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Olympics men’s basketball results: USA survives Australia

By Cody Williams

USA's centre DeAndre Jordan (L) and USA's forward Carmelo Anthony (C) reach for the ball with Australia's centre Andrew Bogut during a Men's round Group A basketball match between Australia and USA at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016 during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. / AFP / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
USA's centre DeAndre Jordan (L) and USA's forward Carmelo Anthony (C) reach for the ball with Australia's centre Andrew Bogut during a Men's round Group A basketball match between Australia and USA at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016 during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. / AFP / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Team USA survived a definite scare from Australia in the preliminary round matchup of the Olympics men’s basketball competition from Rio 2016

Next: 50 greatest Summer Olympians in history.

USA Basketball has been wholly dominant throughout their first two games of the 2016 Rio Olympics men’s basketball competition as it hasn’t looked like any of the other 11 teams could wholly keep up with them. However, Australia looked to prove them wrong and they did just that on Wednesday, August 10 during Day 5 of the Games.

Right from the opening tip it was clear that Team USA wasn’t going to be able to push the Aussies around, particularly on the inside. Andrew Bogut and Aron Baynes presented a much more physical and difficult task for the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan than the Americans had seen in this competition to date. Meanwhile, the likes of Patty Mills and the Australian guards were lighting it up from the perimeter.

The only one coming out of the gate hot for Team USA was Carmelo Anthony, who was indeed filling it up from all over the floor as he also became the leading scorer in the history of USA Basketball. Even still, Australia led by five points at the half.

Kyrie Irving and Carmelo came out of halftime looking to change the narrative though and were able to do that. Mills, Bogut, and Baynes were still sticking around and fighting, but the United States used a scoring run to retake the lead after the third quarter. They increased the lead with free throws at the end, but escaped with their first hard-fought victory in Olympics men’s basketball yet.

Three Stars

Carmelo Anthony, USA – 31 points, eight rebounds, one steal

Patty Mills, Australia – 30 points, two rebounds

Kyrie Irving, USA – 19 points, five assists, two rebounds

Next Games

Team USA will next be in action on Friday evening as they will take on another talented team in Serbia.

Australia will also play again on Friday as they’ll try to get back to their winning ways in a matchup with China.

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