Ben Simmons has won the battle of the Australians with the Philadelphia 76ers defeating Joe Ingles' Utah Jazz.
Simmons had another double double with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the 104-97 victory on Tuesday in Salt Lake City to continue his stunning rookie NBA season and guide the once ugly duckling 76ers to their fifth consecutive win.
In the final quarter Ingles, who finished with 15 points and six rebounds, was given the job of defending Simmons.
Ingles, a 30-year-old veteran known for his tough defence and trash-talking, held his own with the dynamic 21-year-old Simmons who has broken records in his first 10 games and is already the short-priced favourite to be named NBA rookie of the year.
A couple of times Simmons laughed during the game as the wily Ingles muttered things to him.
After the final buzzer the Australians hugged.
Simmons had six assists, falling four short of claiming the third triple double of his brief NBA career.
Simmons also had three blocks and three steals against the Jazz with the only black spot on his stats sheet six turnovers.
In other NBA games Australian point guard Matthew Dellavedova ventured back to his former home court in Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers, but it was not a good night for his Milwaukee Bucks.
The Cavs beat the Bucks 124-119.
The Cavs' Kevin Love scored a season-high 32 points and LeBron James added 30 to get their team back on track after losing five of their previous six games.
The Bucks, suffering their fourth straight loss, were overwhelmed despite All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo's 40-point effort.
Dellavedova, who will likely see his game time diminish after the Bucks traded centre Greg Monroe to the Phoenix Suns for guard Eric Bledsoe on Tuesday, was underwhelming with just one point from a free throw.
Dellavedova missed all three field shot attempts, had four assists and two turnovers while fellow Australian Thon Maker also did not have much impact with five points, one rebound and one block.
Patty Mills' San Antonio Spurs bombed the Los Angeles Clippers with 15 successful three-pointers in a 120-107 win in San Antonio.
Mills, who has been in hot shooting form and was the starting point guard, had a rough night with just two points and missed five of his six field goals including all three three-point attempts.
Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points.
