Ten things we learned about the Boomers and Opals from Ballin’ 24

Both teams have played two exhibition games apiece this week, giving us insight into how the teams are developing, and how they desire to play in Paris.

Australian Boomers

1. Jock Landale is key to this team’s success

It was great to see Landale back on the floor in a Boomers jersey on Thursday night. He started off a little rusty, but once he got going – and he got going in a big way in the second half – he looked elite. Landale remains the best big man on the roster. His ability to anchor the defence, protect the rim, crash the boards, rim-run in transition and stretch the floor are all big pluses for this team. His skill set is perfect for what Brian Goorjian needs out of the five spot and if it wasn’t already, it’s very clear just how much he was missed last year at the World Cup.

And those things are what his teammates expect from him to, as he told The Pick and Roll earlier this week.

“We’ve done some pretty rare stuff for a team, which is to sit down with one another and define each other’s roles. And what does the rest of the team expect from us,” explained Landale.

“And what I got was just activity, intensity, toughness, being that vocal guy out there, which is at times something that we’ve probably missed, and just being a pressure release for our offence.

“Whatever happens offensively, defensively is whatever, it’s more so just being the guy who’s really loud defensively, and then offensively being a pressure release, setting hard screens, doing all the gritty work. And I think that’s where I really made my career in the NBA, that’s what I did in Tokyo, was just be a monster on the glass and try to do that to the best of my ability.”

Jock Landale versus China on Thursday. Photo Credit: Basketball Australia

2. Patty Mills needs more reps to get some rhythm

Patty Mills has struggled shooting the ball this week. That much is obvious to everyone who’s been watching.