The US men’s basketball team establishes a substantial lead and manages to maintain it against Australia, securing a 98-92 victory in preparation for the Olympics.

On Monday, the U.S. Olympic team experienced both positives and negatives. Anthony Davis led with 17 points and 14 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton’s late 3-pointers were crucial in halting a potential collapse, and the U.S. defeated Australia 98-92 to maintain an undefeated record of 2-0 in their pre-Olympic exhibition series. Devin Booker contributed 16 points, Anthony Edwards added 14, and LeBron James, Bam Adebayo, and Joel Embiid each scored 10. The Americans, hosting exhibitions in Abu Dhabi, UAE, this week, will face Serbia next on Wednesday.

Despite holding a 24-point lead midway through the third quarter, the U.S. saw their advantage shrink to six with 5:05 remaining after Australia mounted a 39-21 run. Haliburton’s consecutive 3-pointers then extended the lead to 92-80, but Australia narrowed the gap to four on two occasions before Booker’s flawless free throws in the final 8 seconds secured the victory.

Coach Steve Kerr acknowledged challenges in the third quarter, citing turnovers and defensive lapses that allowed Australia to capitalize. He praised Australia’s resilience and physicality in making a competitive game out of it.

The U.S. showcased its depth advantage with a strong second unit, turning a tied game late in the first quarter into a commanding 39-23 lead, highlighting their bench strength as a significant asset against opponents lacking similar depth.

However, turnovers remained a glaring issue for the U.S., with 18 giveaways against Australia, translating into 25 points off turnovers for the opponents in the second half alone. Davis emphasized the need for better focus and execution to address this concern.

On the injury front, Kevin Durant missed his second consecutive game due to a calf strain, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming game against Serbia. Derrick White, newly arrived and practicing with the team, also did not play, filling in for the sidelined Kawhi Leonard on the U.S. roster.