Nuggets missing star import for final games
The Otago Nuggets are looking to "finish off with a fight".
The Nuggets wrap up their NBL season with a double-header on the road. They play the Taranaki Airs tonight followed by the Manawatu Jets on Sunday.
However, they will be without American import Don Carey jun, who has returned home for personal reasons.
He as been their most productive scorer, averaging 22.4 points.
"He's been really good with us this whole year," coach Mike Kelly said.
"We'll miss him, but more opportunity for some of our young guys to step into bigger roles."
Noah McDowall will travel with the team in the place of Carey jun.
"That's the opportunity," Kelly said.
"I see Caleb Smiler getting some more minutes at the point, along with Darcy Knox, and then Michael Ruske being able to step up and play a few more minutes."
The Nuggets have had a tough season — as indicated by their 2-16 record — and have been a mixed bag against their final two opponents.
They beat the Jets 108-104 on March 27 and lost 92-78 to the Airs on June 7.
The Airs are third with a record of 11-8, while the Jets dropped their last game and have slipped outside the playoffs to seventh with a record of 9-10.
Kelly said both teams had plenty to play for, making for big encounters.
"Two good competitive teams, and really strong, and talented, so it's exciting to get to finish off with a fight.
"We have two good games against these guys.
"The Airs, more recently, we lost at home. We were great for three and a-half quarters and then they finished us off.
"The Jets, we were able to get at their place early in the season."
It has been a frustrating season for the Nuggets, who appear to stick with teams for the opening three quarters then drop off in the last.
But Kelly said they had been "more up and down" across the first three quarters.
"If we were just more consistent throughout then we'd be going into these fourth quarters with six to eight-point leads, instead of down six and fighting back to make it a two-point game.
"It's been more the inconsistency throughout the whole games, but it shows up at the end, you know.
"You might have to fight the whole time just to get back to and even spot and then you don't have enough gas to get over the line."
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