Matthew Dellavedova praises fellow Aussies Aron Baynes, Thon Maker, rates Bledsoe trade

AUSSIE NBA point guard Matthew Dellavedova says Boomers teammate Aron Baynes has finally been able to show how tough and talented he is thanks to the opportunity in Boston.

Aussie Aron Baynes has received high praise from Boomers teammate Matthew Dellavedova. Picture: AP

“HE’S playing well, the big fella.”

Aussie NBA point guard Matthew Dellavedova says Boomers teammate Aron Baynes has finally been able to show how tough and talented he is thanks to the opportunity in Boston.

Baynes has made the starting centre job his own at the TD Garden and is winning rave reviews for his tough as nails defence and ability to find the open man.

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Aussie Aron Baynes has received high praise from Boomers teammate Matthew Dellavedova. Picture: AP

And Dellavedova says the brutal big man has found the perfect role at the Celtics.

“He’s able to do a little bit of playmaking and just provide that toughness and being able to finish out of the pick and rolls and I know he’s enjoying the system there,” Dellavedova wrote in his column for the Australian NBA website.

“Baynes does have nice touch around the bucket with either hand and he’s got a short little jump shot.

“They throw him the ball when (point guard) Kyrie (Irving) gets trapped and he’s been making nice passes if he can’t finish out of the pick and roll, so I think it’s been great for him so far.”

Delly and Aron Baynes step out for Australia during the Rio Olympics. Picture: Getty Images

While the numbers don’t jump off the page, Baynes is averaging career highs in rebounds, assists and blocks, while serving as the Celtics enforcer in the paint and taking the pressure off fellow big man Al Horford, whose game is more finesses than fire.

Dellavedova says the NBA’s new verticality rule — which allows contact in the air, provided the defender jumps straight up and maintains a vertical alignment — had helped Baynes, due to his strength.

“Baynesy’s is a really good defender and he’s one of the best in the league at using the verticality rule to his advantage, because not many guys are able to bump him off in the air and still try to finish when he goes up vertical,” Dellavedova said.

“(Bucks star) Giannis (Antetokounmpo) tried his best in the last game. He drew the foul, but there’s not many guys like Giannis rolling around.”

Thon Maker is battling players who greatly outweigh him, like Memphis’ Marc Gasol. Picture: AP

Dellavedova says his Bucks teammate and fellow Australian Thon Maker had been given the green light to launch from the outside.

“Thon’s gotten a lot stronger, he’s not getting bumped off the ball as much, he’s been playing hard and he’s got his mid-range jumper going in the past few games,” he said.

“We all trust him when he’s got the open look from three to let that fly as well.

“He just brings a lot of energy to the games, even though he’s still on the skinnier side of things compared to some of the guys he’s going up against, he still brings a physical presence because he’s that competitive and he’ll outwork people to get extra possessions on the offensive glass.”

Eric Bledsoe has eaten into Dellavedova’s role at Milwaukee. Picture: AP

Dellavedova’s role has been reduced by the arrival of Eric Bledsoe via trade with the Phoenix Suns, but, ever the professional, he only had praise for the club’s new No.1 point guard.

“Bringing in Eric Bledsoe was huge for us and how we want to play,” he said.

“We always want to get stops and push the ball down the court as quick as we can, but I think when you have someone like that, he might be the only guy that can maybe challenge Giannis to be first down the court and that’s huge for us.”

The Bucks have reeled off four straight wins since Bledsoe joined the club, but Dellavedova did not exceed 20 minutes in any of the first three, before missing the last game against Detroit with knee tendinitis.

What does the future hold for Delly? Picture: Getty Images/AFP