Backs to the wall Aussies fighting for survival

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The two remaining Australians in the 2026 NBA Playoffs – Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor and San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Matt Nielsen – have their backs firmly against the wall in the Conference Finals.

Sydneysider Proctor, 22, has played less than a minute as the Cavaliers have run into a red-hot New York Knicks squad chasing their first Finals appearance since 1999. The Knicks can sweep the Cavaliers tomorrow (Tuesday, May 26, 2026 – AEDT) in Cleveland.

Nielsen’s Spurs stole Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in Oklahoma City in double overtime, but since then, the defending champion Thunder’s depth has been too much for the Victor Wembanyama-led 62-win San Antonio.

Australians have played a part in the last three consecutive NBA Finals and eight of the past 12:

• 2025: Johnny Furphy – Indiana Pacers
• 2024: Josh Green and Dante Exum – Dallas Mavericks
• 2023: Jack White – Denver Nuggets
• 2016: Matthew Dellavedova – Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2015: Andrew Bogut – Golden State Warriors
• 2025: Matthew Dellavedova – Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2014: Patty Mills and Aron Baynes – San Antonio Spurs
• 2013: Patty Mills and Aron Baynes – San Antonio Spurs

Proctor played in 50 games in his rookie season after being drafted in the second round out of Duke University, but is fourth in the Cavaliers' point guard depth chart behind future Hall of Famer James Harden, FIBA World Cup champion Dennis Schroder and Craig Porter Jr.

Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 2025–26 Regular Season: 50 games (1 start) │ 10.9 minutes │ 5.4 points │ 1.3 rebounds │ 1.5 assists │ 0.5 steals │ 0.0 blocks │ 41.3 FG% │ 35.1 3PT% │ 88.9 FT%

Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland Cavaliers) – 2025–26 NBA Playoffs: 3 games │ 1.3 minutes │ 0.7 points │ 0.0 rebounds │ 0.0 assists │ 0.0 steals │ 0.0 blocks │ 100 FT%

Neilsen, 48, is one of the most decorated players in NBL history, winning two championships as a player (2003 and 2004) and is a three-time NBL champion as an assistant coach to Trevor Gleeson at the Perth Wildcats (2016, 2017 and 2019).

He moved to the US in 2019 as an assistant coach of San Antonio’s G League affiliate and was appointed head coach in 2020. He became an assistant under Gregg Popovich in the NBA in 2021.

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals is today at 10am (AEDT), with the Thunder leading the series 2-1, while the Cavaliers fight for survival tomorrow, with the Knicks up 3-0.