There's a good chance the Australian representation in the NBA Playoffs will stretch from the very beginning until the dying stages of the postseason.
It'll all start with the Play In Tournament, with a Victorian duo going head-to-head for a chance to jump into the playoff picture, but there are also Australians scattered across the teams atop both conferences that are legitimate chances to win it all
A total of eight Australians - across seven teams - are featured on rosters going into the postseason, and the action all starts on Thursday (AEST) with what should be electric play-in games.
Here's a look at what to expect.
Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans) - Play-In Tournament
From an Australian perspective, all eyes will be on the 9th vs 10th Play-In game in the Western Conference to start the postseason, because we'll see Dyson Daniels' New Orleans Pelicans go up against Josh Giddey's Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder exceeded the expectations of their developmental timeline to sneak into the 10th seed in the West, and the leap Giddey took was a big part of that. The 20-year-old averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, playing a key creation role for a Thunder team that finished with a 40-42 record. Giddey's jump-shot also took a leap - 32.5 percent from downtown, up from last season's 26.3 percent - which made his partnership with first-time All-Star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, more effective and tenable long-term.
Giddey will go into this play-in game against the Pelicans having started every game in his career thus far, so the expectation is for him to contribute significantly like he has all season, but it'll be his first NBA postseason environment with a young Thunder team.
Daniels' role with the Pelicans is more as a role player - he's established himself as a consistent rotation guard off the bench - but is still an important piece for Willie Green's team.
Daniels averaged 3.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game over the regular season, and demonstrated himself as a really quality point-of-attack defender in the NBA. Even when the Pelicans got healthy toward the end of the season - though still without Zion Williamson; likely for at least the start of the playoffs, should they make it - Daniels retained his spot in the rotation, largely due to his versatility on the defensive end. It wouldn't be surprising to see Daniels matched up against the Thunder's main creation options in Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, and Jalen Williams.
The winner of this play-in game moves on to face the loser of the Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves matchup.
Ingles is tracking to play a significant role for a Milwaukee Bucks team that has a real shot at winning it all.
The 35-year-old has been a perfect fit for the Bucks, playing a 3-and-D type of role that makes him an ideal player to share the court with Giannis Antetokounmpo, while showing off his playmaking chops with the team's second unit. Ingles' ability to operate out of pick and rolls with Brook Lopez has become one of the staples of the Bucks' offence, and that versatility Ingles brings on the offensive end has made him a really important part of the team's journey toward a deep playoff run.
Ingles averaged 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game during the regular season, and shooting it at a really impressive clip: 40.1 percent from downtown, with that number increasing in the months of March and April.
The Bucks enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, and will wait until the Play In Tournament comes to an end before finding out their first round opponent.
The Phoenix Suns will go into the playoffs as one of the favourites to win it all, and there's a chance Landale could play a role in what should be a deep postseason run.
The big-man has made the most of an increased opportunity this season, averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, occupying a good chunk of the backup minutes at the centre spot for Monty Williams' team.
Going into the playoffs - against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round - Landale's spot in the Suns' rotation isn't looking as hopeful as it did even just a month ago. With Deandre Ayton returning to the lineup, Bismack Biyombo has mainly been used as the backup five-man in the rotation, leaving Landale with multiple DNP-CDs as the season came to a close.
We've seen a level of fluctuation with the backup centre spot throughout the season, and it's sometimes been matchup based, giving Landale some hope. The 27-year-old has shown to be a reliable option for the team, and the first round matchup against Ivica Zubac may bode well for his chances to see minutes early in his first NBA postseason.
Matthew Dellavedova - Sacramento Kings
While Dellavedova hasn't played a prolific role in the Sacramento Kings' franchise's dramatic journey back into the postseason, he did what was asked of him: be a reliable, no-nonsense veteran who helps build up the culture of the team.
But, while the Kings are riding high going into their first playoffs in 17 years, Dellavedova will miss the start of it. The Australian point guard suffered a right index finger fracture at the end of March, and recently underwent surgery to repair it.
The likelihood is that Dellavedova will miss at least two weeks with that sort of injury, ruling him out of the Kings' first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.
Patty Mills and Ben Simmons - Brooklyn Nets
Trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving only seemed to bolster this Brooklyn Nets team, who have uncovered the hidden offensive potential of Mikal Bridges and have operated extremely well by committee.
Of course, there are a pair of Australians who've been on the roster since the beginning of the season - Patty Mills and Ben Simmons - but there's no real expectation either will see the floor for any legitimate minutes in the postseason.
At the end of March, Simmons was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a lingering back issue, though he had dropped far down Jacque Vaughn's rotation well before that announcement. Mills, who still produces at a respectable level when afforded the opportunity, is healthy but has been pushed to the back end of the Nets' rotation; if the team is healthy, the overwhelming likelihood is that Mills won't see the floor.
The Nets' first round matchup will be against the Philadelphia 76ers, who are led by Joel Embiid and James Harden.
White is a two-way player for the Nuggets, so it's extremely unlikely he'll get any run for the Western Conference's No. 1 seed, but he's still part of their roster and would walk away with a ring if they go all the way.
The forward's G-League season has been elite, and he's demonstrated a versatile defensive skillset when he has stepped foot in an NBA game, so the hope is for White to get the most out of being amongst the playoff experience, with an eye toward making the Nuggets' roster for next season.
The Nuggets' first round opponent will be decided by the Play In Tournament.