Story of the year
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Just like last year, it was all about Australians in the NBA Finals. One guy, unheralded Cleveland guard Matthew Dellavedova, had a great individual performance, rising above expectations to curtail Warriors marksman Steph Curry in the early stages of the series. Dellymania reached Linsanity-like heights as he proved his doubters wrong with a series of dogged displays.The other, Andrew Bogut, lost his starting spot when Golden State went with a small-ball strategy but tasted championship success for the first time when the Warriors accounted for the Cavaliers in six games.
Issue of the year
On the Australian scene the big issue was the relaunch of the NBL. Melbourne businessman Larry Kestelman bought the league and gave it a makeover. Would it work? Halfway through season one and the signs are promising. Crowds are up, TV ratings are growing with all games broadcast live, and the playing standard is rising rapidly. The diehards have been taken care of, now the NBL needs to keep convincing casual observers to keep coming back for more.
Star of the year
Steph Curry. The Golden State Warriors guard has been unguardable. His three-point range is pretty much anywhere inside the offensive half. Not since Michael Jordan has the NBA seen a player capable of scoring at will like Curry. After a relatively modest performance in last season's finals series, his white-hot shooting was the catalyst for Golden State's 24-game unbeaten streak to start their title defence.
Lighting up the league: NBA MVP Steph Curry. Photo: Getty Images
Controversy of the year
The ABC opted to end its coverage of the WNBL before this season after 35 years of support for the league. It was a near-sighted decision by the bean counters of the national broadcaster. Fans have to watch via the WNBL live-streaming on YouTube. Isn't the ABC set up to cater for issues, events and sports that are not covered by the mainstream media? Hopefully this dreadful situation is rectified soon. By tomorrow would be good.
WNBL deserves TV exposure: Canberra's Renee Montgomery drives to the hoop against Sydney Uni Flames. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Quote of the year
"I heard that he already has my jersey." New York rookie Kristaps Porzingis, after his hot start to the season, when asked about the young Knicks fan who was seen crying on live TV when the Latvian was selected at No.4 on draft night. Next best was Draymond Green's sarcastic "Cool story, Glenn" in response to Clippers coach Doc Rivers' criticism of the Warriors forward after an incident with LA opponent Dahntay Jones.
Social media storm of the year
Without a doubt, the Twitter explosion that occurred during the DeAndre Jordan "hostage crisis" when he stayed in his house with LA Clippers teammates and coach Doc Rivers until he could sign a contract by midnight to stay away from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Emojis flew back and forth with J.J. Redick, Chandler Parsons and Paul Pierce getting involved before Clippers forward Blake Griffin hit the game-winner with a photo of a chair placed against the door.
Don't agree with the furniture layout but I'm not an interior designer. pic.twitter.com/23PNgQB88z— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin32)
July 9, 2015
Shot of the year
Which one of Steph Curry's do you choose? Almost impossible to isolate but here's a clutch one – the last-ditch corner three in game three of the first round of the play-offs against the Pelicans, capping a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback. He should have also been given a free throw to win the match but his clutch shot forced overtime in New Orleans and the Warriors went on to win on their way to a series sweep.
Match of the year
The LA Clippers' win over San Antonio in game seven of the first round of the Western Conference play-offs. Virtually every pundit tipped the Spurs to continue the Clippers' play-off nightmare but LA showed true grit to fend off their veteran opposition's best punches time and time again down the stretch. It all came down to Clippers guard Chris Paul, carrying a hamstring injury, driving to the hoop in the dying seconds, defended by Danny Green and Tim Duncan. His prayer was answered after kissing high off the backboard and LA progressed to a second-round showdown with Houston. That turned out to be when they'd have their annual post-season meltdown.
Flop of the year
The Sydney Kings. Yet again the NBL's biggest market was let down by the Violet Crumbles. Last season they finished among the also-rans after star import Josh Childress got injured. This season they have sunk to the bottom of the ladder while Childress has again been sidelined and look set to finish with a losing record for the sixth straight year since their rise from the ashes of the Firepower ownership debacle.
A prediction for next season
He got game: Teenage basketball phenomenon Ben Simmons. Photo: Janie Barrett
Ben Simmons will be bigger than Ben Hur. The young Australian forward has been compared to the likes of LeBron James and Magic Johnson and Anthony Davis. He won't fall into the trap of believing the hype and will go No.1 in the NBA draft. He will likely end up in a huge market like Philadelphia, Boston or the Los Angeles Lakers, and be the cornerstone of a franchise revival.
