Aussies to watch in NBA Playoffs

City s Foden Shaw win Writers POTY awards

There are Australians scattered right across the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Josh Giddey is a starter on the No. 1 seed in the West, there's a duo set to play prominent roles in one of the postseason's dark horses, while some will be fighting for minutes as rotations tighten across the teams still in the title race.

A total of seven Australians - across six teams - are featured on rosters going into these playoffs, with the action tipping off on Sunday (AEST), and the league looking as wide open as ever.

Here's a look at what to expect from them.

Josh Giddey - Oklahoma City Thunder (#1 seed, Western Conference)

Giddey in Oklahoma City presents the best chance for an Australian to win an NBA Championship this season.

The Thunder finished as the No. 1 seed in what was one of the toughest Western Conference cohorts in recent memory, naturally putting them as one of the favourites to win it all. They're a unique case of possessing immense talent that got them to this point, but also have a lack of postseason experience that warrantebly has some doubting how far they can advance during this time of year.

Giddey has played a significant role in the Thunder's success this season, starting in every game he's been active for. While he took more of a back-seat over the regular season - the team leaning on MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, emerged star Jalen Williams, and elite rookie Chet Holmgren as its primary trio - and though it took some teething, Giddey bought into being a connector for the Thunder, and has improved progressively as he's grown into that role.

After some struggles to start the season, Giddey averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists per game over the course of March and April combined, while shooting 37.3 percent from downtown in that stretch. Those were significant improvements, relative to the start of his season. The shooting jump was particularly important as he continues to play next to dominant ball-carriers like Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, and with the game slowing down in the postseason. The 21-year-old managed to enter season-best form just as the playoffs were approaching, which bodes well for his fortunes going into the Thunder's First Round matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans matchup will see two teams that faced off in last season's play-in - the Thunder won that contest - go at each other in a series. It pits Giddey against fellow Australian, Dyson Daniels; both of whom are graduates of the NBA Global Academy in Canberra.

Game 1 of the Thunder-Pelicans series tips off on Monday, at 11:30am.

Josh Green and Danté Exum - Dallas Mavericks (#5 seed, Western Conference)

In Green and Exum, we have two Australians who will likely both play a material role in a Mavericks team that could be one of the dark horses going into the playoffs.

Both play a similar role, too, so, while they do have the capacity to play alongside each other, they're theoretically competing for minutes. The pair are long, athletic wings who've shot it well from deep this season, making them the perfect complement alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Green averaged 8.2 points per game, and shot 38.5 percent from downtown, on a career-high 3.3 attempts a contest. As well as developing into an ideal offensive fit next to Doncic, Green has the point-of-attack defensive chops and motor to be an important piece in the playoffs. His minutes were limited as last postseason progressed, but there's good reason to think he's matured to the point of earning the trust of head coach Jason Kidd to play extended minutes this time around.

Exum has returned to the league and filled that complementary-to-Luka role to perfection. He does similar things to Green: bring high-level on and off-ball defence, as well as shoot it effectively from beyond the three-point line. While it was only on 1.8 attempts a game, Exum shot it at 49.1 percent from downtown, and showed off some clutch shooting moments over the course of the regular season.

Neither Green or Exum are expected to start - it seems Derrick Jones Jr. has earned that spot going into the playoffs - but that could change as the postseason progresses, and both should still play an important role for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks face the Los Angeles Clippers in the First Round, with Game 1 tipping off on Monday morning at 5:30am.

Joe Ingles - Orlando Magic (#5 seed, Eastern Conference)

Ingles has been more than just the elder statesman and veteran presence for a relatively young Magic side.

Though the 36-year-old's usage is the lowest it's been since his rookie season - and yes, usage is an imperfect statistic - he's carved out a role doing the things we know he excels at: spotting up from downtown, and playmaking out of pick and rolls.

The Magic have a top-three defence, but have struggled offensively, so Ingles being a secondary ball-carrier in the half-court has helped this team's fortunes. Ingles has developed a nice chemistry with his bigs - particularly Mo Wagner - finding them on the roll after coming off on-balls or dribble hand-offs; the Australian averaging 3.0 assists, to go with his 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Of course, Ingles has consistently been a sharpshooter from beyond the three-point line at the NBA level, so, while his attempts have halved (2.4 a game), he's at an elite 43.5 percent from downtown.

Ingles has averaged 17.2 minutes a game over the regular season, and is one of the only players on this Magic roster with any playoff experience, so it'd be surprising if his role diminished at all. On and off the court, Ingles has a heap of value for the Magic at this time of year.

The Magic's First Round matchup is against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Game 1 tipping off on Sunday at 3am.

Dyson Daniels - New Orleans Pelicans (#8 seed, Western Conference)

Daniels was part of the Pelicans team that defeated the Sacramento Kings in the final play-in game of this season, setting up a matchup with Giddey and the Thunder.

It was late March when Daniels returned from a torn meniscus, and he played a key role in the Pelicans' hunt to make the play-in as the regular season came to a close. Over April, the 6'8 guard/wing averaged 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 43.5 percent from downtown in 26.1 minutes a contest.

Now, as expected, that opportunity was reduced in the Pelicans' two play-in games - Daniels played a total of 12 minutes - so there's an expectation that the 21-year-old will be treated with a much tighter leash in the team's First Round series. Rotations naturally tighten in the playoffs, and one of the youngest players on the roster is generally the victim of that.

We've seen Daniels used as a defensive specialist, which could either look like a specific matchup - and that's very possible against a wing-heavy Thunder team, who have multiple ball-carriers that need containing - or just finishing quarters with more of a presence on that end of the floor. Daniels will get his opportunity, but he's behind CJ McCollum, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Naji Marshall in that guard/wing rotation, so he'll need to perform in those limited minutes in order to keep himself on the floor.

Game 1 of the Pelicans-Thunder series tips off on Monday at 11:30am.

Patty Mills - Miami Heat (#8 seed, Eastern Conference)

Mills has provided a nice spark off the bench for the Heat since joining the team in March, but don't expect him to get any real minutes in the playoffs.

Even with Terry Rozier out with injury over the Heat's two play-in games - he should be available for the First Round - Mills didn't get any burn, and he's well behind Tyler Herro, Delon Wright, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jacquez Jr., and Haywood Highsmith in the rotation, either at the point or any off-guard/wing spot.

It's a typical Eric Spoelstra formula for the postseason, which prioritises length and athleticism at this time of year for defensive purposes, and it's helpful that those pieces on the Heat's roster are largely high-level shooters, too.

The Heat's First Round matchup will be against the No. 1 seeded Boston Celtics, with Game 1 tipping off on Sunday at 3am.

Jaylin Galloway - Milwaukee Bucks (#3 seed, Eastern conference)

Galloway is a two-way player for the Bucks, so he's ineligible to play in the postseason.

The 6'6 wing has spent the majority of his time with the Bucks' NBA G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, but is still technically on the Bucks' roster for the Playoffs. Like Jack White with the Denver Nuggets last season, if the Bucks are able to go all the way and win a championship, Galloway will walk away with a ring.

The Bucks face the Indiana Pacers in the First Round; Game 1 tips off on Monday at 9am.