The Boomers have given Staff USA an enormous scare, rallying again from a 24-point third-quarter deficit to go down 98-92 within the early hours of Tuesday morning (AEST) in Abu Dhabi.
Australia was behind 65-41 early within the third and even trailed by as many as 18 factors within the fourth however refused to go away, preventing till the very finish.
Josh Giddey was a standout with 17 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists and because the sport went on he developed a robust reference to Boomers huge man Jock Landale, who was arguably Australia’s finest with 20 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists.
Will Magnay, in the meantime, seems to have the soar for the back-up huge man function after a robust exhibiting whereas each established and rising Boomers shone as Dyson Daniels and Matthew Dellavedova impressed.
Watch the Boomers tackle Serbia LIVE on ESPN by way of Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial in the present day >
Australia began the sport with Giddey and Patty Mills sharing the backcourt, with Daniels, Nick Kay and Landale rounding out the line-up.
In the meantime, Staff USA, who was with out Kevin Durant (calf), began Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Joel Embiid.
Landale set the tone for what was a busy opening from the Boomers huge man as he hustled on the boards for the primary bucket of the sport earlier than James drained an open look from deep.
Landale although responded with a 3-pointer of his personal as each groups discovered loads of success from downtown early, with Edwards hitting his first three makes an attempt of the sport whereas Daniels even confidently sunk a triple.
Australia was effectively and really protecting in contact with Staff USA at that time, trailing 14-13 as Brian Goorjian made his first adjustments of the sport, bringing in Josh Inexperienced, Dante Exum and Magnay for Daniels, Mills and Landale.
It was a well-deserved breather for Landale, who had seven factors and 4 boards at that time, whereas it was notable that Magnay was the primary huge to come back off the bench forward of Duop Reath, with the JackJumper impressing in his minutes.
In the meantime, Edwards continued to be lightning in a bottle for Staff USA as he crossed over Magnay after which splashed the stepback 3-pointer.
That introduced up 11 early factors for Edwards and had Staff USA forward 19-13 as Goorjian known as a timeout.
The Boomers responded with a 6-0 run to tie up the sport as Exum fed Magnay within the paint for back-to-back buckets earlier than Giddey drove in direction of the rim to attain on Anthony Davis for his first subject aim.
It didn’t take lengthy for Staff USA to re-establish its lead, kicking again out to 32-21 by the tip of the primary quarter as Australia’s offence struggled to get something going late after going scoreless on six of its final seven possessions.
Plenty of that got here again to coping with the mix of Bam Adebayo and Davis, who have been menaces on the defensive finish.
Jack McVeigh noticed his first minutes early within the second quarter as Daniels produced an excellent backdoor minimize for the end to attain Australia’s opening bucket of the quarter.
If there was one spotlight to come back out of the quarter, it was the best way Giddey was aggressively driving in direction of the rim and discovering loads of success, scoring on back-to-back possessions whereas additionally crashing the glass on the defensive finish.
As a lot as Giddey is clearly a gifted passer, the 21-year-old’s driving capability can be one in every of his largest strengths because the 6-foot-8 level guard developed an efficient two-man sport with Landale.
Elsewhere, whereas McVeigh wasn’t the identical exterior capturing risk as he was within the warm-up video games in opposition to China, he discovered different methods to become involved as he minimize to the paint to cap off what was a 7-0 run for Australia.
Staff USA nonetheless was up 39-30 at that time and rapidly added to that buffer with a Steph Curry 3-pointer, occurring to take a 53-37 lead into halftime.
These early 3-pointers for Landale and Daniels have been Australia’s solely profitable makes an attempt of the half, with the Boomers in any other case going 2-for-11 whereas Staff USA made eight of 19 photographs from deep.
Australia did have the clear benefit within the paint (28-10) however had solely 9 bench factors in comparison with 20 for Staff USA, which is to be anticipated given the star-studded depth Steve Kerr has to work with.
Goorjian opened the third quarter by going again to the line-up that began the sport as Daniels continued to be a shining gentle.
First, Giddey discovered a slicing Daniels for the primary bucket of the interval earlier than the Atlanta Hawks guard got here up with a steal on Davis to dunk it dwelling on the opposite finish.
Mills scored his first bucket of the sport a couple of minutes into the quarter earlier than fellow Boomers veteran Joe Ingles entered the motion for the primary time in a line-up that included Landale, Exum and Inexperienced.
Nonetheless, at that time Staff USA nonetheless didn’t look threatened and led 67-45 earlier than Australia went on a 10-0 run to wrestle again some momentum, with Magnay and Exum closely concerned.
A sloppy USA workforce made back-to-back turnovers which the Boomers changed into fast factors as Exum first discovered Magnay within the paint with a go earlier than the large man dunked dwelling an Exum miss quickly after.
Magnay then outhustled Curry for a free ball to attain his third-straight bucket and cap off the run.
