Boomers defeated by Dream Team in Rio
Australia gave them an almighty scare but the US men's basketball team eventually proved too good - claiming a 98-88 win at the Rio Olympics.
The Boomers did not trail by more than eight points until the final seconds and actually led the 17-time gold medallists for large periods of the game on Wednesday night (early Thursday AEST).
It would've been the US's first defeat to Australia in 15 meetings at either a world championships or the Olympics, while the US have also gone undefeated in 18 consecutive games at the Olympics since 2004.
Rio Olympics: Beach volleyball players cover up for wet and chilly Copacabana
Rio Olympics: Beach volleyball players cover up for wet and chilly Copacabana
They had no trouble putting away China and Venezuela in their first two group clashes, but the Boomers, led by Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova, made them work for their third straight win of the Games.
Mills finished with 30 points and Bogut added 15 points, while Dellavedova had 11 points plus 11 assists and six rebounds.
Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 31 points for the US, with Melbourne-born Kyrie Irving scoring 19 points.
Starting with all five of their NBA stars, the Boomers laid on plenty of early points and were shooting at a better rate than the Americans.
They jumped out to an eight-point lead mid-way through the first quarter, and went into the break level at 29-29.
Never did they trail by more than six points in the first half - and that was only in the opening minute after back-to-back three-pointers to Anthony.
For everything the USA threw at them, Australia seemed to have an answer.
And then some.
Mills was tripped by Draymond Green, Cameron Bairstow felled by Kevin Durant and David Andersen man-handled at every turn.
Yet they still led 54-49 at the main break.
They were toe-to-toe in the third quarter, but it was the US who held a three-point advantage at the final change which they held onto and then extended at the death.
Having been drawn in the same group for Rio, the two teams won't be able to meet again until the gold medal match should they finish in the top two.
The Boomers next play China, while the USA face Serbia.
