In the weeks since the loss, the Boomers’ players have gotten settled in their new homes for this coming season and gone through the preseason with their respective clubs.

Here in the United States, the NBA teams returned to action during the last week of September when they opened training camp for the 2010/11 season.

And of course the most anticipated return was Andrew Bogut of the Milwaukee Bucks after his gruesome season ending right elbow injury towards the end of last season.

Bogut has been sidelined since early April and missed the end of the 2009/10 regular season as well as the Bucks’ playoff appearance.

The Bucks really struggled without Bogut in the lineup against the Atlanta Hawks in their opening-round playoff series, and are hoping he is able to return to action sooner rather than later.

Bogues has been participating in practices on a limited basis, but has not seen action in any of Milwaukee’s first three preseason games while trying to get some added rest.

To expect a lot out of him right out of the gate would be foolish, and for the Bucks to rush him back into a preseason game would be moronic. He is the key to Milwaukee’s success on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Bogut wreaks havoc on opposing defenses by dominating the inside with his jump hooks from just outside the key, and he solidifies the Buck’s defense by patrolling the paint where he averaged career-highs in both defensive rebounds (7.1) and blocks (2.5) last season.

It will be very frustrating for Bogut at the start having to deal with minor discomfort and not being able to compete at the level he has been accustomed to, but it is essential that he realizes the bigger picture and not try to push himself into a career threatening situation.

Coach Skiles will have to limit him early in order to save him for the rest of the year, but once he is back to form there’s no reason to expect anything less then the dominance he showed last season.

Also returning to action in the NBA were Patty Mills and David Andersen.

Mills has signed a one-year deal to be part of the Portland Trailblazers again for this season and is currently listed as the third string point guard behind Andre Miller and Armon Johnson (one of their 2010 Draft picks).

In his first three preseason games Mills has played in very limited minutes off of the bench. He registered two points in just six minutes in the first game, did not play in the second, and recorded just one rebound in the third while going 0-for-3 from the field.

Hopefully Patty will see some more time in the coming weeks as the season and finalization of the NBA roster draws closer.

Andersen, on the other hand, has been seeing a large chunk of time off the bench for the Toronto Raptors whom he was traded to in the offseason.

He played in 16 minutes of Toronto’s opening game against the Phoenix Suns and scored six points, grabbed four rebounds, and had two steals.

In the second, he registered five points, two rebounds, and one steal in 22 combined minutes against Boston.

The rest of the Boomers abroad are playing for various well respected teams in Europe.

After playing last season in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nathan Jawai has signed with Partizan Beograd and is having a very good start to his season.

Despite their heart-breaking 78-79 loss Jawai racked up 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting, pulled in two rebounds, and had one steal in 22 minutes.

In Spain CB Granada has started 0-2 even though Joe Ingles has been on fire.

Ingles is following his strong performance at the World Championships by averaging 21.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals over 22 minutes per game.

Brad Newley also tipped his season off this week as part of Lietuvos Rytas playing 34 minutes and scoring nine points (2-for-7), snagging four rebounds, got two steals, and had one assist.

Lastly, AJ Ogilvy –after missing the cut for the Boomers World Championship squad- is having a phenomenal start in Turkey with Besiktas.

Ogilvy has averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in his first two games (2-0).

The rest of the Boomers in Europe should be starting their seasons within the next few weeks, so keep checking back for updates on them in addition to the ones mentioned above.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

•    Opals Coach Carrie Gaff tells the AAP that she wants her star Opals in the WNBA to sit out the season prior to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

•    Opals beat France to finish a disappointing 5th place at the World Championships.
- Lauren Jackson averaged 13.4 pts and 7.9 rebounds while Penny Taylor had 10.8 pts, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists… They looked tired after the long grueling WNBA season and it showed in the way they played.

•    Boomers have strong starts overseas, setting up the potential for most to have a very promising year.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK

•    Will Bogut see some game action?

•    Can Patty Mills work his way into a more prominent role off the bench in Portland?

•    More Boomers to play in Europe