Australia’s baby boomer generation is set to significantly accelerate preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With less than two weeks to go until the opening ceremony, the Boomers are in Abu Dhabi for an exhibition game against Team USA and Team Serbia, the two teams competing for the gold medal in Paris.
This will be an opportunity to see how the group of 12 players selected by Brian Goojan fare against one of the most talented U.S. teams of all time and a Serbian team led by one of the best players in the world right now in Nikola Jokic.
Pre-Olympic Exhibition Games Schedule (AEST):
Tuesday, 2 a.m.: Australian Boomers vs. Team USA
Wednesday, 2am: Australian Boomers v Serbia
Thursday, 2 a.m.: Team USA vs. Serbia
*All matches will take place at the Etihad Arena and will be broadcast in Australia on ESPN.
Team USA is led by NBA All-Stars Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant (the latter of whom will miss the Australia game due to a calf injury) and is the favorite to win the Olympic Games. Serbia won a silver medal at last year’s FIBA World Cup and has three-time NBA MVP Jokic back on the team after that.
The Boomers are a talented team, but they were clearly underdogs in both games. That said, the results of these warmup games are secondary to the metrics of all the teams competing, and there’s plenty to keep an eye on as the Olympics approach.
Notable Rotation Tips
Teams will continue to do their best not to reveal too much before arriving in Paris.
For example, the Boomers’ offense was below average in their game against China, but it didn’t really show the kind of moves they’d make in the Olympics. They also mixed up their lineups and rotations just to determine who should and shouldn’t be on the final team. The same could be said for last week’s game between Team USA and Canada, which saw only about a quarter of meaningful basketball before turning into just a pickup game.
As the Boomers’ final team is decided and the Olympics draw closer (the opening ceremony is July 26 in Paris), we will begin to get clues as to where some players fit into the rotation.
The question remains as to who will be in the Boomers’ starting XI. As things stand, Josh Giddy and Jock Landale are the two sure things. The overwhelming likelihood is that Nick Kaye will be in the starting four, a possibility that has been strengthened by the selection process. Josh Green and Dyson Daniels seem the likely two wingers to be decided, and while this is probably the Boomers’ best bet for their Olympic opener, there may be some tweaking ahead of the game.
Patty Mills was very poor in the two warmup games against China, but he is a proven FIBA scorer, so he may be considered for inclusion in a starting lineup that is a little lacking in scoring power with the players mentioned above. Exum will be the point man when Guidi is not on the court, but don’t be surprised to see a lineup with Exum at 1 and Guidi at 4. He can also play on the wing and his shooting has improved a lot, so it may make sense to put him in the starting group.
Read: Rose gold tinted glasses? Did Gourigian pick the right people for his Boomers team?
The big man rotation is also worth keeping an eye on. Randall is established as a starter thanks to his ability as a roller and secondary shot creator, but there may be a battle for who will back him up. Duop Rees is an extremely effective offensive player and a reliable shooter for a shooter-starved team, but there’s a reason Will Magnay joined the team midway through the first day of selection camp. Coach Goojan has spoken openly about wanting to improve the Boomers’ toughness and defensive ability, and what Magnay lacks in size he makes up for with his motor, athleticism and timing at the rim. That said, don’t be surprised if Magnay is projected as the fifth backup at this point.
What role will Joe Ingles play on this team, given that he was also selected at the last minute? Matthew Dellavedova has shown his prowess in FIBA matches and will be heading to Paris ahead of a player like Matisse Thybulle, but where will the coaching staff be comfortable using him? How often will this team use Guidi, Exum, Daniels, or Green at the 4 position instead of a traditional big man? This coaching staff won’t give away everything, but with the Olympics less than two weeks away, getting some meaningful practice against serious competition will be invaluable.
Team USA and Serbia: Ideal preparation
So far, the Boomers’ only warm-up match has been against a low-level Chinese team.
Now, these were primarily introduced as a way for Coach Ghouridjian and his coaching staff to take a hard look within the squad and whittle down the 17 players to the final 12, but the level of competition was so low that it was not really possible to get any meaningful metrics from the two matchups.
The two matches in Abu Dhabi are very different. Team USA has, on paper, one of the best international teams of all time, while Serbia is the best European country to compete for the gold medal. The goal isn’t necessarily to win these matches, but to compete on an equal footing with these two teams and find an edge over them would be Goujian’s ideal takeaway from his week in the Middle East.
“For us, it’s about playing as early as possible against the best competition possible,” Randall said Saturday.
“It helps us narrow down the group and figure out what works and what doesn’t, especially against the teams that end up in the tournament. I feel like this is a big challenge for us in figuring out our identity and what we’re trying to accomplish. I think these games will define our tournament going forward.”
This is especially important considering the matches the Boomers will face in the Olympic group stage. It’s plausible to argue that this U.S. team is an upgraded version of the Canadian team the Boomers will face in their group, a team with elite NBA-caliber guards and big, athletic wings on the perimeter. What better way for Australia to prepare for Canada than to play a U.S. team that is similar in style and more talented?
The same can be said for Serbia, which is similar to the Greek team Australia will face in the group stage. Serbia has a good post target in Jokic. Of course, he can do more than that, but that is where he is most effective. They also have a high-level FIBA point guard in Vasilije Micic, and they have effective shooters around him who have played together as a team for a significant period of time. This is ideal preparation for when the Boomers have to face Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nick Calathes, and the rest of the equally good Greek team.
“We’re playing two really good teams,” Dante Exum said, “Obviously the U.S. and the stars they bring in, but also Serbia. They’re a team that’s been competing at a high level in world basketball for a while now, and they have great players. I think it’s good that we’re playing two different styles of basketball. It’s going to be a different game plan from one night to the next.”
The same can be said for the USA and Serbia against Australia. The Boomers made some surprising cuts to their squad ahead of the Olympics with the goal of being tougher than they were at the World Cup, but that’s something that only Australians can relate to. Their unique style of play will be good for both powerhouses to get a taste of before they head to Paris, and it will be interesting to see how effective it is against two of the best teams in the world.
That is the hopeful identity of the baby boomer generation.
Finding the difference was key for the Boomers coaching staff.
The group always broadcast that they weren’t trying to beat European teams at their specialty — and, of course, there’s no point in trying to compete against North American teams in track and field.
The first practice after the team was narrowed down to the final 12 was the best and most competitive yet, Ghouljian told ESPN before departing for Abu Dhabi. It came after the veteran head coach gave an impassioned speech to the team.
Selection decisions were made carefully with the toughness factor in mind. The return of Landale is also crucial in that regard. It’s not essential and abandoning other factors might have had a detrimental effect on the team, but it was the direction Goujian and his staff wanted to go in and they were fully committed to it.
“I think it just adds a level of intensity,” Randall said.
“That says a lot considering how intense selection camp was. It’s something we have to maintain and we’ve touched on it a lot. It’s not about making the team and then relaxing. You make the team and then you take the next step. I think we’ve done a good job of maintaining that and implementing it.”
“We’re in a good position. Defensively, I think we’re an elite team that can play against the best teams. Offensively, it’s about finding the structure that best suits our team, which is always a challenge for any team.”
“We achieved a big goal, which is to play with effort and grit, which is something that sometimes you can’t teach. For us, that’s 90 percent of the battle, and then it’s just about the little details.”