Aussies in the NBA Week 15. Photo: @sixers, @BrooklynNets/Twitter.
Patty Mills saw his offensive role increase in Week 15 NBA action with Brooklyn’s big three all missing games. The week also saw the return of Matisse Thybulle from a shoulder injury, with the guard having an instant impact on the defensive end.
Week 15 ended on a sour note with Joe Ingles going down with what looks to be a serious left knee injury in the Jazz’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Patty Mills
3 Games, 0 Wins 20.0pts, 2.3reb, 4.0ast, 1.3stl
The Brooklyn Nets have continued to tumble down the Eastern Conference standings now sitting in sixth after losing all three of their games this week. The Nets are currently struggling to find consistency in their lineup with the team leading scorer, Kevin Durant sidelined with an MCL sprain, Kyrie Irving only able to play certain games and James Harden dealing with a hand injury.
Patty Mills has been the one consistent for the Nets all season long, suiting up for 47 of Brooklyn’s 48 games. Mills had one of his best weeks this season scoring, as he had to carry a bigger offensive load with the Nets injury troubles.
Brooklyn began the week playing the LA Lakers in a highly anticipated game, however turnovers cost them as they fell by 10 points. Mills had a decent game, finishing with 15 points, three made three-pointers, two assists and a steal.
Brooklyn next would host MVP favourite, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, where Mills was without any of Brooklyn’s big three. Mills tried to do all he could to drag Brooklyn over the line, but it was not enough, losing 124 to 118. Mills had 21 points, shooting 50% from three as well as six assists and a steal.
To conclude the week, Mills had some more help with Kyrie Irving able to play when the Nets visited the Golden State Warriors. Again the Nets fell just short, going down by four points, where a late foul by Irving on Klay Thompson sealed the result.
While Mills was not over efficient scoring the ball, going at 38% on his 21 attempts, he was still able to score from deep with no problems, making six of his 12 shots from beyond the arc. Overall Mills finished with 24 points, four rebounds and assists and a pair of steals and blocks.
Mills has now scored 20 or more points in 16 games this season.
Joe Ingles
3 Games, 0 Wins, 3.7pts, 3.0rebs, 2.7ast
It was an injury-riddled week for Aussie Joe Ingles who missed the Jazz first game against the Phoenix Suns due to an ankle injury before going down with a serious left knee injury today against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ingles sustained the injury when his left knee buckled underneath him as he drove to the basket halfway through the second quarter. The game was delayed as he had to be helped off the court with fears he has suffered a serious injury to the knee. Ingles will now fly back to Salt Lake City where he will have an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.
Ingles only managed 12 minutes of playtime before the injury and during that time collected two rebounds and had three assists.
Mid-week Ingles was able to suit up for two games against the Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies. In Utah’s second meeting with the Suns for the week, Ingles started and finished with six points, three rebounds and an assist.
He remained in the starting line-up in the Grizzlies match-up, scoring five points as well as collecting four rebounds and four assists.
It now appears that Ingles will spend a lengthy amount of time on the sideline with the initial assessment fuelling considerable concern of a serious knee injury according to NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Josh Giddey
2 Games, 0 Wins, 12.0pts, 9.0reb, 5.5ast
Josh Giddey’s Oklahoma City Thunder are currently going through a rough patch having lost their past seven games. Despite the disappointing results Giddey has continued to put up good all-around numbers in the Thunder’s two games this week.
The Thunder first played the Chicago Bulls in a close one point loss where they rallied back from 28 points down in during the third quarter to almost steal the victory. Giddey finished the game with nine points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The Thunder had another close loss in their other game this week against the Indiana Pacers, where they fell by three points in overtime. Giddey recorded another double-double in the game with 15 points on seven of 15 shooting and 10 rebounds, he also dished off five assists.
In the Thunders next game against the Portland Trailblazers tomorrow Giddey could potentially achieve another personal milestone, needing just three points to reach 500 career points.
