Australia's Matthew Dellavedova, a secret weapon even the Cleveland Cavaliers probably didn't realise they had until the NBA playoffs started what now seems like eons ago, will be ready for Game 4 of the NBA Finals which tips off at 9 am Singapore time.
Despite a 2-1 lead going into Game 4 of the best-of-seven NBA Finals at 9 am Singapore times today, the Cleveland Cavaliers hunkered down in their hometown court for what they know will be an all-out blitz by the Golden State Warriors to even the series going back to their home court in Oakland for Game 5.
That would not only be played their hometown fans but before what's expected to be one of the largest prime-time national TV audiences for an NBA game on a Sunday night in the US (Monday 8 am Singapore time). Moreover, the Finals are being broadcast live in 47 different languages in 215 countries around the world, including Singapore.
A win by the Cavs means that they could put away reigning MVP Steph Curry and his teammates in Oakland in front of of a massive - and growing - prime-time audience in the US not to mention unprecedented international interest.
The international interest has been bouyed by the fact the NBA's 30 teams had rosters with a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories on opening night of the current 2014-2015 season. In the Finals alone, there are players from seven different countries, including Delly as the Australian point guard has come to be known in Cleveland.
Delly has filled in for the Cavs injured All-Star Kyrie Irving, virtually shutting down Warriors golden boy and reigning MVP Stephen Curry thus far - except for a fourth quarter spurt in Game 3 in which he led his Warriors from a 20-poiont deficit to within one point, before Cavs megastar LeBron James put the hammer down, with a little side of Delly.
The Australian played so hard in fact for some 40 minutes that he had to be taken to the Cleveland Clinic hospital in an ambulance after the game, said to be suffering from severe cramping and dehydration.
ESPN reported today that the Cavs may try to limit Delly's playing time tonight but that his reaction to that was: "No way."
The Warriors' hometown newpaper, the San Francisco Examiner, referring to Delly as the "resident Tasmanian devil", reported that he was out of hospital "no doubt after knocking over a few gurneys and undercutting an anesthesiologist or two".
Of the trouble he's been having with Dellavedova's gritty guarding of him, Curry told reporters: ""He's an NBA player. He's here for a reason, so there is a reason he's able to impact the game for them. He's made some plays the last couple games that helped them win games. So there is no discrediting him as a player just because of where he's come from and his background."
Thompson is one-half of the Warriors' so-called "Splash Brothers" along with the NBA's Most Valuable Player, Stephen Curry.
The nickname refers to the duo's ability to "splash" the net with the ball, most notably when making three-pointers.
Curry, of course, along with teammate Klay Thompson is one-half of the Warriors famed "Splash Brothers" - known for their ability to "splash" the net with the ball, most notably when making three-pointers.
During his day off interview, Thompson pointed to his team's 36-point surge in the fourth quarter in Game 3 - giving credit to Lee, who proved to be an effective substitution in the end game, and giving the Warriors some confidence going into today's game.
"At the end of the day, we did put ourselves in a great position to win... we put the pressure on them (the Cavaliers) in that second half," he said. "We gotta do that from the jump (today)."
