Team USA loses 0-2 in Olympic fairs after losing to Australia

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Team USA could win their fourth consecutive Olympic gold next month in Tokyo. But if they do, it will be a story of overcoming adversity.

The Americans lost their second straight show on Monday, this time beating Australia 91-83 in Las Vegas. Dating back to the 2019 World Cup, they finished seventh, and Team USA had lost four of their past five matches. They have also lost two in a row now to Australia, a team expected to contend for the gold medal in Japan.

It was a better show than losing to Nigeria on Saturday, but just reading those words is a bit bewildering given the pedigree of this roster and coaching staff. Damien Lillard, who had 22 points, and Kevin Durant, who had 17 points, definitely looked like the All-Stars. But in the end, they weren’t able to deliver clutch shots.

The final insult came a minute before play and the US team slipped by five minutes as Jason Tatum threw a volley into a three-point corner attempt. It was better than the next possession, resulting in a turnover.

The execution difference between the two teams was stark. Time and time again, the Australians manage to pass passes in the middle to players either wide open from big cuts or in an advantageous game. Perhaps it’s a little early in this process for extensive game planning but it was clear that Australia felt they could benefit from a relatively small US roster.

Longtime superstar Patty Mills had 22 points. Joe Engels had 17, and the Australians finished off a 53% shot in the match.

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