There was a lot for the US Olympic team to like on Monday — and a lot not to like.
Anthony Davis scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton came up with a pair of late three-pointers that helped stop a freefall by the Americans, and the US beat Australia 98-92 to improve to 2-0 in its five-game slate of exhibitions leading into the Paris Olympics.
Devin Booker scored 16 for the US, Anthony Edwards scored 14 and three players — LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Joel Embiid — finished with 10 for the US, who are this week playing host to a pair of exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. They are today to play Serbia.
Photo: AP
Jock Landale scored 20 for Australia, who got 17 from Josh Giddey and 14 from Dyson Daniels.
The US led by 24 midway through the third quarter, yet saw that lead cut to six with 5 minutes, 5 seconds left after Australia went on a 39-21 run, but Haliburton had the next six points on his threes, pushing the lead back to 92-80.
Australia cut it to four on two separate occasions, but Booker went four-for-four from the line in the final eight seconds to ensure the US would escape.
“Third quarter, we started turning the ball over,” US coach Steve Kerr said. “We gave up a ton of points at the basket. Back cuts, offensive boards and so, the game shifted. It’s a good lesson for us. Better to learn that lesson now than later, and this will be a good tape for us to watch, but I give Australia a ton of credit. They were great. They fought. They were really physical. Took it to us in the last quarter and a half and really made it a game.”
Just like in the Canada game, the so-called second unit — Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Adebayo, Davis and Booker — changed the game.
That was the group on the floor when the US took a game that was tied at 19-19 with 3:15 left in the first and turned it into a 39-23 lead — a 20-4 run in a span of just more than 5 minutes.
Kerr used that group as his starting five to open the second half, but it has become a clear trend already: When the US goes to its bench and can replace All-Stars with other All-Stars, it is just going to be a massive problem for opponents who do not have anywhere near that same level of depth.
“The strength of our team is our depth and we have to utilize our depth,” Kerr said.
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