NBA Playoff Time!!!

NBA playoffs are here....

We have reached the post season in the condensed 2011-2012 NBA year with several question marks over a few teams' chances. Will the Mavs survive the first round after last years title run?? Can the Bull go a step further?? Can the Hea make the final step to a championship?? Is Boston too old?? Are the Lakers done?? 

There are more scenarios to ponder but I'll jump into my picks.

Eastern Conference:

Chicago (1) vs. Philadelphia (8)

The Sixers limp into this one after a brutal second half of the season. The Philly crew looked to keep the momentum after a fast start but struggled in the new year. 

Overall ...the Bulls will be too strong in this one

Chicago 4-1

Boston (4) vs. Atlanta (5)

The Celtics are also banged up but they are the veterans of the playoffs. Kevin Garnett has had a resurgence since the All-Star break and though they will be tested, Boston should pull this one out

Boston 4-2

Indiana (3) vs. Orlando (6)

The Pacers have been going about their business relatively unnoticed and can be a difficult foe for any team in the post season. Orlando, without Dwight Howard, are not expected to go very far.

Indiana 4-2

Miami (2) vs. New York (7)

This one will bring back memories of past series' between these two clubs. The Knicks have been better since Mike Woodson took over but Miami has a point to prove and will get through this series.

Miami 4-2

Western Conference:

San Antonio (1) vs. Utah (8)

The Spurs have reinvented themselves with an injection of youth and have not lost a step...surprising many by taking the top spot in the conference. 

Utah may win one game but the Spurs will advance.

San Antonio 4-0

Memphis (4) vs. LA Clippers (5)

Many are picking Memphis as the danger team in the Western Conference again and they could well be. The match up between these two will be the closest in the first round.

Chris Paul will be the determining factor win or lose.

LA Clippers 4-3

LA Lakers (3)  vs. Denver Nuggets (6)

The Lakers are without playoff tough Metta World Peace for at least six games of the post season but may be able to get by Denver without the wily vet.  They will need consistency from Bynum and Gasol and a balanced offence.

LA Lakers 4-2

Oklahoma City (2) vs. Dallas (7)

Will Dallas be able to turn it on in the playoffs?? Might be a tough ask in this series.

Oklahoma City 4-1

Overall....I will go out on a limb and pick Chicago to face Indiana in the Eastern Conference final and San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City in the Western Conference. 

For the Championship......I will pick San Antonio over Chicago in six games!!

Looking back at my NBA preview from December....I had Orlando missing out on the post season in anticipation of a Dwight Howard trade but picked seven playoff teams correctly...Washington?? What was I thinking!!

In the West...Denver and Utah get in in place of my Portland and Golden State picks....

My preview can be read here

NBA Preview

Basketball for Christmas

NBA Preview

After the player’s revolt and off season chaos, the NBA returns to on court action for the holiday season in a shortened 66 game season. Last season, I think I picked the Spurs to meet the Heat for the title but it did not quite work out that way.

So here we go with my preview for the 2011-2012 NBA season.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division:

This division is still the domain of the Boston Celtics although this season the New York Knicks have bulked up their interior defense with the addition of Tyson Chandler along with adding veterans Mike Bibby and Baron Davis to shore up the backcourt. The Knicks could challenge Boston if the Celtics run into injury problems or the consolidation of the schedule takes its toll.

The Philadelphia Seventy Sixers were a tough team to play against last season and pretty much remained intact for this season’s run. They drafted big men Lavoy Allen and Nikola Vucevic who may work their way into the rotation but are mainly hoping a year of maturity in Doug Collins’ system will help them advance in the post-season.

New Jersey did not make any of the expected big off-season moves and with Brooke Lopez injured had to pick up Mehmet Okur in hopes of filling the void in his absence. It will be interesting to see if Deron Williams decides to stay with the Nets or seek a change of scenery. Finally Toronto did not do much to its roster in the off season so may not improve their record much this season.

