A Josh Giddey-inspired Boomers team got off to a strong start to its Paris Olympics campaign, defeating bogey-hitting Spain 92-80 in Lille on Saturday night.
The Boomers had not beaten Spain at the Olympics since Seoul in 1988 and infamously lost the bronze medal match to the Spanish in Rio in 2016 before eventually winning their first medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Veteran Patty Mills was instrumental in the final seconds as Spain closed the gap to within six points, scoring a three-pointer before Dyson Daniels added another to close the scoring.
It was a great result for the Boomers in the group of death that also includes medal hopefuls Canada and Greece.
And ESPN analyst Kane Pitman revealed that coach Brian Goorjian used the history of disappointment against Spain to inspire his men to an important victory.
‘Brian Goorjian just revealed that he showed the Boomers a video of all the suffering they endured against Spain before the game,’ Pitman posted on X.
‘Includes postgame interviews with Patty and Joe. He reminded the team of that video during a timeout in the fourth quarter. Then, the Boomers closed out the game.’
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian inspired the Australians by showing them images of past disappointments against Spain
Jock Landale and Josh Giddey made a strong showing for the Boomers in a resounding opening win
Former NBA star and member of the Boomers generation Andrew Bogut has praised the determination of the Australians who were eliminated in the group stage of last year’s FIBA World Cup.
“First solid and good win for the Boomers. Spain makes you win,” he posted.
‘Jock Landale was the MVP of this game. 20, 9 and 5 with a huge +30 when he was on the field. Giddey also filled the stat sheet with almost a triple double.
“We loved our defense throughout. Dyson taking up the entire court is a threat.
‘The last 40 seconds were crucial to increase the score and win by 12 if the % comes into play’,
Giddey offered Chicago Bulls fans a glimpse of his potential in a more ball-dominant role, scoring 17 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out eight assists.
Though the 21-year-old committed five turnovers (a problem that has persisted in warm-up games), the Boomers are willing to accept him for now if it means he continues to play with that same confidence.
The Boomers’ victory comes in the group of death that also includes Canada and Greece
The win also came with NBA guard Dante Exum (dislocated finger) out and the Boomers opting not to bring in a replacement. Fans also wondered why Portland Trail Blazers star Duop Reath wasn’t used, asking if he was injured.
A new-look Spain is without Pau Gasol and Ricky Rubio, who tormented Australia to legacy-defining victories at the 2016 Olympics and 2019 World Cup respectively.
But their meeting in Paris showed the rivalry will live on for the next generation, with tempers running high in what was essentially a must-win game in a group that also included medal hopes from Canada and Greece.
Australia started brightly, with Dyson Daniels (13 points, seven rebounds) effective at both ends, Giddey hitting two long three-pointers and national team bolter Jack McVeigh (13 points, seven rebounds) throwing in a soft no-look assist on a nerve-free first touch.
They won 18-7 after another Giddey basket and then 38-17 when Spanish forward Usman Garuba was penalized for a moving screen on Josh Green.
Green responded with a slap while Will Magnay’s light touch on the Spaniard’s lower back caused Garuba to move away, pushing Green and sparking a fight.
Magnay -chosen to be the Boomers’ executioner- and Garuba were penalized with technical fouls and that lit the fuse of the last three quarters full of resentment.
The referees struggled to maintain control of the match and committed 24 fouls in the first half.
But Nick Kay was responsible enough to keep his cool after Willy Hernangómez knocked him down and he fell on his back.
The Spanish bench was then fouled for protesting further, but that only served to equalise the score as things got ugly.
Giddey’s class still shone through, the Olympic rookie driving to the rim and finishing as Australia scored 18 points in the second quarter to lead 49-42 at the break.
Santi Aldama (27 points) fueled Spain’s response, scoring a three-pointer after an ugly turnover by Patty Mills to give them their first lead.
But Mills (19 points) responded immediately with a triple, and Australia’s 8-0 run ended Spain’s before Mills and Daniels sealed the victory with triples in the final seconds.
Exum dislocated his finger in a warm-up game earlier this week, but the Boomers opted not to bring in a last-minute replacement, confident he will play a role later in the tournament.
He was wearing sneakers and a tracksuit on the bench, and Matthew Dellavedova was able to play for an extended period while Duop Reath was sidelined.
Australia play Canada on Tuesday (21:30 AEST) before completing pool action in Lille against Greece on Friday.