Terrible blow for Exum but let's not over-react
TweetWARM-UP games for major internationals are necessary and it is an absolute tragedy for Dante Exum that he injured his knee today for the Boomers against Slovenia.
Like a lot of ACL injuries, the accident was reasonably innocuous, leaving us all still hoping it may not be that serious.
On the chance that it is though, and the unfortunate consequence is a year on the sidelines, be ready to hear a renewal of the debate “should pros on big salaries with their teams – their primary employers – be allowed to represent their national teams?”
Of course, the answer is “yes”.
Shocking injuries such as the one suffered by Dante can happen anytime. D-Mac wrecked his knee in a charity testimonial game for Mark Davis once. Bet his employers were thrilled too.
But you can’t pack human beings in bubble wrap and think everything will be OK then. I’ve seen an athlete roll his ankle stepping off a footpath and – more than once – seen a player get injured during warm-ups.
It happens. It’s tragic for a young man such as Dante. But he will bounce back and more than likely, bigger and better than ever.
THE likely recall/activation/installation – call it what you will – of Patty Mills becomes essential then.
While most of us always understood why Patty was omitted from selection for the Oceania Series against New Zealand, there should have been a little wiggle room in that decision.
He is, after all, our best-known face of the Boomers, an NBA championship winner last year, a loved and lovable character who, just by the way, can play a bit too.
I believe the Boomers or Basketball Australia already will have reached out to Patty, who will be back in Melbourne from San Antonio early next week.
It’s now really upto him and you know when he says how much he prizes the chance to represent Australia, he means it. Playing for Australia is sweet music to his ears, so to speak.
SO how important are warm-up games?
Well, they are significant in forming understanding and cohesion in a disparate group.
But when various players are sitting out touring games, you start to wonder how important the matches truly are and whether it is the bonding of the tour that is more significant.
Too many fans want to read so much into tour results when, realistically, unless you are privvy to the coaching strategy or the in-house goals of the day, critics mostly are just indulging their own expectations.
Australian basketball learned – or should have learned – its lesson in 1998 when the Boomers played the warm-up Goodwill Games in New York ahead of the FIBA World Championship in Athens.
Many of the countries competing in Athens also played the Goodwill Games so media and fan expectations went through the roof as the Boomers won their way into the Final, before losing 85-93 to the USA in overtime!
Holy Hannah, eh?
Once the Boomers lobbed in Athens, having shown a bit too much of what they would be doing at the Worlds, they finished ninth, well behind a bunch of nations they beat in the warm-up and well below expectations and predictions.
And those were the days when you played off for positions and weren’t just handed an “equal ninth” with anyone else missing the quarter-finals.
The lesson here is losing two games in Lithuania or splitting two in Slovenia won’t, in Humphrey Bogart’s immortal words: “amount to a hill of beans” when the Boomers walk onto the floor against the Tall Blacks.
And no-one will give a flying frapdoodle about how New Zealand went on its tour ahead of the Oceania showdown either.
That understood, Ryan Broekhoff continues to show he is the Boomers “find” of the past 18 months with 13 points and five boards in Australia’s 66-51 win over Slovenia today in Ljubjana.
Chris Goulding scored 12 and Brad Newley 10, Cam Bairstow with seven rebounds.
A couple of fairly handy Boomers – Andrew Bogut and Brock Motum – didn’t suit so what do you make of that?
Pretty much, nothing. But if guys aren’t going to be played in certain games, why was Mills missing the tour given quite so much gravity?
With Exum, Joe Ingles and Aron Baynes all already out, the circumstances most definitely have turned in his favour.
Online
News Corp Patty-for-Dante story: http://bit.ly/1SLgslD
News Corp Stephen Holt signs for United: http://bit.ly/1DoVpP9