Australia's Olympic Boomers side has fallen agonisingly close to a second victory at the 2024 Paris Games, as a strong second-half showing from Canada toppled a flawless start by Australia.
An enthralling first half that positioned Australia with a four-point cushion, Canada's NBA talent flexed their muscles for the remainder of the game, with RJ Barrett (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals) leading the charge to a ten-point victory.
So who underperformed for the Boomers, and who carried the load? We've graded every player's performance.
Dyson Daniels: B-
Daniels was everywhere in the first half, recording steals and blocks on the defensive end, as well as pulling off circus shots on the offensive. Eight first-half points set the tone for the Boomers, however, his scoring impact receded in the second half, finishing the game with just ten. After shooting a lights-out 75% from deep against Spain, Daniels was unable to recapture his form for the second group stage match, going 0-3.
Dante Exum: A-
Exum produced an extremely effective performance off the bench for the Boomers, scoring 15 points on 6-9 shooting, in just 17 minutes of action. His burst of energy off the bench provided a couple of assists in the third quarter as well as two buckets that closed the margin to just four points at one stage. He looked a threat whenever he was on the court and produced opportunities for a potential Boomers comeback.
Josh Giddey: B+
There wasn't much more Giddey could do against Canada on Tuesday. The 6'8 point guard controlled the tempo offensively, throwing dimes to all parts of the court and scoring at will. Giddey was one of the Boomers' best on court, with a 15-point first-half display. However, as Daniels did, Giddey went missing after halftime scoring-wise, banking just the one three and one free-throw. Giddey still impressed in other areas, with six assists and seven rebounds, but the second-half shooting woes were enough to negate any positive second-half influence.
Josh Green: D+
It's hard to give Green a lower grade than a D+ as he was hardly utilised in his minutes on the court. Playing 17 minutes, Green had just two shot attempts and missed both of them. It was another underwhelming shooting performance from the new Charlotte Hornet, who played 22 minutes against Spain but shot 0-3 for also zero points. Additionally, Green was unable to create scores in other ways, recording just one assist.
Nick Kay: D
Kay was unable to provide much of an option for the Boomers in his second start for the Olympic Games. Shooting at just 40%, Kay only managed four points in 26 minutes of action. His defence was mediocre too, securing just three defensive rebounds. Kay was a shadow of his Spain performance, where he recorded eight points, two steals and five boards.
Jock Landale: B+
Landale had a solid night out, and despite not being an X-factor guard like Giddey or Mills, he played his role near perfectly. Scoring at a 70% clip, Landale scored 16 points and snagged 12 rebounds, six of which were offensive boards, to record his first double-double of the tournament. Unfortunately, Landale was unable to defensively deter Canada on Tuesday, with no blocks or steals to his name.
Will Magnay: C
Just three minutes for Will Magnay saw him shoot 0-1 from the field and record one foul. Again, it's hard to gauge much impact from such little time on court.
Jack McVeigh: C+
McVeigh had a solid performance off the bench, shooting 60% from deep, and notching three triples for the game. He had a brilliant quickfire catch-and-shoot off of a cut-out Josh Giddey pass that sparked momentum for Australia and remained solid throughout his further minutes on the court.
Paddy Mills: D+
A rare poor Boomer display from Mills illustrated a frustrating night for the Boomers from a scoring standpoint. Mills had just eight points on 2-10 shooting, and 1-5 shooting from three-point range. Mills nailed a tough three early on, but his shooting was off the mark for the remainder of the night. Unable to impact in other offensive areas, Mills recorded just one assist and four turnovers, but was able to score two steals for the match.
Duop Reath: C
Reath only played four minutes so it's difficult to grade his impact. He made his sole shot for the night in the second quarter, as he stepped on court as an Olympic Boomer for the first time. After a poor night for Kay, perhaps Reath will earn more minutes in the Boomers' upcoming clash.
The Boomers sit second after this loss to Canada, with their final group stage match against Greece. Greece, who boast NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, are 0-2 after suffering a close defeat to Spain on Tuesday. A win from Australia will likely secure their place in the quarter-finals and keep their medal hopes alive.
The Boomers take on Greece on Friday at 9:30 PM (AEST).
