With the 2024 Paris Games in full swing, top contenders Team Canada and Team Australia are set for a crucial collision course featuring former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.
Canada vs. Australia is one of four men's basketball games scheduled for Tuesday at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Canada is coming off a hard-fought win over Greece in their opener, while the Boomers overpowered three-time silver medalists Spain.
Thunder fans will cheer for another team besides their native, Team USA as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort look to build on Canada's bronze medal success from the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
History with the Oklahoma City Thunder
Having shared the backcourt for four seasons in Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey know each other well. Their paths diverged this offseason when the Thunder traded Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso.
Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted their familiarity stating, “I know his game like the back of my hand, and I'm sure he knows mine the same way. It's going to be a fun matchup.”
The 26-year old Gilgeous-Alexander is the leader of the Canadian team. He's one of the league's best players and was the MVP runner-up last season. The Great White North’s success will hinge on his performance.
Canada must first make it through a tough group stage, where they'll face formidable teams like Australia, Spain, and Greece before playing for the medal games.
SGA and Josh Giddey during their exhibition games
SGA was exceptional in his team’s exhibition games, except for their opening loss to Team USA. His standout performance came against Victor Wembanyama and a talented France team, where he scored 23 points in a 12-point win.
Meanwhile, Giddey posted 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in a loss to LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Team USA. As the main playmaker for his squad, the 21-year-old is determined to prove his worth on the international stage and perhaps make the Thunder regret their trade decision.
Last season, Shai and Giddey helped lead OKC to the Western Conference Finals, where they fell to the Dallas Mavericks. In an effort to strengthen the roster, OKC chose to trade the 21-year-old Australian.
The former teammates performance in the Olympics so far
On the opening day of the 2024 Paris Games, basketball fans were treated to two impressive performances. In the first game, Josh Giddey led Australia with an exceptional performance over Spain.
In his 28:46 minutes on the court, the former OKC star scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, with 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He added eight rebounds, eight assists, and tallied a +15 plus-minus.
The only area where Giddey had some trouble was at the free-throw line, where he shot just 25%.
In the final game on Saturday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wowed spectators with his impressive handles and flawless footwork. He scored 21 points in 30:23 minutes on the court, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range against Greece.
The Thunder superstar also recorded five rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two blocks. He also excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 9-of-10 shots, and finished with a +12 plus-minus.
Thunder fans will be in for a treat watching Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey face off in this high-stakes international matchup.
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