Exits push Paris to the front

Murray, Gilgeous-Alexander, others have chance to rest before gearing up

- DOUG SMITH

Andrew Nembhard, who had a breakout post-season with the Pacers, is not officially on the Canadian roster but has been mentioned by name by Canada coach Jordi Fernández.

Canada has had a pretty good run through the NBA playoffs.

It will be of no solace to fans of the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder or Indiana Pacers, and in all likelihood it will be the same for the Minnesota Timberwolves. But to a nation’s basketball fan base, the NBA post-season has played out almost perfectly.

Jamal Murray of the Nuggets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and, earlier this week, Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard played just enough high-intense post-season games to whet their competitive appetites but they were done at least a month before the Canadian Olympic team’s training camp will open.

And Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker is one loss from seeing his season end, as soon as Thursday night, which would give him more than four weeks off before ramping up for the Paris Games.

For Canada Basketball officials dreading the possibility of injuries to a key player, or an extended postseason run bumping up into the Olympic camp with no time for recuperation, the timing couldn’t be better.