Australia took on Team USA in Pool A of the Olympic basketball tournament in Rio, most likely to decide who wins the pool.
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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).
“We beat a heck of a team tonight”, Krzyzewski said.
Bogut was again a monster on defense. proving tough to get a shot past, he had three blocks but altered many shots.
Or maybe Wednesday was the high tide and the US players will look at their shoes and realize they’re still dry.
He also called the Australians, who start five NBA players and feature two former NBA players on their bench, “role players”: “These guys are role players in the NBA”.
Colmenares led the team with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
“We have a different mindset this Olympics and hopefully we can keep that grit and determination”.
A three-pointer from Irving with 1:37 remaining brought the lead back to 7 and a split pair of free throws from Irving and two from Durant brought it to 10. “Mr”. An eventual double-digit win didn’t tell the full story for Team USA, which needed to overcome an early struggle against a talented Australian team that never stopped moving offensively.
Alba Torrens scored 32 points to lead Spain to an 89-68 win over China on Wednesday as the Spaniards improved their position in women’s basketball group play behind the undefeated USA and Canada.
Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving had the answers in the first test for the USA men’s basketball team. His mastery behind the three-point line (nine for 15) caused an audible reaction from the pro-Australian crowd inside Carioca Arena 1.
The Americans will counter with their high-powered lineup of Anthony, Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson.
Carmelo Anthony led the way for the USA as he scored 31 points in the game, taking the all-time lead in points scored for the national team.
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.
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The offensively sharp Aussies largely out executed the gold medal-favorites in the first half, slipping screens and using back door cuts to subvert the Americans defensive switches while shooting a scorching 63 percent from the field. While they are better by 30 or 40 points (or more) than nearly everyone they’ll be facing in this tournament, there are some teams that can take advantage of being disrespected, and Australia nearly did. All three will be back in action on Friday, when the Australians face China and the United States of America takes on Serbia.
