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Aussies Abroad: Injuries strike Ben Simmons, Aron Baynes as Joe Ingles makes early case for awards

IS Joe Ingles staking a claim for an All-Star berth? Let’s start the campaign now! There is certainly no hotter player in the NBA at the moment than the Jazz small forward. It’s Aussie Abroad.

Michael Randall and Ben Higgins
4 min read
October 23, 2018 - 8:21AM
Joe Ingles just can’t miss at the moment.
Joe Ingles just can’t miss at the moment.

AUSSIE ballers have had a huge start to the NBA season, with Ben Simmons, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes and Dante Exum all impressing in the first week.

But the injury curse has already struck, with both Simmons and Baynes set to miss games.

After an opening night 105-87 loss to the Boston Celtics, Simmons’ triple double in a bounce back 127-108 win over Chicago on Friday tied Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd and Norm Van Lier (13) for the second-most triple-doubles through a player’s first two NBA seasons and made him the first Sixer to have one in a home opener.

But the joy quickly turned to fear when the Aussie star lasted just eight minutes in a 116-115 nail biter against the Orlando Magic, before leaving the game with back tightness.

Coach Brett Brown believes the back injury isn’t serious, but it is still unclear if the 22-year-old will line up against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday (EDT).

“I was told that his back was sore before the game, and they had manipulated it, just for me to be aware of it so I wasn’t surprised,” Brown told reporters.

“I don’t believe it’s serious.

“I would say it sways more on precautionary, but I’m just giving my opinion without any information from our doctors.

“I thought he played OK, but it was clear that something was going on.”

Simmons dedication to his craft was magnified after the loss to the Celtics when he hit the Sixers practice facility - at 2am - to work on his game, before showing out against the Bulls.

Boston Celtics big man Baynes was ruled out of Tuesday’s clash with the Magic with a hamstring injury.

Baynes made his first start of the season in the Celtics thrilling 103-101 win over the New York Knicks, but only managed 12 minutes before leaving the game for good in the second quarter.

He had eight points - including a couple of three-pointers he has become famous for - four boards and three assists against the Sixers, before five points and six boards in a 113-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

JINGLES, JAZZ ON SONG

Joe Ingles has staked an early claim as the NBA’s most improved player.

Through the first two games of the season, Ingles has been the Utah Jazz’s best player.

While the ridiculous 70 per cent from the field and 64 per cent from the outside is unsustainable, Ingles has become the key man in the Jazz offence, stepping up from his stunning efforts of 2017-18.

After lashing the Sacramento Kings with 22 points (on 9-12 shooting) in a 123-117 win, Ingles helped the Jazz take the Golden State Warriors all the way to the buzzer with a career-high 27 points (seven three-pointers).

The Warriors got a tip in from former Jazz man Jonas Jerebko to steal a 124-123 win, but the 31-year-old has the league on notice.

The love for Ingles among his teammates only grows, with star second-year guard Donovan Mitchell heaping praise on the Adelaide-born forward.

Ingles sports early season averages of 24.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5 apg and 3 spg, putting him in the same MIP conversation as the likes of breakout men Nikola Mirotic (New Orleans), Josh Richardson (Miami), Taurean Prince (Atlanta), Caris LeVert (Brooklyn), Cedi Osman (Cleveland) and Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento).

Could he even be an All-Star? Let’s start the campaign now.

Teammate Dante Exum has also impressed to start the season, leading the Jazz’s second unit.

He’s had 13 in each of those games - including one show-stopping dunk - and appears finally healthy and ready to fulfil the potential that made him the No.4 draft pick in 2014.

“I feel like everyone had a good offseason, everyone got healthy and just having the ability to come back as the team we had last year, there’s a bit of pride that we have behind that,” Exum told The Desert News.

“And obviously there’s going to be a bit of swagger and we know that teams are going to come at us this year and hopefully we step up to the plate every night.”

Joe Ingles just can’t miss at the moment.
Joe Ingles just can’t miss at the moment.

OTHER AUSSIES

Dallas rookie Ryan Broekhoff has found minutes in each of the Mavericks’ two opening games, which were split with a 121-100 loss to Phoenix and a high-scoring 140-136 victory over Minnesota.

He scored his first points against the Suns - becoming the fastest Aussie to make an NBA basket - and put up almost identical lines in both games: 3 points, 1-3 three-point field goals in four minutes.

Spur Patty Mills is yet to catch fire, making only three of his 11 three-point tries as the Spurs split their first two games against the Timberwolves and Portland. Mills is averaging 7.5ppg in 26 minutes off the bench.

Simmons’ rookie teammate Jonah Bolden has played just four minutes across three games for the Sixers, while neither Matthew Dellavedova, nor Thon Maker have appeared for the Milwaukee Bucks under new coach Mike Budenholzer.

NFL

It was a case of famine to feast for Lachie Edwards this week.

The Australian punter had just one punt a week ago as the New York Jets won big.

In Week 7, Edwards was called on eight times as the Jets were hammered by the Minnesota Vikings.

Edwards’ eight kicks averaged 47.1 yards as rookie quarterback Sam Darnold and the Jets’ offence failed to fire.

Such was the Jets’ struggles and lack of field possession, only one of Edwards’ punts was downed inside the Vikings’ 20-yard line.

It was an otherwise quiet weekend for Australia’s gridiron stars with Seattle’s Michael Dickson and Pittsburgh’s Jordan Berry on a bye week.

Philadelphia’s Cam Johnston had three punts in the Eagles’ narrow loss to Carolina.

Johnston averaged 45 yards and remains the No.1 punter by yardage in the entire NFL.

All the way back on Friday (EDT) Adam Gotsis and the Denver Broncos defence got their rhythm back against Arizona.

Gotsis had two tackles and continues to be a key cog in the Broncos’ front line.

Adam Gotsis continues to be key to the Broncos defence.
Adam Gotsis continues to be key to the Broncos defence.

NHL

After an impressive first game, Nathan Walker has fallen down the pecking order in Washington.

The Australian winger played the first two games of the new NHL season but has only managed one game since.

In the Capitals’ win over the New York Rangers, Walker only saw six minutes of ice time.

The Sydney native drew a penalty and finished with two hits on nine shifts.

Sadly, Walker hasn’t been sighted at the top level since that game on Thursday (EDT) last week

Originally published as Aussies Abroad: Injuries strike Ben Simmons, Aron Baynes as Joe Ingles makes early case for awards

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/sport/us-sports/aussies-abroad-injuries-strike-ben-simmons-aron-baynes-as-joe-ingles-makes-early-case-for-awards/news-story/a568ef68a969559ff1ca8bf9c62a4e5d