As the reigning bronze medalists, the Australian basketball team faced high expectations to replicate their success from Tokyo, even as they found themselves in the so-called “group of death.” Josh Giddey and Co. delivered a commendable performance, securing a spot in the knockout stage. However, a masterclass display by Nikola Jokić led Serbia (95-90) to orchestrate a huge upset in the overtime.
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Australia appeared to be in control early in the game, building a commanding 24-point lead by the second quarter. Basketball enthusiasts and analysts were confident that Serbia would be eliminated. However, the dynamic duo of Jokić and Bogdan Bogdanović turned the tide, combining for 38 points and 14 assists.
Giddey was understandably devastated after the loss. During the post-game interview, the guard revealed that this group had a belief to make it “all the way” during their time in Paris. Now that the team hasn’t been able to defend their medal from the Tokyo Games, the Chicago Bulls youngster admitted to being heartbroken. After the 25-point outing, Giddey stated,
“When you have the guys on this team that we do, you believe you have the ability to go all the way… We believed that with this group. We put ourselves in a great position to win that game and we come up short like that in overtime. It’s heartbreaking and it kills me that I have to wait 4 more years for another chance at this.”
It was too soon for the 21-year-old to reveal the learnings that he will take away from his Olympic debut. But, he did issue a warning to the remaining nations about Australia’s improved performance in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“Every possession matters and it can go so quick… I don’t really know how to sum it up now, it’s so raw and soon after the game. I just love this team, and I believed we had the group to go all the way… this feeling sucks and it’s going to hurt, but it’s going to build us. And we’ll be back in LA.”
“This feeling sucks” – Josh Giddey on Australia’s exit overnight from the @Olympics @BasketballAus we look forward to your timely announcement regarding parting ways with Coach Goojian. pic.twitter.com/WWdSD1RHkG
— Elle ✌❤️& (@GiddeysBetter) August 6, 2024
Giddey had a terrific performance in the Summer Games. He was undeniably the best player on the squad, stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis. In the four games that he played in France, the 6ft 8” star recorded 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.
With the Paris Games being Patty Mills’ final Olympics, Giddey will certainly be the leader and the biggest superstar of the Aussie team in the next edition of the quadrennial event. As the number of NBA players constantly increases from Australia, Giddey and co. should have a great chance at redeeming themselves with a podium place finish.
