How Lachlan Olbrich, Tyrese Proctor and Dyson Daniels closed out the NBA regular season
Several Aussies found their time to shine in the last game of the NBA season, and it might be a sign of great things to come.
The back end of every NBA regular season always presents itself as an opportunity for unexpected players to step into a larger role, for a brief period of time. As the wear and tear of the 82 game regular season accumulates, a lot of the big names will sit out games here and there, either due to injury or for rest purposes. At the end of the 2025-26 season, and during the final game in particular, three Aussies capitalised on the occasion and really stood out.
Dyson Daniels was a regular starter all season for the Atlanta Hawks, but stepped up to deliver an outstanding all-around performance, while Tyrese Proctor and Lachlan Olbrich posted numbers well beyond their standing as second unit players. Games like this are often a sign of greater things to come, as we’ve seen with Aussie players in the past; Patty Mills for instance dropped his NBA career high of 34 points for a shorthanded San Antonio Spurs team at the tail end of the 2011-12 season.
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)
Dyson Daniels is well known for his all-around contributions to the Hawks, averaging 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. He also posts 2.0 steals per game - a number which perhaps undersells his overall impact as a perimeter defender. With numbers like that, Daniels is a frequent triple-double threat, but only achieved this feat once in the 2025-26 season, at least before the final game that is. Atlanta blew out Cleveland by a 124-102 score line on their home court in the season closer, to cap off an encouraging season for the developing team, while Daniels posted his second triple-double of the year - 13 points, ten rebounds and 12 assists.
Daniels also unsurprisingly had a team-high +/- of +36, with his contributions on both ends playing a large role in Atlanta’s win. Although he missed his only three-point attempt, the Aussie was effective in the paint, going 6/10 from the field overall. He showed excellent chemistry with C.J. McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, setting up his shooters for a combined five three-point makes in the first half alone. Daniels was also tenacious on the glass, with five of his ten rebounds corralled on the offensive end. Atlanta’s blowout win over a top four Eastern Conference team like Cleveland would have provided a massive confidence boost, especially heading into the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Daniels proved in this game that he excels as a primary ball handler, and can impact winning at both ends of the court. The 23 year old was a key cog in Atlanta’s perimeter defensive unit, which held Cleveland to 7/27 shooting from beyond the arc. Expect to see plenty of Daniels in the Hawks’ first round series against New York, where they will go in as underdogs. But don’t be fooled - the Hawks have hit top form in the back end of the season, going 28-15 since they controversially traded star guard Trae Young.
Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland Cavaliers)
On the losing end against Daniels’ Hawks was fellow Aussie Tyrese Proctor, who recorded 15 points and four assists in an admirable performance. But unlike Atlanta, Cleveland had one more game remaining, where Proctor was thrown into the fire for 35 minutes of playing time. Proctor’s previous season high for minutes played was just 27, so it was clear that Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson wanted to see what he was made of.
The 19 year old rose to the occasion in a 130-117 win over Washington, which was close for the first three quarters before Cleveland pulled away late. He dropped 22 points on 9/16 shooting from the field, including 4/8 from three-point range, living up to his reputation of being a fearless shooter. After shooting under 35% from downtown up until that game, this barrage of points would have given Proctor a confidence boost heading into year two. He also threatened a triple-double, adding 11 rebounds and eight assists to his stat line, albeit at the cost of seven turnovers.
Proctor doesn’t have the same knack for picking up offensive rebounds that made Daniels a coveted player, but showed that he can put his 6’4 frame to use on the defensive boards. His eight assists also happened to be a team high, in a sign that Proctor has potential as a primary ball handler. The Cavaliers are currently one of the strongest teams in the East, and finished on a 52-30 record, so Proctor has his work cut out to try and earn a larger role. However, with aging guards like James Harden and Dennis Schröder on their roster, Atkinson will be looking to Proctor as a young player who can cement his role in the rotation moving forward.
Lachlan Olbrich (Chicago Bulls)
Speaking of triple-doubles, Lachlan Olbrich achieved the feat in just his second start for Chicago, which also turned out to be their final game of the season. Playing against a Mavericks frontcourt missing superstar Anthony Davis, Olbrich had his way inside, scoring ten points on 4/7 shooting while corralling fifteen rebounds. Of those fifteen, he pulled down seven rebounds (nearly half) on the offensive glass, proving to be a real hustle player for the Bulls.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Olbrich’s stat line was that he dropped 10 assists, while conceding only one turnover. Even in the modern era of playmaking big men, which has been underpinned by the likes of Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis, it’s rare to see a power forward or centre hit double-digit assists. Olbrich proved himself to be very mobile for a big man, setting plenty of screens and regularly picking up the ball near the perimeter, while also collecting plenty of touches inside. He is adept at finding both cutters and shooters, often showing confidence in throwing a bullet pass or a nifty hand off.
Olbrich hasn’t shown much of his developing jump shot this season, but that will be an area of key interest moving forward. At 6’8 he would be considered undersized relative to NBA centers, and maybe even in comparison to most power forwards. The outside shot will be his ticket to a long career in the NBA, but after posting a 2/19 clip from downtown this season, there’s plenty of work ahead.
Nonetheless, Olbrich has proven he belongs in the NBA as a versatile big man, whose strengths lie in rebounding and passing.