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MELBOURNE, Australia – The US basketball team lost for the first time in almost 13 years and fell to Australia 98-94 in a pre-World Cup match on Saturday.
Patty Mills scored 30 points for Australia, which rebounded after a 10-point deficit in the second half.
It was the first defeat of the United States in a major tournament or international exhibition since the semi-finals of the 2006 World Championship against Greece. The Americans won the bronze medal game at this tournament and were unbeaten at the 2007, 2008, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016 and 2016 FIBA Americas.
Add all this and it's a series of 78 wins for the United States – the longest in the history of the program.
And it's now over.
"They wanted it more than us tonight," said US guard Kemba Walker. "Lesson learned for us."
The American basketball is the No. 1 in the world ranking of FIBA, but so far in the preparations for this World Cup – most of the best players in the NBA All-Stars having decided not to play this summer – the Americans did not look like a lock for more gold. They beat Spain to nine, in Anaheim, California on August 16th. They needed a big second half to defeat Australia on Thursday at 16, before letting slip a lead in the second half on Saturday.
By battling his American coach, Gregg Popovich, in San Antonio, Mills scored the last 10 points of Australia.
"It was great," Mills said.
Walker scored 22 points for the United States and Harrison Barnes took 20. The attack by Donovan Mitchell at 3:05 with a score of 1:05 would take the United States to 97-94. Harris missed a corner 3 seconds later and Mills slipped the match with a free throw.
Aron Baynes left the ground with his head back, screaming for joy as he hit his hand with fellow delirium. Andrew Bogut and Joe Ingles grabbed their children and took them to the floor for a look.
Bogut scored 16 points, Ingles had 15 and Baynes scored 13 for the Australians.
"Obviously, it was a big step for us," said Ingles.
Baynes got a score that put Australia at 82-76 with 8:25 to go, just before Barnes won with a three-point play for the United States in order to start an 8-0 run that put the Americans back to the head. There were four lead changes in the last quarter, the last to come when Ingles took a step back from 3 with 3:35 to go for an 88-87 lead.
Mills did the rest.
He bet in a long 3 for a four-point lead, added a lay-up to give six points to his team with 1.50 left and stalled with the last free throw. The United States led by one at halftime and climbed 68-58 midway through the third on a Jayson Tatum dunk, but the Australians were back in the game. Mills scored eight points in 45 seconds, including a pair of three pointers, allowing Australia to close at one point with 2 minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the third.
"It's a great team and they've been together for a long time," Barnes said. "They play an excellent basketball style."
TIP-INS
United States: Barnes, Marcus Smart (who was suffering from calf pain), Khris Middleton, Mitchell and Myles Turner started for the Americans. The United States has now used different starting alignments in their three shows, with only Mitchell opening the three contests. In all, the United States gave at least nine different players at least one start on the pre-World Cup circuit. … Kyle Kuzma (left ankle pain) did not play.
Australia: 52 079 spectators, the largest crowd to watch a basketball game in Australia – breaking the record of 51 218 set Thursday. … The Australians made the same start for the second game in a row, with Ingles, Matthew Dellavedova, Mills, Baynes and Jock Landale. … Ingles and Mitchell were not the only guardians of Utah Jazz at Marvel Stadium – Dante Exum was in the stands.
SHAKEN
US guard Derrick White of the San Antonio Spurs stumbled as he dribbled down the field in the middle of the fourth quarter and hit his forehead against the ground. He left with a sizeable bag of ice on the left side of his head, cautiously walking to the locker room.
FORWARD
The United States was flying – just over an hour – from Melbourne to Sydney after the match and planned to practice there Sunday afternoon. The plans provide for the Americans to remain in Sydney until Wednesday before traveling to Shanghai, where they will open the Football World Cup on September 1 against the Czech Republic.
FOLLOWING
United States: face Canada in an exhibition Monday in Sydney.
Australia: Take on Canada at the first World Cup on September 1st in Dongguan, China.
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