Central Division:

The Chicago Bulls are a head above the rest of the teams in this division and will be looking to get further than the conference finals this season. They will need inside duo Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah to co-exist in the paint better this season to take a bit of the load off Derrick Rose and Luol Deng. Veteran Richard Hamilton’s addition on the wing provides a solid scoring option. Kyle Korver and Taj Gibson will again bring energy, long range bombs and rebounds off the bench. The Bulls are a threat for the best record for the regular season again this year.

Indiana will not surprise people this season but will be a solid team and possible playoff team again. The continued improvement of Roy Hibbert and the addition of David West in tandem with Tyler Hansbrough give the Pacers some inside punch to go with Danny Granger, Paul George and Darren Collison.

Milwaukee went from being a team on the verge to mediocrity last season but have the pieces in place to improve. Brandon Jennings has another year’s worth of experience to call upon at the point and should pair well with veteran scorer Stephen Jackson. Drew Gooden will be solid if not spectacular at the power forward slot and Andrew Bogut is a double/double threat in the pivot when healthy. The team is on the verge of being a playoff team again and if healthy could sneak in to the post-season.

In Detroit the Piston are looking to improve but are not quite there yet. Similar story in Cleveland where top pick Kyrie Irving will contend for Rookie of the Year honours and Tristan Thompson provides another piece for the future. Not playoff ready for a while yet but may be entertaining again.

Southeast Division:

The Miami Heat should easily take this division again and are looking to finish the playoffs slightly better than last season. The addition of Shane Battier on the wing will help team chemistry and perimeter defense. A healthy Mike Miller this season should provide punch from beyond the arc. An interesting signing this season is Eddy Curry; will he be worth in excess of $11 million?? Will Chris Bash be more consistent? The Heat will be tested again for the Eastern Conference crown but if they use last season as a motivator, they could go all the way.

Atlanta returns essentially the same cast from last season with the addition of veterans Jerry Stackhouse and Tracy McGrady. The Hawks fell by the wayside in the post season and need to develop a tougher attitude to advance this season. The may end up better than Orlando and get the home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

In Orlando, the Magic’s fortunes hinge on Dwight Howard and whether or not he is happy in Orlando or wanting to be traded. This team could drop out of playoff contention completely as the Howard saga continues.

The Washington Wizards could be this year’s surprise playoff team as their roster matures. Jevale McGee, Andray Blatche, John Wall and Nick Young combine with veteran Rashard Lewis in a solid starting unit and have a second squad that is improving.

Charlotte is re-tooling and may not make much of a splash this season.

Conference Playoff Teams:

Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards

Conference Champs:

Chicago Bulls

Western Conference

Northwest Division:

Oklahoma City has pretty much stood pat in this division and may be the top team in the conference this season. The major task will be getting quality looks for Kevin Durant and for Russell Westbrook to work out a distribution to shot ratio in the point guard position. Inside they will be tough on the boards and defensively with Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka protecting the lane. This team could very easily represent the conference in the NBA Finals.

Portland will be solid again even with the forced retirement of Brandon Roy. The evolution of LaMarcus Aldridge and the hell for leather play of Gerald Wallace will spear the Blazer attack. The team has adequate depth to get them through the condensed season and hope to keep big men Marcus Camby and Greg Oden healthy for the season. Portland should make it to the post season but will not advance too far.

The Denver Nuggets have added veteran point guard Andre Miller to the mix with their young and talented line up. Improvement from Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari this season should see the Nuggets back in post season play. Overall they could be a tough ask on most nights for any team.

Utah will be tough in the post with Paul Milsap and Al Jefferson down low but they will need consistency from Devin Harris to complement them. Improvement from Gordon Hayward and the adjustment to NBA play by Alec Burks will boost the season prospects in Utah as will the development of big man Enes Kanter. The Jazz may sneak into the playoffs as a 7-8 seed.

Minnesota will go as far as they can on the backs of Kevin Love and Michael Beasley. The arrival of distributor Ricky Rubio should see this team improve but how much remains to be seen.

