Team USA took their second straight defeat: Australia won 91-83

The boys of coach Greg Popovich continue to approach the Tokyo Olympics in the worst ways, He also beat Australia in the second friendly match These days of preparations for the Japanese challenges Kevin Durant and his cohorts will witness on the parquet. The 91-83 defeat is not only surprising – Considering the previous knockout against Nigeria – but this raises alarm bells within a group that, on paper only, seems invincible. After dominating the first half – Team USA finished with nine points – The meltdown in the third quarter, which ended with Chris Goldin’s hat-trick on the sireng that gave Australia +5 10 minutes of siren. Jason Tatum’s baskets weren’t enough (he scored 82-80, USA’s last advantage, 4 minutes 35 seconds left). On the other hand, in the last possessions, above all, it is the lost balls that weigh, in a list not exceeding 22 points with 6/11 from Damien Lillard’s arc, 17 from Kevin Durant and 12 from Bradley Beal (most used on the field for more than 32 minutes). All-Star formula doesn’t seem to have found the right chemistry on parquet just yet.

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A success for the Australian does nothing but give morale and credit to the national team that was forced to dispense with Ben Simmons – disqualified by his pick after a poor playoff with the Sixers – but is being enjoyed Patty Mills 22-point with 21 shots from the field; As usual the leader of Australia. Also good Joe Ingles who closes with 17 points and 3/8 of the arc, while there are 12 points for Matisse Thiebol; It became another important part of the roster that aims to win a medal in Tokyo. Offer for Miles, who would be a free agent and who wanted to wait for the Olympics to show his qualities before signing the new contract, but above all a point of no return for Team USA – who could no longer afford to miss. A statistic that gives a good idea of ​​the crazy moment the US team has been through: in their last five matches (including the 2018 World Cup), Team USA’s record is 1-4. In the previous 105 games the score was 101-4. Defeating such a team cannot become normal and in the next match against Argentina it will prevent mistakes.