Kyrie Irving not worried about Boomers
NBA All-Star and Team USA point guard Kyrie Irving says he is not worried about facing Australia at the Rio Olympics.
Irving, who was born in Melbourne but elected to play for the US, also said he has not thought about going head-to-head with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Matthew Dellavedova.
“My job is not to worry about them,” Melbourne-born Irving told AAP on Sunday.
“Honestly, I wish them nothing but the best and I hope Delly does extremely well.
“I’ll focus on the USA team.”
The Australian men’s basketball team might have the lofty goal of winning Olympic gold in Rio, but Team USA once again showed why they are the red hot favourites.
The US squad, loaded with NBA All-Stars including Irving, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler, DeAndre Jordan and Klay Thompson, crushed China 106-57 in a pre-Olympic warm-up at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Sunday.
The US also thrashed Argentina 111-74 in their first exhibition game on Friday.
The Boomers, who could field their strongest team in history with a starting five of NBA players, if centre Andrew Bogut overcomes a knee injury, plays the US in an August 10 Pool A game.
Durant top-scored in the win over China with 14 points off the bench, while Thompson enjoyed the shorter three-point line in international basketball, hitting three of his five long-range attempt.
Irving, with six points, was not so accurate, with his one three point attempt an airball.
China started two seven footers, Wang Zhelin and Yi Jianlian, but they were no match for the strength and power of US big men Jordan and DeMarcus Cousins.
The men’s and women’s US teams will not have to worry about blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wires in the athletes village as they will stay in luxury cruise ships in Rio’s port area.