Pacific Division:

The Los Angeles Lakers are still the top team in this division on paper but after being swept out of last season’s playoffs, have not made many roster moves. The wrist injury to Kobe Bryant may have some effect on the team early in the season as will the attitude of young center Andrew Bynum. The depth chart at small forward shows a cast of thousands with newly named Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes heading the quartet. Do not be surprised by a roster move early in the season for Dwight Howard as they look for an anchor in the post. The Lakers will of course make the playoffs but how far they go depends on the roster changes they make.

The LA Clippers have made themselves relevant in the Pacific division with the acquisitions of Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler to go with young athletic big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers should be ready for a run at the division title and usurping some of the LA “glamour” from the Lakers.

Mark Jackson finally gets a chance on the sidelines at Golden State and inherits a squad capable of scoring with anyone. He will be looking to Andris Biedrins, Ekpe Udoh and David Lee to play a bit of “D” on the inside and grab some boards.

The addition of Jimmer Fredette at point guard will allow the Sacramento Kings to move Tyreke Evans to the shooting guard slot and give the Kings another scoring option. The maturity of DeMarcus Cousins will go a long way in solidifying Sacramento’s post play on offense and defense. The Kings will be improved and could surprise.

Phoenix  with the exception of Steve Nash and Grant Hill is largely unproven and will be hard pressed to make the playoffs.

Southwest Division:

Defending champions the Dallas Mavericks have changed a few parts but should be solid in the post season. They have lost Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler but welcome Vince Carter and Lamar Odom to their veteran roster to go with Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood. The team seems to be weaker on paper this year but don’t count them out.

San Antonio ran out of steam in the playoffs last season and will look to rest their older players as much as possible during the regular season in hopes of staying injury free and going further into the post season. Tim Duncan will be as steady as ever though his numbers dipped slightly last season. More support will be needed from Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

Memphis will have Rudy Gay healthy to start the season and hopefully for the playoffs this season as they look to improve on last season’s success. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph will give the Grizzlies a strong post tandem again as the team looks to improve on last season.

In Houston, the Rockets are a team in the midst of a changeover with the retirement of Yao Ming and several new additions to their roster. They will be interesting to watch and may just slip into a playoff spot.

New Orleans has a few new faces but not a lot of depth on their roster as they start the post Chris Paul era in the Crescent City. They are in pure rebuild/restructure mode this season so do not expect any miracles.

Conference Playoff Teams:

Oklahoma City, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trailblazers and Golden State Warriors

Conference Champs:

Oklahoma City Thunder

2012 NBA Champions:

Chicago Bulls

Catch up time!!!

Well about six weeks and a sports hernia later…I’m finally back with a bit of a catch up on all things hoops…firstly my NBA Finals prediction of Miami taking the title in six games disappeared quicker than LeBron James at crunch time!! Congrats to the crew from Big D and their long suffering fans. Job well done guys.

We’ve also had the 2011 NBA Draft. The verdict will be out as to the strength of the draft overall. Nine international players were selected in the first round and some will not appear in the NBA until a few years down the track. Among the notables internationally, Enes Kanter (Utah Jazz), Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto Raptors) and Jan Vesely (Washington Wizards) seem to be the most anticipated. Bismark Biyombo (Sacramento Kings, traded to Charlotte Bobcats) may be the most intriguing player drafted with his huge wing span and athleticism.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked Kyrie Irving at number one and Tristan Thompson at number four in hopes of improving their roster after last season’s misery. There will be the question of whether Irving will be an understudy to Baron Davis or if Davis will eventually be traded? Other notables drafted in the first round included: Derrick Williams (Minnesota Timberwolves), Keemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats), Jimmer Fredette (Milwaukee Bucks, traded to the Sacramento Kings), Nolan Smith (Portland Trailblazers) and defensive ace Chris Singleton (Washington Wizards).

Some top college talent taken in round two included: Kyle Singler (Detroit Pistons), Shelvin Mack (Washington Wizards), Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets), Jon Leuer (Milwaukee Bucks), Josh Selby (Memphis Grizzlies) and E’Twaun Moore (Boston Celtics).

Hopefully the Collective Bargaining Agreement will not affect the 2011-2012 season and the dispute will be settled before the preseason starts.

Ok, I’ll be back over the next few weeks with a few titbits and a look at the international scene, the WNBA and all of the associations around Australia.