Australia was in a position to shut the hole to 76-61 getting into the ultimate quarter after which bought inside 11 factors of Staff USA as Giddey scored six fast factors, once more relentlessly driving to the rim.
“If there are Chicago Bulls followers watching this sport, they’ve bought to be enthusiastic about Josh Giddey,” play-by-play commentator Jason Benetti stated.
“He has been keen to place his physique into Staff USA all day.”
Dellavedova additionally noticed his first minutes of the sport within the opening phases of the fourth and operated as the first ballhandler with Giddey off the courtroom, making a right away affect as he discovered Mills for a 3-pointer earlier than forcing a steal that changed into a Daniels bucket.
Instantly, the Boomers have been in enterprise with Staff USA solely main 86-80 after lacking its final seven photographs, however a Tyrese Haliburton 3-pointer helped re-establish their cushion.
Australia then turned it over on the subsequent possession after committing a shot clock violation earlier than Haliburton knocked down one other triple to place Staff USA forward 92-80 with simply over two minutes left.
It regarded prefer it was primarily sport over at that time, though there have been nonetheless just a few last highlights — and reminders of what’s to come back — as Giddey first discovered Landale with a precision go after which with a pinpoint inbounds go.
The Boomers fought till the very finish and whereas they got here up simply brief, there will probably be a lot to remove forward of Wednesday morning’s (2am AEST) sport in opposition to Nikola Jokic and Serbia.
Talking of which, listed here are some fast hitters on what we discovered from the loss to Staff USA.
SOME QUICK TAKEAWAYS…
GIDDEY-LANDALE COMBINATION FIRES
The three-point photographs weren’t falling on Tuesday but when there was one constant supply of offence for the Boomers it was via the Giddey-Landale pick-and-roll.
Landale was the early standout and whereas Giddey solely actually began to warmth up within the second quarter, it was noticeable when he did.
Merely, he regarded extra assured driving in direction of the rim as an alternative of all the time on the lookout for the go first, though when it offered itself — particularly within the type of Landale — Giddey discovered him.
In any other case, Giddey was additionally wanting comfy on the lookout for the end himself and whereas it didn’t all the time come off it was good to see the 21-year-old leaning into that a part of his sport.
Landale’s absence was felt eventually yr’s World Cup however with the Boomers huge man wholesome and Giddey firing in his Olympic debut, Australia appears to be like to have discovered a key a part of its offensive id.
PATTY MILLS DOES NOT
Clearly Australia’s poor 3-point capturing just isn’t all the way down to Mills alone but when the veteran guard is to have a big function in Paris, he desperately wants to search out his shot.
Mills made one 3-pointer late within the piece on Tuesday however in any other case struggled, going 1-for-5 from deep and 2-for-8 from the sector to complete with 5 factors and simply as many turnovers.
What makes Mills’ efficiency significantly regarding although is the actual fact it isn’t a one-off. He wasn’t in a position to get into any form of rhythm within the warm-up video games in opposition to China too.
If the photographs aren’t falling for Mills, it’s exhausting to see him enjoying a big function in Paris and as an alternative it could find yourself making extra sense for him to get restricted minutes off the bench.
DYSON’S DEFENCE IMPRESSES
The younger Atlanta Hawks guard was one of many larger surprises to come back out of Tuesday’s sport.
Everyone knows Daniels has the instruments on defence to make an affect however he was additionally getting concerned on the opposite finish of the ground, making an early 3-pointer and slicing to the basket to complete the sport with 14 factors.
Now, Daniels’ capability to get stops (three steals) and spark transition buckets may as soon as once more pose the query as to why Matisse Thybulle was ignored given he has related strengths that may have been priceless to the Boomers of their Paris marketing campaign.
However regardless, it was promising to see a extra assured and composed Daniels impress in his first vital minutes below Goorjian, who was reluctant to play him eventually yr’s World Cup.
MAGNAY THE BACK-UP BIG?
That’s what it appears to be like like for those who contemplate the actual fact it was Magnay and never Reath who changed Landale when the Boomers’ beginning huge man bought his first relaxation.
Now, that may not have been set in stone had Magnay not put within the efficiency he did, scoring eight factors to go along with three rebounds, two steals and a block.
That was simply in 11 minutes too. The hustle and willingness to struggle for each possession and take it to a bodily USA workforce packing loads of dimension was noticeable.
Reath, in the meantime, was solely given two minutes and at this stage could solely see extra enjoying time in particular match-ups, particularly if the Boomers want a floor-spacing huge.
WHAT ROLE WILL INGLES AND DELLY HAVE?
For Ingles, it appears to be like like Goorjian is certainly not compelled to ensure the Boomers veteran a lot enjoying time until the 36-year-old is totally wanted, giving him simply three minutes on Tuesday.
Dellavedova solely noticed 4 minutes however he made essentially the most of his brief stint within the fourth quarter, working the workforce with Giddey on the bench and including a much-needed spark on each ends of the ground.