Australian guard Johnny Furphy grabbed a crucial rebound to seal the Indiana Pacers’ skid-breaking 114-112 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Meanwhile, disgruntled superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has made a big statement regarding speculation of a trade out of Milwaukee ahead of the deadline.
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Second-year guard Furphy’s positive play came in a meeting with fellow countryman Josh Green as the travelling Pacers beat the Charlotte Hornets to snap a whopping 13-game losing streak.
The 21-year-old former second-round pick took another promising step as he continues to emerge in the Pacers’ rotation, again getting the start in the continued absence of injured guard Ben Mathurin.
Furphy finished with a modest seven points on just three shots, but he added six rebounds, two assists and a block as he continues to show genuine three-and-D promise at the top level.
And Furphy wasn’t shying away in the early going, driving to the basket with purpose and drawing a foul.
“I love it. I really like seeing these guys stay aggressive,” Pacers broadcast analyst Quinn Buckner said.
“(Furphy’s) confidence is such that he’s willing to take that risk (drive to the basket in traffic).”
The Australian had five points to his name in his first nine minutes on the court, also draining a three-pointer to help Indiana build a lead.
Green, meanwhile, canned a three-pointer of his own during his initial stint on the floor.
Furphy played three minutes in the second quarter but was pulled back to the bench after committing a shooting foul.
Returning in the third period, the Kansas University product made an impressive hustle play that drew plaudits, grabbing two offensive rebounds — despite getting blocked on his first putback attempt — and getting fouled on his second attempt at the rim.
“Love the effort,” Buckner said in reaction as the six-foot-eight guard took his tallies to seven points and four rebounds.
Furphy played six minutes in the fourth quarter as things got tense — with the margin never increasing past four points in that time — before he exited at the four-minute mark.
Furphy, who attended Canberra’s Australian Institute of Sport, didn’t add to his modest stat-line in that span, but simply being on the court in a clutch stretch is a clear sign of head coach Rick Carlisle’s trust in the Aussie.
He was then put in the game for Charlotte’s final possession as it looked to tie or win the game, with Furphy trusted to play a key defensive role to help close out the visitors’ triumph.
Hornets guard Collin Sexton missed a game-tying jump shot, and Furphy got front position on his opponent to snatch the crucial rebound as time expired, denying the possibility of a Charlotte putback attempt to seal the result.
Green, meantime, finished with three points on three shots in 18 minutes of action off the bench.
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The Melburnian played in the injured Mathurin’s place against the Cleveland Cavaliers two nights ago, logging 31 minutes.
He scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a hard-fought outing that was headlined by an eye-opening breakaway slam in transition.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle admitted post-game he “probably should have played him more in the 2nd half.”
Asked why Furphy got the start, Carlisle added: “He is starting because of how hard he plays. And that he does rebound and runs and goes hard and does things in our system that are very important.”
**GIANNIS PUTS BUCKS TRADE RUMOURS TO BED: ‘I’M LOCKED IN’**
Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to insist that he has not demanded a trade out of Milwaukee and that he is “locked in” to play for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo, 31, reaffirmed his position in an interview with The Athletic that was published on Thursday amid the ongoing speculation over his future with the Bucks.
“There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’ ” Antetokounmpo told the outlet. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
The Bucks have not engaged with other NBA teams regarding a possible trade, though it was previously reported that the team had talks with the Knicks over the summer about a possible deal. The two sides never really got anywhere, however.
“I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team,” he said. “I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I wanna win games.
“The last six games we’ve played, we’re 4-2. We have a lot of games in front of us. I’m locked the f—k in. I’m locked in. My priority is just staying healthy.”
The Bucks superstar also told the outlet that his plan was to be in Milwaukee for the rest of his career and insisted that “I’m not the one in charge. I am an employee.”
Antetokounmpo does still hold considerable cards at the table in the situation in Milwaukee, where he’ll be eligible for a sizable extension on Oct. 1. He also has an opt-out clause for the summer of 2027 as part of his current deal.
During the lengthy interview, Antetokounmpo told The Athletic that he was “1 million per cent” committed to “my teammates, to my craft, to this team and to this city.”
— _with Christian Arnold, NY Post_