NBA Game 3 up...

NBA Game Three on tap

The NBA Finals series has moved to Dallas tied at 1-1 after the Mavericks pulled off yet another improbable victory to tie the series in Miami.

Miami will be looking to finish strong if in position to do so as opposed to blowing a late lead. Dallas in turn will be looking to get ahead and hold on for once in this series. The Heat will hope to get better production from Chris Bosh who has been woeful from the field. Additionally to jump back ahead, they will need a solid contribution from the bench as a whole and possibly a big contribution from one bench player, i.e., Mike Miller.

Dallas on the other hand will rely on the veterans, Nowitzki, Terry, Marion, Kidd and Terry. Any positive contributions from J.J. Barea and the rest of the Dallas bench could see them gain the ascendency in this series.

I’ll throw my hat in the Heat’s ring. I think Bosh may turn his game around enough to be effective and the Miami crew will win another close one. I will stick to my Heat in six prediction from the start of the finals.

Elsewhere in the Hoop World

I will join the chorus in wishing the Big “Whatever he wants to be” Shaquille O’Neal all the best in his retirement. Thanks for all the memories, sound bites and antics. There are even rumours out of a city called Townsville here in Australia have their sights set on the big man with the local NBL team the Townsville Crocodiles offering this invitation on their website: Former NBA player in the Crocs’ sights . Hmm…The Big Crocodile or The Big Croc Hunter!!

 

Also the WNBA season has kicked off with a smattering of Aussie talent on show. Of course there is Lauren (MS. Jackson) Jackson in Seattle, new sensation Elizabeth Cambage in Tulsa, Jenna O’Hea in Los Angeles, Sandy Brondello (assistant coach) Los Angeles, Penny Taylor in Phoenix, Erin Phillips in Indiana, Tully Bevilaqua in San Antonio and Belinda Snell who is also playing in Seattle. Good luck on the season ladies.

 

Ok, back in a couple of days to check in…..

NBA Finals are Here!!!

Game One Tipping off on Tuesday night

The 2010-2011 NBA season has reached the Finals Series and Game 1 kicks off in Miami on Tuesday night ( Wednesday morning Aussie time). 

Well, waaayyyy back in October, I predicted a Lakers/Heat final with the Heat winning it: http://cdstarrbblog.blogspot.com/2010_10_24_archive.html

At the start of the playoffs, I correctly predicted a Bulls/Heat Eastern Conference final with the Heat meeting San Antonio in the Finals that pick went slightly awry!! http://cdstarrbblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/nba-playoff-preview.html

Now we have reached the finals series. The Dallas crew are a seasoned outfit and will look to continue their regular season success against Miami. A missing link from that success is Caron Butler who proved to be Kryptonite on two legs for LeBron James in their two meetings. Although Shawn Marion has shown his value in the playoffs, the Mavs can not afford any lapses or let downs in this series. 

On the other side of the coin, the Heat will have Dirk to deal with!! Dirk Nowitzki has stamped his authority on each series for Dallas so far. Miami will look to Chris Bosh, LeBron James and a few others in their effort to slow the German Gunner down. Dallas will have to be at their best to deal with Dwayne Wade, LeBron and the rejuvenated Bosh.

Prediction wise: 

I see Dallas having their moments but in the end, look for Miami to take it in six.

Tip Off time in OKC!!!

Nearly Tip Off time in OKC

Game Three of the Western Conference Finals will be starting soon with Dallas looking to grab at least one win on the road in the series that is currently tied at 1-1.

There are several undertones to the game, among them:

Ø  Can the Mavs survive on Dirk alone?

Ø  Will the Mavs get better bench contributions from Barea and Terry?

Ø  How will Russell Westbrook play after his Game Two benching?

Ø  Can the Mavs take the OKC crowd out of the game?

Ø  Will the Mavs be able to control James Harden?

Those are some of the factors as tip off time nears.

I feel that the Mavs will get a win in OKC, maybe not tonight but they will pull out one of the three. The key will be actually slowing down the pace and making it a walk it up the floor/half court affair. That is where Jason Kidd may step to the fore in controlling the pace.

