Jawai enjoys career day on court + VIDEO

Australia's Nathan Jawai registered the highest score of his fledgling NBA career today when he scored a team high 16 points on 7-from-11 shooting for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 116-93 loss to the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden in Portland.

Jawai also registered new career highs in field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws attempted, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, total rebounds and minutes played while equaling his career high in free throws made.

Recently traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was hoped Jawai would get more playing opportunities on a team depleted by injury, yet over the course of the first six games of the season he had only registered 12 minutes on court.

Setting eight new career highs and equaling another over the course of a single game is a surefire way to keep those opportunities coming.

The loss was the sixth in a row for Minnesota after it won the opening game of its season against New Jersey on October 29.

Portland (4-3) is within one game of first placed Denver in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference.

Australia’s Patty Mills, who was signed by Portland last month, is still rehabbing a broken foot and is yet to be cleared to play by the Blazers.

In other NBA news, Australia’s Andrew Bogut registered a game high 22 points with 8 rebounds and 4 assists yesterday as the Milwaukee Bucks (3-2) downed the New York Knicks (1-6) at the Bradley Centre in Wisconsin.

Bogut has scored in double digits in his last three games.

NATHAN JAWAI CAREER STATS:

Category:                OLD career high                 NEW career high:

Total points:            4 vs CLE 30.10.09              16 vs POR 8.11.09
Field goals made:     1 (4 times)                        7  vs POR 8.11.09
Field Goals att:         3 vs CLE 30.10.09              11 vs POR 8.11.09
Free throw made:     2 vs CLE 30.10.09              2  vs CLE 30.10.09 (equal career high)
Free throw att:        2 vs CLE 30.10.09              3  vs POR 8.11.09
Offensive rebounds:  2 vs LAC 11.2.09                3  vs POR 8.11.09
Defensive Rebounds: 1 (2 times)                        3  vs POR 8.11.09
Total rebounds:        2 (2 times)                        6  vs POR 8.11.09
Minutes played:        5 vs LAC 11.2.09                23 vs POR 8.11.09