Boomers Begin Olympic Campaign Against SpainBoomers Begin Olympic Campaign Against Spain Australia’s Boomers face Spain in their opening Olympic match in Paris on Saturday night (7pm AEST). Despite a series of impressive practice matches, the Boomers will likely be without starting point guard Dante Exum, who is recovering from a dislocated finger. Exum’s Absence Leaves Boomers Shorthanded Exum’s absence is a significant blow to the Boomers, as he provides stability and leadership on the court. Boomers great Andrew Bogut expressed concern, calling him a “great escape” for the team and highlighting the risk of further injury. Dellavedova and Ingles to Step Up In Exum’s absence, the Boomers will rely on veterans Matthew Dellavedova and Joe Ingles to fill the void as ball handlers. Josh Green will also play a key role, bringing energy and support on both ends. Goorjian’s Starting Five Unchanged Despite Exum’s injury, Boomers coach Brian Goorjian is expected to retain the same starting lineup that performed well in practice matches. This includes Josh Giddey, Patty Mills, Dyson Daniels, Nick Kay, and Jock Landale. Spain Poses a Tough Test Spain presents a formidable challenge for the Boomers, having won bronze at the 2016 Olympics. Led by center Willy Hernangomez, Spain’s strength lies in their halfcourt defense and transition play. Live Coverage Stay tuned for live updates of the Boomers vs Spain match in our live blog.
The Boomers begin their Olympic campaign in Paris at 7pm (AEST) with a clash against Spain in the opening group match.
There is cautious optimism ahead of Saturday night’s tournament opener after an impressive series of practice matches by Brian Goorjian’s team, whose most recent defeat was to beat hosts France.
The Boomers are expected to be without Dante Exum, as the team’s reserve point guard will miss the first two games of the group stage while recovering from a dislocated finger.
That’s according to News Corp’s Matt Logue, although Australia has opted not to bring in a replacement player for Exum, apparently confident that he will be available for the match against Greece.
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Boomers great Andrew Bogut said on NBL Media’s ‘The Gold Standard’ podcast that Exum is a “great escape” for Australia, adding that it was a “roll of the dice” to be confident he would be healthy again later in the tournament.
“Dante is not someone you look at the stats and say, we’re missing X, Y, Z, but he’s more stable,” Bogut said.
“When he gets into games for the Boomers, it seems like things settle down a little bit. It’s not as erratic.
“I’m a little bit worried about losing him. I think they’re probably happy with the rotations they have and hoping that if they want to achieve what they want to achieve, they’ll need Dante later in the tournament, but that might not be until game four, game five.
“You have a deep cut on your finger, we’ve all had deep cuts. If someone has played ball sports, it’s not even contact from another player.
“If you get hit hard by the ball on a hard pass from Delly or Josh (Giddey), it can reopen the wound, especially if it affects your shooting. So, a roll of the dice from the Boomers coaching staff.”
Exum’s absence likely means the Boomers will look to veterans Matthew Dellavedova and Joe Ingles to see more minutes as the team’s other primary ball handlers, while Josh Green also provides a key source of energy on both sides of the bench.
Dellavedova showed his worth in the practice matches, albeit briefly, so it remains to be seen how effective he will be when given more playing time.
Goorjian continued to start the same five players in all of the practice matches, so expect Josh Giddey and Patty Mills to once again team up in the backcourt, alongside Dyson Daniels, Nick Kay and Jock Landale.
Saturday night’s match will mark the first time Australia and Spain have faced off at the Olympic Games since the bronze medal match in Rio 2016, which was won by the second-placed FIBA team.
This is a very different Spanish team, led by big man Willy Hernangomez. The key for the Boomers will be to defend in the halfcourt while also picking up the pace in transition.
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