Aussies in NBA: Delly records 12 assists in losing effort

It’s been a hot start for the Aussies in the NBA and Matthew Dellavedova has done his part, dishing out a season-high 12 assists in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 112-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHBlfgRedUY

Dellavedova’s 12-assist effort against the Pelicans was the second highest of his career, tying a mark he has reached twice previously – in a 113-108 win over the Washington Wizards in April 2015 and in a 122-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons in April 2014. Both of those games came when Dellavedova was still a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was the third time Dellavedova has fallen one assist shy of his career-high, a 13-assist outing he had against, ironically, Milwaukee in November 2015.

Graph via Statmuse and Jayme Markus.

Dellavedova complemented his 12 dimes with seven points and five rebounds, but it wasn’t enough, as the Bucks fell to 4-4 on the season, giving the Pelicans their first win of the 2016-17 campaign.

Despite his reasonable stat line, though, Dellavedova will be kicking himself after only managing to spilt a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left and the Bucks down 108-105. On the very next possession, Anthony Davis hit a jumper, ending any chance of a Milwaukee comeback.

Dellavedova is averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and a steal, while shooting 43.5 percent from the field in his first season with the Bucks. All those numbers are career highs, as Dellavedova leads Milwaukee in assists.