I will stick with my Mavs in six prediction.

In the East, Chicago travels to South Beach tomorrow night to face the Heat. Look for Miami to pull out a close one at home.

Dirk's Day!!

Dirk gets Down in Game one

(NBA Review)

Dirk Nowitzki scored on/over all comers (defenders) in the opening game of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night (Wednesday morning Aussie time). The big man finished the night with 48 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 assists in the 121-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nowitzki set an NBA playoff record with a perfect 24-24 night at the foul line to go with a 12-15 night from the field.

Oklahoma City, led by Kevin Durant who had 40 points himself, fought valiantly but could not get past the sizzling Mavericks who had adequate support for Nowitzki from Jason Terry (24 points) and J.J. Barea (21 points). Mavericks’ leader Jason Kidd dished out 11 assists while controlling the tempo.

The Thunder will look to reverse their fortunes in Game 2 on Thursday in Dallas.  I am on record at a few places in predicting Dallas to take this series 4-2…I’ll stick with that as I feel OKC will pull out a couple of victories.

In the Eastern Conference Chicago walloped Miami in game one. Game Two tips off Wednesday night in Chicago, I am looking for the Heat to rebound in this one but it will be close.

Draft Lottery

The Cleveland Cavaliers own the Number 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after winning the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night. Through the Baron Davis trade Cleveland has two early picks…1 and 4 in the first round as they look to rebuild after a disastrous season.

The complete draft order can be found on nba.com.


Back in a day or so with more....

Are the Lakers done?? NBA Update....

NBA Playoff Update…

As the second round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs progress, there are definitely surprises to talk about. Since I last blogged, Orlando has fallen by the wayside in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference top seed San Antonio has been eliminated by the surprising Memphis Grizzlies.

The surprised do not stop there…defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers are down 3-0 to Dallas and are on the verge of being swept out of the second round. Atlanta has given the Bulls a scare. Ditto for Memphis against Oklahoma City.

Here is an up to the minute look at where it all stands at the moment:

Eastern Conference

Chicago (1) vs. Atlanta (5)

After Atlanta jumped the Bulls 103-95 in Game 1 of the series, the Bull have ridden the coat tails of Derrick Rose to two consecutive wins including a monster 44 point effort in Game three. Rose was named the league’s MVP this week and has proven to be deserving of the award.

The board work of Joakim Noah (15 rebounds) and Taj Gibson (11 rebounds) complimented Rose nicely in Game Three. The fourth game of the series is set for Sunday night US time in Atlanta.

The Hawks are not totally done yet and they may well pull of game four to even the series going back to Chicago pending on which Hawks team you get. Chicago will eventually need more out of Carlos Boozer to continue advancing.

Miami (2) vs. Boston (3)

The “Beast of South Beach” may have been awakened!! The Heat has jumped out to a 2-0 series lead over the Celtics. The series heads to Boston for game three on overnight. Boston has started to look their age and is having trouble with the penetration and quickness of Dwayne Wade.

The Celtics may win one; possibly two of the remaining games but the Heat seems to be on a mission of late.

Western Conference

Los Angeles (2) vs. Dallas (3)

The Lakers are finding the quest for a three peat difficult. After showing signs of mortality against New Orleans, they have oozed vulnerability against the seasoned Mavericks outfit.

Rather than go into the “I told you so” to friends or any perceived “Kobe Bashing” I will defer to this article from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-plaschke-lakers-20110507,0,4601320.column

A good thing for the LA future may be the stepping forward and voicing of opinion by young future leader Andrew Bynum. Hopefully the young man will stay healthy and assert himself more in the locker room as he lives up to his potential.

Other articles out of LA:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-mavericks-20110507,0,2836458.story

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-simers-20110507,0,3399927.column

The Mavericks seem to be remaining calm and focused without doing anything to arouse the beast. Owner Mark Cuban has been reserved over the course of the series for a change.

