“He takes a lot of pride, first and foremost, in playing for the USA”, Australian guard Patty Mills said.
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US team called “The Dream Team” became the most scared and trusted to bring home a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Australia, on the other hand, shot 68 percent from the field.
But Mills’ silky skills went under the radar as he dominated the scoring and maintained his position as the leading scorer of all nations at the Games.
The Australians, with five National Basketball Association players (four of whom have won National Basketball Association titles), were led by San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills (30 points, including six three-pointers) and Milwaukee Bucks point guard Matthew Dellavedova (11 points and 11 assists).
Australia scored just 34 points in the second half, and the U.S. shot 56.3% and made 5-for-9 three-pointers in the fourth quarter. The cakewalk to Olympic gold hit a bump on Wednesday, perhaps a smack back to reality for a group that may need to start taking these Games a little more seriously.
Having dispatched China 119-62 and Venezuela 113-69 in the previous matches, this was a rather tricky opposition that United States of America were facing.
But Mills will trade any individual statistics for the chance to chase a medal. Sheer talent – and some timely 3’s from Carmelo Anthony – saved the Americans, but the Boomers from Down Under exposed some weaknesses even if they were not able to get the final job done.
“The match is a big picture of why we are here”.
Australia was accused of being a dirty team after the Boomers rattled the super confident US Dream Team in a thriller. Team USA did all that they can to keep their champion status. And Australia tested them early. Taurasi had five 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes, equaling her Olympic team record.
After the game, Dream Team star Paul George said the Australian had a reputation for being dirty.
“This is the real world now and that’s good for us”, coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “It was an adjustment for us”. “I would say if Carmelo played on any team long enough he would be the leading scorer, that’s the kind of scorer that he is”. “Carmelo was magnificent, we earned the win, and we are going to have to earn the wins throughout”.
To let Anthony tell it, the Americans had been expecting such a game and will be a better team now that they’ve actually experienced it. Not only did Anthony make 9-of-15 3-pointers, he held his own down low, grabbing eight rebounds.
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“Australia merely took its confidence to the logical end, and it wasn’t until Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles rimmed out a turnaround jumper with 31 seconds left that Team USA – up four and with possession of the ball – could rest”. “He’s the reason we won tonight”. Australia has probably played the best of everyone in the Olympics.
