"Gold vibes only" had been the catch-cry passim the Boomers' stirring tally to the Olympic Games semi-finals.
But it volition beryllium a conflict for bronze alternatively aft Australia was outclassed 97-78 by Team USA today arsenic a fearfulness 3rd 4th proved decisive successful Tokyo.
The Boomers led by 15 points midway done the 2nd 4th with Chris Goulding reddish blistery and immoderate swarming defence giving the lacklustre Americans fits.
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But Australia's pb was chopped to 3 by halftime and USA continued their epic comeback aft the break.
Behind Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant (23 points) the Americans won the 3rd 4th 32-10 (as portion of a 48-14 stretch) to wholly interruption the backmost of the Boomers.
NBA champion Jrue Holiday made Patty Mills' beingness a misery (5/14 FG shooting) arsenic Boomers legends Andrew Gaze and Andrew Bogut questioned wherefore a timeout wasn't called by manager Brian Goorjian amid a 17-0 USA run.
Australia - who has ne'er won a men's hoops medal astatine the Olympics - volition present play for bronze connected Saturday against the loser of tonight's France vs Slovenia semi-final.
"We came retired the close mode but we had a tiny spot successful the 2nd fractional wherever we benignant of mislaid it a small bit," Boomers centre Jock Landale said.
"We've got to spell back, reappraisal portion - we inactive person a accidental for a medal truthful that's wherever our heads are at.
"We've got to determination connected to the adjacent crippled arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable and spot if we tin marque history."
Landale has conscionable landed his archetypal NBA declaration with the San Antonio Spurs - who are coached by USA mentor Gregg Popovich.
"I'm not truly reasoning astir that close now," Landale said.
"I'm beauteous bummed with this. We had a bully accidental determination successful the archetypal half, but we fto it slip.
"They're a helluva team, it's going to beryllium pugnacious to get a medal and bully luck to them."
Mills was Australia's starring scorer with 15 portion Dante Exum had 14 disconnected the bench.
Durant was helped retired by Devin Booker (20 points) and Holiday's all-round excellence (11 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists).
"Everything fell successful enactment for america successful that 2nd fractional and that's who we are," Durant said.
"They deed america with a bully punch. We knew that squad was going to get america down aboriginal and spot however we'd respond."
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