The Boomers will play for Olympic bronze after letting a 15-point lead slip in a 97-78 semi-final blowout loss to the United States at Tokyo.
Chasing a maiden Games men’s basketball medal, Australia were flying when Jock Landale’s dunk made it 41-26 with five minutes to play in the first half.
But the wheels fell off in a 48-14 run that included 20 straight US points, leaving Australia to face the loser of France and Slovenia in the third place playoff.
Australia’s swarming defence was too much for the United States for most of the first half, with Gregg Popovich’s side lacking penetration and missing their first nine three-point shots.
Kevin Durant (23 points, nine rebounds) had 15 first-half points to keep the United States close though, before Australia blinked and the three-time defending champions pounced.
The US won the third quarter 32-10, Zach Lavine intercepting a Matisse Thybulle pass and running away for an uncontested dunk to finish the term and put an exclamation mark on their dominance.
Earlier Chris Goulding’s nine quick points and two Dante Exum triples fuelled the Boomers’ sharp start, Exum’s assist to Landale leaving the United States scratching their heads for answers at both ends.
Durant had them though and the air quickly left Australia’s tyres, with Devin Booker (20 points on 70 per cent shooting) finding range and Jrue Holiday (11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) making life difficult for Patty Mills (15 points, five rebounds, eight assists).
The United States will play the winner of Rudy Gobert’s France and Luka Doncic’s Slovenia for a fourth-straight gold.
The loser will face Australia in their fifth bronze medal game, five years after their gutting one-point loss to Spain robbed them of a maiden Games medal.
AAP
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