The Minnesota Timberwolves are back in the Western Conference Finals, following a five-game defeat of the Golden State Warriors.
Throughout the series, the team saw its expected superstar play from names like Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, as Minnesota quickly become a heavyweight in the loaded Western Conference.
But according to coach Chris Finch, a veteran player and Australian basketball icon has been a crucial piece of their success, despite limited playing time.
Minnesota Timberwolves coach heaps praise on Joe Ingles
Joe Ingles has been one of the most consistent Australians in the NBA for over a decade, putting in work across four different franchises.
Now with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ingles at 37 no longer sees regular minutes, but according to his head coach Finch the Boomers legend has been a key part of the team's success.
"He’s been everything for us in terms of maturity," Finch told reporters.
"He’s helped all the young guys, he’s helped all the vets.
"Everyone always talks about 'You have to have vets on your team to help everybody', but the dirty little secret is, a lot of vets you may not want on your team. You know, they’re trying to hang on to their careers, they're salty, they're selfish, they're a lot of things.
"Not all vets are created the same, but with Joe, we've got an all star in that capacity, he’s selfless, direct, has the right approach and like I said he helped everybody from Rob Dillingham to Rudy."
The Timberwolves will look to use the inspiration of Ingles to make their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, set to take on the winner of Oklahoma City and Denver in the Western Conference Finals.