Josh Giddey stars again but Australian Boomers suffer injury scare in pre-Olympics hit out win

Australia’s Boomers defeated Puerto Rico 90-75 in their third exhibition game for the Olympic Games in Orleans, but suffered an injury to a key NBA star.

Australian fans were left with goosebumps when injury-prone NBA star Dante Exum made an awkward landing in the first quarter, colliding with teammate Duop Reath and appearing to injure his neck.

Exum was pulled from the competition as a precaution to ensure his availability for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

Josh Giddey led the Boomers in an impressive performance, scoring 19 points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out five assists.

Giddey, who recently joined the Chicago Bulls, continued to showcase his qualities as the offensive cornerstone of the Australian team.

Despite a foul early in the game, Giddey showed he can shoot from long range, making two of three attempts from beyond the three-point line.

The Boomers showed a versatile team performance, with five players scoring in double figures.

Patty Mills contributed 15 points, making five of nine three-point attempts. Jock Landale added 12 points and six rebounds, while Joe Ingles was perfect from the three-point line, scoring 11 points.

Josh Green, who replaced Exum, scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and had two assists.

Green’s three-point shooting and ability to run the court were crucial for the Boomers.

Dyson Daniels continued to take the lead defensively and showed his qualities during the warm-up.

Duo Reath, who played 11 minutes, and Will Magnay, who played just over 12 minutes, also contributed after being on the field twice for the opening hits against the US and Serbia.

The Boomers’ teamwork was clearly visible, with the team accounting for 30 assists and 21 fastbreak points.

However, turnovers remain a concern, with the team committing 15 in this game.

Despite this, the Boomers have shown they are ready by limiting their opponents to less than 76 points in two consecutive games.

Jack McVeigh, who recently signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, scored nine points off the bench.

Dyson Daniels added five points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block.

Reath, who had been out of the rotation for the last two games, played as a reserve for Landale, challenging Magnay for the role of reserve center. The lopsided win allowed coach Brian Goorjian to give more players time on the field.

This match was a continuation of the Boomers’ promising preparation, after a challenging match against the USA and a win over Serbia.

Australia will play their final friendly against host nation France, featuring stars such as Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. On July 27, the Australian team will begin its Olympic campaign with a match against Spain.

With Australia part of the ‘Group of Death’ at the Olympic Games, along with Greece, Canada and Spain, the road to a medal will be a challenge.

However, the Boomers are still among the top contenders to progress to this group, and their performances in the warm-up matches show that they are a team to watch.