Views from the Dallas media:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-mavericks/headlines/20110506-three-riffic-mavs-topple-lakers-grab-commanding-3-0-series-lead.ece

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-mavericks/headlines/20110506-mavericks-dirk-nowitzki-we-didn_t-panic-but-we-can_t-coast-now.ece

Oklahoma City (4) vs. Memphis (8)

This one could well be the most entertaining of the conference semi-finals. So far the teams are level at 1-1 with game three set overnight in Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies actually won the regular season series and pose problems for the Thunder for the remainder of the series especially in the form of Zach Randolph.

While I think the Thunder can still pull this one out, don’t be surprised if Memphis advances.

I will be back in a few days with updates.

My original playoff picks are at:

http://cdstarrbblog.blogspot.com/2011_04_10_archive.html

Basketball junkies, your fix is on the way!!

Well it is here, the 2009-2010 NBA season kicks off Tuesday night in the US. There are lots of new faces in new places this season along with some familiar ones returning from injuries. For a start I will just make my fearless forecasts.

In the East I see the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavs as the teams to beat while out West, look for a Spurs resurgence in San Antonio along with the always tough Lakers and Dallas as the best picks.

Other surprises could come from the Toronto Raptors, Portland Trailblazers, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets. In the end I’m going for a Spurs vs. Magic finals series.

Jawai Traded

Fresh from: basketball.net.au

MAVERICK JAWAI TRADED TO TIMBERWOLVES

Australian Boomers forward Nathan Jawai has been traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Minnesota Timberwolves less than a week before the start of the NBA's regular season.

The Mavericks received a conditional second round draft pick in 2012 and cash as part of the deal.

Jawai will get more opportunities for court time with the Timberwolves than he would have had at Dallas and is not worried about the frigid temperatures common in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”.

“I’m used to the cold weather after playing in Toronto,” Jawai told Basketball Australia.

“I’m finishing up a couple of games with Dallas and then heading to Minnesota at the end of the week.

“I’m looking forward to getting on court as the T’Wolves don’t have many big men and I’m excited about being in Minnesota.”

Jawai was the first indigenous Australian drafted into America’s NBA when he was chosen by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of last year’s draft.

He was subsequently sent to the Toronto Raptors where he overcame a health scare to appear in six games.

Jawai was then bundled into a four-team trade in July that took to him to Dallas along with All-Star forward Shawn Marion.

After representing Australia with distinction throughout the 2009 international program between June and August, Jawai returned to the US in September for the NBA pre-season where he received limited playing time at Dallas on a roster stacked with big men.

In Minnesota, injuries to Kevin Love (broken hand) and Al Jefferson (recovering from torn ACL) decimated the Timberwolves’ front line and opened the door for Jawai’s move north.

Minnesota’s President of basketball operations David Kahn said however that the Timberwolves were considering the Jawai trade before Love broke his hand.

"Nathan is a young project who likely will add depth to our roster at his position," Kahn said on the Timberwolves website.

"We were contemplating this trade prior to Kevin Love's hand injury, so this move is not intended to replace Kevin in the short term by any means. That would not be fair to Nathan. Rather, this move provided us an opportunity to work with a young player with size, and later determine if he could be a fit for us."

Australia has some history with the Timberwolves, with Basketball Australia and Sport Australia Hall of Famer Luc Longley drafted to the franchise with the seventh pick in the 1991 NBA Draft.

Longley was traded to the famed Chicago Bulls after two seasons with the Timberwolves and subsequently won three NBA Championships from 1996 to 1998 as a team mate of Michael Jordan.

In other NBA news, WA’s Luke Nevill was yesterday waived by Cleveland.

Nevill, a 7-foot-2 centre, averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game over four games with the Cavaliers but received invaluable experience banging bodies at training with the legendary Shaquille O’Neal.

Nevill's departure leaves four Australians in the NBA: former number 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks), power forward David Andersen (Houston Rockets), point guard Patty Mills (Portland Trailblazers) and Jawai.

The NBA regular season starts on October 28, Australian time, when Cleveland takes on Boston.

Houston opens its season on the road against Portland on October 28, Australian time, Minnesota hosts New Jersey on October 29 and Milwaukee opens its season on the road against Philadelphia on October 31.