Australia humiliates billion-dollar Team USA in stunning upset in exhibition match despite starting as massive 8/1 underdogs
The Australian men's basketball side has sent notice it will be a strong medal contender at the upcoming Olympics by defeating the star-studded Team USA line-up in a massive boilover.
The Boomers dominated the court in a stunning 91-83 upset in an exhibition match in Las Vegas on Monday night U.S. time, less than two weeks from the start of the Olympics in Tokyo.
Australia went into the match as massive underdogs against a line-up full of NBA stars.
Patty Mills was the top scorer for the Boomers with 22 points, with strong contributions from Joe Ingles (17 points), Matisse Thybulle (12 points) and Chris Goulding (11 points).
Patty Mills high-fives Matisse Thybulle and Matthew Dellavedov while leading the Australian Boomers to a huge upset against Team USA
The Boomers trailed by nine points at half-time before turning the game around in the third quarter to lead by five going into the fourth, courtesy of a three pointer from Goulding on the buzzer.
Team USA fought back to lock the game up at 80-all before Mills scored the next six points to cement the massive upset against their powerhouse opponents.
Mills' final quarter heroics came a week after he was announced as one of Australia's flag bearers at the Olympic opening ceremony, the first indigenous Olympian to be handed the honour.
It's just the second time in history the Boomers have beaten Team USA, two years after they upset the basketball powerhouse giants in Melbourne leading up to the 2019 World Cup.
It's the second time in history the Boomers have beat the USA. Pictured is Boomers star Dante Exum driving to the basket
The Boomers will go into the Tokyo Olympics as genuine medal contenders following their win against Team USA in Las Vagas
Australia's Nick Kay battles with United States' Bradley Beal for a rebound
Favourites to win the gold medal in Tokyo for a 16th time, it's Team USA's second loss within days after a shock defeat to Nigeria over the weekend.
Australia will take on Nigeria on Wednesday in their next pre-Olympic warm-up before another face-off against Team USA.
'Winning is one thing, the process is another,' a delighted Boomers coach Brian Goorjian said after the game.
'We moved the ball better, got better shots and defensively figured things out. It's a short window here, where we've got to go learn and get better.'
Team USA remain hot favourites to win gold in Tokyo with Sportsbet offering $1.20 odds followed by Australia at $10.
The Boomers are without Ben Simmons after the NBA star recently withdrew from the Olympics to focus on his individual skill development.
Patty Mills (number five) and Joe Ingles (number 7) led the Boomers charge against Team USA