9 RPG and 0.7 APG.
Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz)
Jingles is a great fit for the Jazz’s second unit and is relishing his opportunity in the NBA. Coming off the bench, often early in games, he knows his game and plays his role well. The numbers aren’t spectacular but they don’t need to be with this young team.
Being an experienced rookie is a plus for him and Quin Snyder. Hopefully as the season progresses and this young team starts to gel, Jingles will become an even more critical part of the bench unit for the Jazz.
November numbers – 19.6 MPG, 3.1 PPG (37.8%), 1.8 RPG and 1.9 APG.
Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls)
It’s hard to make an impact in the NBA when the guys ahead of you on the depth chart are named Pau Gasol, Joachim Noah, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic. As a result Bairstow has only seen minimal action when the game is a blowout.
It also makes it hard to play when your coach is known for playing his starters in junk time just for kicks. The best he can do right now is put his head down in practice, learn from the veterans and make the most of his opportunities when they come.
November numbers – 8.8 MPG, 1.0 PPG (25.0%), 1.0 RPG and 0.3 APG.
Injured
Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills.
*MPG (minutes per game), PPG (points per game), RPG (rebounds per game), APG (assists per game).
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