What America really thinks of our Aussie basketballers

TEAM USA’s players and coaches were respectful ahead of their clash with Australia. The US media? Not so much.

Dellavedova has earnt America’s respect.

TEAM USA basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has already declared his side can lose to Australia, noting the Boomers will start five NBA players in a game that will likely decide who finishes on top of group A in Rio.

Assistant Tom Thibodeau, the former Chicago Bulls coach who will take the reins at Minnesota next season, also sees the threat posed by Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova and co.

“They play inside-out, they share the ball, they run, they protect the rim well, they’re physical,” Thibodeau said. “They set great screens, keep the ball moving, play for 40 minutes.”

But they were always going to say that. A team featuring Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and 10 other NBA stars will be favoured to win — and win handily — against everyone they face at these Olympics. But the lessons of Athens 2004 tempered US arrogance.

The best way to get a handle on how America is viewing Thursday’s game is from the US media. And it’s been far more critical.

Australia has earnt respect with convincing wins against France and Serbia but there’s no real sense they’ll trouble the cruise liner-dwellers.

Delly became a cult hero alongside LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bogut needs to fire for Australia to stand any chance of winning.

CBS Sports basketball reporter Matt Moore noted how Australia’s pick-and-roll attack was “pulling defences to pieces” but believed their three-point shooting and wing play would prove to be a downfall.

“Australia is shooting 34 per cent from deep in the tournament, and aren’t great on the wings,” Moore wrote. “Team USA is likely to trap the Boomers’ small guards aggressively, forcing kickouts. The wings have to be ready to knock down shots in such situations, which is why they need strong games from Joe Ingles and Ryan Broekhoff in addition to whatever Mills and Dellavedova can provide.

“Team USA will likely feast on the wings, so expect more dominant performances from Kevin Durant, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony. Australia just doesn’t have the athletes on the edges to challenge them there. It’ll be interesting to see how much Coach K blitzes Mills and Dellavedova to try and wreak havoc with turnovers.”

The Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein also attempted to put Krzyzewski’s comment on the Boomers’ starting five in perspective. They may play in the NBA, but they don’t star like every one of the American players.

The Aussies have started strongly in Rio.

“On paper, the Aussie five can’t hang with the top American unit of Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins,” Greenstein wrote. “The Boomers can’t run with them, either. No team here can.

“But a team of Matthew Dellavedova (now with the Bucks), Patty Mills (Spurs), Andrew Bogut (Mavericks), Joe Ingles (Jazz) and Aron Baynes (Pistons) is no joke. (Backup Cameron Bairstow, though, was mainly a source of amusement for Bulls fans.)”

ESPN analyst and self-described international hoops junkie Fran Fraschilla also noted the Boomers toughness.

“What Australia has going for it is a good core nucleus of NBA players,” Fraschilla told USA Today. “They’re a nice blend of young but experienced high-level international players. What makes them dangerous is they’re tough, smart, hard-nosed players. They have great chemistry.”