Another exhibition game, another shocking loss for Team USA. For the second straight time, Kevin Durant and company dropped a tuneup contest, losing to Australia, 91-83 on Monday.
While it wasn't as surprising compared to the defeat to Nigeria last Saturday, it still doesn't bode well for Team USA to struggle against lower-ranked teams heading to the Tokyo Olympics.
In fact, it was only the second time in history that Australia beat Team USA in senior men's national competition (via The Score).
The Boomers, according to USA Basketball’s archives, are now 2-28 all-time against the Americans in senior men’s national competition. The other Australian win came in a pre-World Cup exhibition in 2019.
This only further proves that Australia has truly kept in step with Team USA in international hoops. The Land From Down Under has legitimate NBA players on the roster, led by veterans Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Aron Baynes, and Matthew Dellavedova. Then there are also younger guns like Matisse Thybulle, Josh Green, and Dante Exum.
Australia could've been a more formidable team if Ben Simmons decided to suit up. He, however, begged off due to personal reasons.
Mills has been the consistent star for Australia, scoring 22 points against Team USA after hitting the game-winner over Argentina in their previous tuneup contest. Thybulle, meanwhile, had his imprint all over the game, finishing with 12 points, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, including a massive one against Durant.
With just a few weeks before the Tokyo Olympics, Durant and Team USA should get their act together if they want to avoid further embarrassment on the world stage.
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