Aussies shaking the tree in the US
BEN Simmons and Joe Ingles have delivered ominous warnings to rivals heading into the NBA Playoffs.
Simmons continued to make NBA history with personal achievements while leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a franchise record-tying 14game win streak after a 109-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The win guaranteed the former ugly duckling 76ers home court advantage in next weekend’s first round of the post-season.
Simmons, the Melbourneborn 21-year-old, who became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over a 10-plus game win streak, warned the Sixers are yet to peak — with injured All-Star centre Joel Embiid still to return to the team.
“We’re getting a lot better,” Simmons said after the home win over the Mavericks.
“We are still missing Joel and once he gets back I think it’s all going to come together.”
Simmons, the favourite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, has been on a history-making run averaging 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 10.9 assists. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists against the Mavericks.
The 76ers have soared to the third in the Eastern Conference and are likely to play the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
The latest win gave Philadelphia their 50th victory of the season, a marked difference to their 28-54 record last season and the deplorable 10-72 record in season 2015-16.
It is their first 50-win season since Allen Iverson’s 2000-01 team, which lost in the finals.
“For me it’s huge and for the team it’s definitely huge,” Simmons said of the 50 wins.
Ingles and his Utah Jazz have been impressive in the Western Conference. Ingles continued his lethal shooting form with 22 points, connecting with nine of his 12 field goal attempts, in the Jazz’s 112-97 away demolition of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Boomers forward had 10 assists, four rebounds and a thunderous dunk, which had his teammates jumping off the bench in jubilation.
The Jazz’s other Aussie, Dante Exum, added six points, five assists and three rebounds.