Andrew Gaze was arguably the best basketball player from Down Under, representing Australia in five successive Olympics/ The Australia men's basketball national team, nicknamed the Boomers, came close to a medal on three occasions. Gaze, who played for Washington Wizards, missed those chances of adding an Olympic medal to his trophy cabinet. Patty Mills and Joe Ingles are about to tie Gaze's Olympic record.
The 2024 Summer Olympics marks the fifth successive time that Mills, who plays for Miami Heat, and Ingles, who plays for Minnesota Timberwolves, would don the green-and-gold jersey. The duo were instrumental in Boomers' fourth place in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Australia played Spain for the bronze medal. The Boomers lost by one point, a game so close and heartbreaking for Mills and Ingles.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics had a different ending, as Australia won their first medal in international basketball game. The bronze was like gold for the Boomers, and they set their sights on winning the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. But Australia failed to advance to the quarterfinals. Is time running out on Mills and Ingles? Not really.
The current roster of the Australia men's basketball national team is a mix of veterans and young guns, where the latter would lead the Boomers in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. For Mills and Ingles, Paris might be their last Olympic appearance. (Luis Scola, who last played for the Brooklyn Nets, was 41 years of age when he represented Argentina in the 2020 Summer Olympics.)
Australia will play Canada, Greece, and Spain in the group stage of the 2024 Olympics, the toughest group in the preliminary stage. The top two teams will advance to the quarterfinals while the third-best team might make it depending on the win-loss ratio of the third-placed team in Group B and Group C respectively. Many analysts are predicting the Boomers as the team to finish in last place in Group A. They were mistaken though.
Australia and USA played in Abu Dhabi last July 15. Both teams will meet Serbia after that game. The game was more interesting than exciting, as it offered lots of insights on how the men's tournament would turn out. Here's our observations:
The Boomers have a good chance of advancing to the knockout round of the 2024 Olympics. The Americans showed better offense in their second friendly game and they must be commended for their willingness to share the ball. However, Australia's last-quarter rally would be noticed by the other teams, Serbia in particular. Team USA was beatable.
The Americans may have a deep bench, but it's not a guarantee. Kevin Durant's wish of winning every game by 40 points won't happen in Lille. The Boomers lost by six points, but this loss was an encouraging sign. They have a fighting chance against Canada, which is composed of NBA players, and Spain, which won the 2006 FIBA World Championships and the 2018 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Josh Giddey was the star of the friendly game for the Boomers. Josh Giddey, the point guard of Chicago Bulls,. delivered an impressive performance with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and assists in 26 minutes of action. Expect the Melburnian to be one of the top scorers in the 2024 Olympics.
And he's only 21 years of age. Giddey represented Australia in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Giddey is a gifted passer, but the recent friendly game have shown that his driving ability is one of his strengths as well.
“If there are Chicago Bulls fans watching this game, they’ve got to be excited about Josh Giddey,” play-by-play commentator Jason Benetti said.
“He has been willing to put his body into Team USA all day.”
The tandem of Jock Landale and Josh Giddey was on fire (during that friendly game). Many Mills and Ingles to shine during the Australia vs. USA game, but it was Jock Landale and Josh Giddey who were on fire. Landale, a center for the Houston Rockets, started to heat up during the second quarter.. And then he found Giddey.
If Landale were healthy last year, he might've helped Australia advance to the knockout round (of the 2023 FIBA BAsketball World Cup). He'll get another chance in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup (in Doha). Is the tandem of Jock Landale and Josh Giddey the answer to the French duo of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert? Fans will find out during the knockout round. Landale’s role is bigger than that.
“I just try to be a glue guy between the age groups and get us together,” Landale said. “Being able to step into a bigger role, helping Gidds, Patty and Josh Green to get some easy looks, or if they call on me, to score - I’m ready for whatever.”
Fans will witness a team transition to the next generation in Paris.
Patty Mills was noticeably off during the Australia vs. China friendly game. And it happened during the USA vs. Australia (friendly) game. Mills's never-say-die attitude, and leadership abilities, would inspire the rest of the Boomers.
But his shots are needed. Canada, Greece, and Spain might exploit it (during the preliminary competition). Ingles called for Mills to be dropped from the Boomers’ starting five (after the USA vs. Australia game). But something happened the following night.
Ingles played for three minutes (during that USA vs. Australia friendly game). There was no guarantee that Boomers coach Brian Goorjan would give him more playing time in Paris. It remains to be seen if Goorjan is giving Ingles the much-needed rest before the men's tournament begins. What do you think?
Basketball analysts apologized to Patty Mills for doubting him.
Australia played against Serbia in Eihad Arena (in Abu Dhabi). Fans were delighted to see the Patty Mills of old: quick, passionate, and extremely confident. Mills scored 28 points, leading Australia to a 84-73 win over Serbia. Some fans pointed out that Bogdan Bogdanovic was resting (after Serbia\s win over France) and the Serbian captain might play in the Serbia vs. USA game the next day.
It doesn’t diminish Mills’ performance, who made fans in Eihad Arena, and the fans from all over the world, that the Boomers can make it to the podium. Again. Goorjan saw plenty of improvement, with Canada, Greece, and Spain looming in the so-called “Group of Death”.
“If you look at the game last night [against the US] to tonight, we were a lot sloppier with the ball last night. I thought we were better with basketball. We know we’re in an absolute shitfight in our group, so all we can do right now is control being the best version of us.”
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