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Matisse Thybulle
3 Games, 3 Wins, 6.3pts, 2.0reb, 1.7ast, 2.0stl
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently rolling behind the incredible play of Joel Embiid, winning all three of their games this week, as Aussie Matisse Thybulle returned from a shoulder injury. With Thybulle back healthy and in the starting line-up the 76ers look a much better team defensively as they continue to close in on the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
Thybulle first game back came against the New Orleans Pelicans, where he made an instant impact on the defensive end, finishing with two steals and a block. He also put up three points, four rebounds and three assists in the 117 to 107 victory.
Next, the 76ers meet the LeBron James less LA Lakers, who they handled with ease, blowing them out by 18 points. Thybulle played a big role in slowing down the Lakers on offence by cutting passing lanes to finish the game with four steals and a block. Thybulle provided efficient scoring as well going at 66% to add eight points to the 76ers total.
In Philadelphia’s final game of the week, they hosted the Sacramento Kings a team they have been in continuing trade discussion with about wantaway Aussie star Ben Simmons. The Kings put up a good fight, but the Sixers were able to hold their nerve and come out victorious by two points.
Thybulle had another efficient scoring night going at a perfect 100% shooting the ball, making two three pointers in the process to finish with 8 points. Uncharacteristically Thybulle did not get any steals or blocks for the game as he only played 19 minutes due to getting into foul trouble during the third quarter.
Thybulle is currently having a career-best year scoring the ball, going at 49.4% from the field, a big improvement from the 42% he averaged last season. He is also averaging a career-high in steals with 1.9 a game and points averaging with 5.8.
Jock Landale
3 Games, 1 Win, 4.3pts, 3.0reb, 0.6ast
Jock Landale and the San Antonio Spurs had a tough schedule of games this week, playing many of the leagues in-form teams.
They first meet division rivals, the Houston Rockets, who they handled easily, blowing them out 134-104. Landale was able to make a valuable impact by helping to stretch the floor from the centre position, finishing with two made three pointers for the game.
The Spurs next meet current Southwest conference leaders, the Memphis Grizzlies in a competitive affair. Landale did not get much court time with coach Gregg Popovich opting for smaller line-ups.
Landale finished the game with just two points as well as four rebounds and a steal.
The Spurs next met the Chicago Bulls, however Landale did not earn any playing time with Popovich again playing a smaller line-up to negate the impact of Chicago’s star duo of DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine.
Landale returned to the rotation to the Spurs final game of the week against the Western Conference leading Phoenix Suns. The Spurs looked like they may steal the win but the Suns rallied in the final quarter to outscore them 36 to 19 to leave five point victors.
Landale had five points for the game and grabbed three rebounds, two assists and a steal and block.
The Spurs currently sit in 11th in the Western Conference, just two games out of a spot in the play-in tournament.
Josh Green
4 Games, 2 Wins, 9.0pts, 1.5reb, 2.8ast
Josh Green continued to provide valuable minutes off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks, with the 21 year old uping his production as the week went on.
The Mavs first game of the week came against the Golden State Warriors, where they were blown out by 38 points, their second biggest losing margin of the season. Much like the rest of the Mavericks, Green struggled to score the ball going two of eight from the field to finish with just four points. He did however make life difficult for the Warriors collecting two steals as well as dishing off three assists.
Dallas returned to winning ways in their following game against the Portland Trailblazers, behind an equal team effort. Green played 15 minutes and during that time put up nine points, a pair of assists and a block.
The Mavs went on to blow out the Indiana Pacers by 27 points in their next game as Green hit double figures for the first time in over two weeks. Green went an efficient four of six from the field to finish with 12 points as well as adding a single rebound, three assists and a steal.
Green closed out the week with another double-digit performance in the team’s close loss to the Orlando Magic. Despite the loss, Green was again efficient scoring the ball shooting at 66% and going a perfect two of two from behind the arc. Green had 11 points for the game as well as one rebound and three assists.
In his second season in the league, Green has seen his role with the Mavericks grow averaging career highs in points, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage.
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