I will go on record as saying that Team USA will face its toughest group match against Australia when the two meet on Thursday.
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Between Andrew Bogut’s defense, earth shattering screens and the Aussie’s persistent perimeter defense, they did great job of frustrating the US and imposing their defensive blueprint on the best offense in the tournament.
Bogut’s path to recovery this summer has been quiet and nearly mysterious, with his status for the Rio games not publicly known until he appeared in the Boomers’ final tune-up match last week. He and San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills combined for 49 points in the win over Serbia, which followed a 21-point trouncing Saturday of highly rated France to set the tone for what has been a men’s tourney filled with upsets already – excluding games featuring the United States.
In their Olympic opener, Joe Ingles and the Australian national team beat down on the Utah Jazz wing’s NBA teammates, Rudy Gobert and Boris Diaw, in a dominating win over the French.
Ingles was quietly effective for the Boomers, scoring 10 points and dishing out five assists. David Andersen knocked down jumpers for fun, looking like an entirely different player to the one who competed in his country’s first two games of the competition.
If the U.S. are going to be tested during the Olympics, this will probably be their hardest game. Yes, that’s right: He’s scored every single time.
A big thanks to new Mavs starting center Andrew Bogut for the 2-0 start.
On a loaded United States roster, everyone’s numbers are bound to stay rather humble.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski limited PG’s minutes to just over 17 after making him a starter, but he closed out the game with several hustle plays that included fighting for a needed offensive rebound and saving the ball by throwing it off Matthew Dellavedova.
Now Australia is looking forward to its shot at the US for the chance to stay there.
This is the 24-year-old’s first Olympic experience, and he’s been documenting some of the highlights on his Twitter account. But that’s a conversation for another time.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle through 33 minutes on Monday, but then Australia hit the gas and left Serbia in the dust, fueled by the go-go play of the Boomers’ bombastic backcourt.
The first quarter ended level at 29-29 and the cheers from the small pockets of Australian supporters in Carioca Arena grew louder as Australia built on their brilliant start in the second quarter as the outstanding Mills finished the first half with 15 points, including four three-pointers, and made some huge defensive plays as Australia limited the Olympic champions to just 34 per cent shooting accuracy in the first half.
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But there was nothing modest about this block. The game tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed online.
