Basketball New Zealand

Sean Marks averaged 3.2 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16 minutes per game during the 2009 NBA Playoffs

Kiwi NBA star Sean Marks’ career-best postseason came to a premature end in Denver on Thursday.

Marks and his New Orleans Hornets were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs after a 107-86 loss to the Denver Nuggets, completing a 4-1 series loss in the Western Conference first round.

The former Tall Black, who last appeared for the national team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, managed four points (1/2 FG, 2/2 FT), five rebounds and two steals in 22 minutes of court-time as the Hornets lost by 20-plus points for the third time in the series.

Before the 2009 NBA Playoffs started last week, Marks had played only three postseason minutes in his previous eight seasons in the Association. That number is now 83.

Marks averaged 16.0 minutes per game in the playoffs, racking up averages of 3.2 points and 4.0 rebounds, all equal or higher than his regular season numbers. He also finished with three steals, two blocks and shot 6-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul-line.

The 2.08m back-up centre entered the game at the 4:54 mark of the first period, coming in for All-Star Peja Stojakovic, and scored all of his four points in the next three minutes, making two freebies after being fouled by Denver’s “Birdman” Chris Andersen.

Marks’ lay-up off a Chris Paul assist with 1:52 remaining in the first gave New Orleans a nine-point lead, their biggest lead of the game, which was short-lived for the seventh seeds as Denver soon closed within a point.

The Hornets remained close throughout the second quarter and until a 16-4 run in the closing four minutes of the third period, part of a 31-17 quarter, turned the game on its head.