Sport
30 July, 2024
Delly and Boomers take care of Spain in Paris 2024 Olympic opener, winning by 12 points
Matthew Dellavedova’s fourth Olympics campaign is off to the strongest possible start, with Australia taking victory over Spain by 12 points.
The win was a departure from previous results over the Spanish which had broken Australian hearts, with coach Brian Goorjian revealing that previous games against Spain, including the 2016 bronze medal game, were used as motivation, and it worked a treat for the Boomers, who were largely dominant from start to finish against the world’s second-ranked team.
Dellavedova, for his part, saw more playing time than he had in the Boomers’ exhibition games, with Dallas Mavericks point guard Dante Exum out of the lineup with a finger injury.
That meant Dellavedova was the backup point guard for both Bendigo product Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey, playing nine minutes for two assists.
Australia were off to the perfect start, with Giddey in particular firing from all parts of the court, opening up a 31-21 lead at the first change.
Dellavedova came on with four minutes remaining in the quarter, and his first meaningful contribution on the court saw him assist Giddey on a deep three-pointer, which the newly acquired Chicago Bull drilled.
Spain asked questions as the second quarter started, closing the gap to five points, but it seemed Australia always had an answer, with Giddey and Jock Landale in particular providing plenty of drive.
With the margin at five points, Dellavedova replaced a hot-headed Giddey, with the temperature rising thanks to some heated moments between both teams, and he made his mark.
Dellavedova was able to prevent a Spain bucket by winning a loose ball, before finding Jack McVeigh with an excellent pass to hit another three-pointer, ensuring Australia would extend the lead back out to eight points.
Australia would lead 49-42 at the break, and while Dellavedova’s time on the court would be reduced in the second half, his influence beyond the court was seen with the form of Giddey and Daniels.
The Boomers recovered after seeing Spain hit the front four minutes into the quarter, having gone on a 14-5 run, and were able to go on a 15-4 run themselves to turn the tables, leading 69-60 at the final change.
The two teams continued to trade buckets, and with point differential as a key factor, Goorjian kept his best team on the court right until the end. Australia were able to win the quarter by scoring 23 points to 20 to take a 92-80 win.
Dellavedova’s experience, alongside other Olympic mainstays such as Patty Mills and Joe Ingles, has proved greatly beneficial to the likes of Giddey and Daniels, who were able to adjust to the Olympic style of play immediately.
Giddey was Australia’s best player, finishing with 17 points, eight assists and eight rebounds — the first player to finish with those numbers on Olympic debut since Drazen Petrovic in 1984.
Landale provided 20 points and nine rebounds, while Mills’ 19 points and Daniels’ 13 points and seven rebounds also proved critical.
Australia’s next assignment will come tonight against Canada, with the game starting at 9.30 pm Melbourne time.
The Canadians will be a fierce opponent, having taken victory over Greece in their first game, with Oklahoma City Thunder duo Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort difference-makers offensively and defensively, while the likes of fellow NBA products, Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and Houston Rockets’ Dillon Brooks also providing plenty of firepower.