In honour of his appearance in the 100th episode of NBA Straya, today we look back at big Andrew Bogut — the Croatian-Australian Wilt Chamberlain — in his first EVER NBA playoff game 12 years ago… when the big fella went harder than Tony ‘Plugger’ Lockett at the Ballarat Pizza Hut all-you-can-eat buffet!
See, Endeavour Hills’ favourite son led his Milwaukee Bucks up against the Rasheed & Ben Wallace-era Detroit Pistons in the first round, and unfortunately for the big fella, while the Wallii were flanked by Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups, Big Bogey was surrounded by spuds like Dan Gadzuric and Jamaal Magloire.
Still, Bogut tried his hardest to fang like my mate Tall Kane tearing up the Maroochydore foreshore in his old HK ute… but had a rougher night than the last time Andrew O’Keefe hit up Revs.
While the rest of his team wilted like a used abandoned franger on a Frankston footpath, Bogey — while getting swamped by the Wallii — still fought like bloody Jeff Fenech at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in ’88, eventually getting to 5-of-13 shooting for his 10 points. Which still nearly led the bloody team!
The man bigger than the Dandenong Ranges also tore down 7 rebounds like mighty Samson tearing down the Temple of Dagon, and added 3 assists in a fit of charity more befitting Princess bloody Di, considering the rest of his team shot 26 of 74. That’s worse than the time that useless flog Darren Milburn blindsided poor Steve Silvagni down at Princess Park.
Anyway – you’ve gotta start somewhere, and this was the start of a career of playoff appearances that would peak when Bogut led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title over Delly and the Cavs in 2015! What a dead-set ledge!
#ONYA Big Bogey!
**Smash NBA Straya’s EPIC 100th Episode featuring ANDREW BOGUT here**