Paul George had some thoughtz and feelz about the way Australia played following their near upset of Team USA in Rio on Wednesday night.
None of them were particularly good.
From Fox Sports’ Tony Harper:
“It was an adjustment for us. The game kind of got out of hand early with the physical play.
“We knew that coming in – this team has a knack for being a little dirty.”
…
“We were doing the same stuff they were doing and we got hacked for it. We’re fine playing physical, that’s our game in the NBA, but if they going to allow us to play that way they got to play it both ways.”
Australia assistant coach Luc Longley had a retort for PG13:
Boomers legend and now assistant coach Luc Longley fired back in response: “Tell ‘em that’s international basketball.’’
Indeed, it would behoove Paul George and Team USA to understand the rules and regulations and tendencies of international basketball before subtly complaining about the officiating. But most of Team USA’s almost-letdown is owed to the fact that they’re rarely tested on the Olympic stage.
Usually they can coast and still dominate. They’ve been played at quarter- and half-speed since exhibition. Watching the game, Australia wasn’t particular dirty. They set hard screens. They boxed out with grit. They committed hard fouls. They challenged Team USA at the rim.
Should Paul George and company have expected anything less from a team headlined by Matthew Dellavedova and Andrew Bogut? Of course not. More importantly, Team USA needed to play better defense overall and, in the first half, lay off the long twos.
This 98-88 win, which is more noteworthy because, at times, it felt like it wasn’t going to be a win, isn’t about Australia being dirty or lucky. It’s about Team USA having a below-average game against an above-average international foe.
