Live Blog: Team USA vs Australia

Thanks to a second half explosion from Kobe Bryant and the first Olympic triple-double by Team USA from LeBron James (11 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists), Team USA beats Australia by 33, 119-86. Back on Friday for Spain vs Argentina, round three.

Kobe with three threes in about two minutes then LeBron gets his triple double. Team USA running Australia out of the gym right now.

LeBron comes down on the break with a head of steam and finds Kobe Bryant for his third three pointer of the half. James is one assist away from a triple double, I believe. Unreal.

Kevin Love is fighting for everything today. So much energy in this game and it’s inspiring the rest of the team.

LeBron with another brilliant find. Facing a double team in the left corner he fires a bullet pass to the right corner and Deron Williams nails a three. Brilliant game from him tonight.

Team USA will enter the fourth quarter with a 14 point lead. I liked the ball pressure that Westbrook was applying during that last spurt. If he or perhaps Andre Iguodala can do that in the fourth, it shouldn’t be a contest. Australia has fought hard and made some very good passes to cutters but they don’t have enough firepower.

LeBron makes a crosscourt pass against the zone and finds Carmelo for three. Team USA still needs to lockdown on defense to create their final separation.

Kobe hits back-to-back threes and now he seems to be in a rhythm. Team USA now up 12 again. A defensive push here could put Australia away for good.

A Durant three has stemmed the tide a bit but Australia has made it clear they will not go down easy.

Ingles hits another three and it’s a three point game.

Patty Mills hits a three and steals an inbounds pass to score five points in a matter of seconds. Ingles comes right back and hits a three and it’s a six point game. Not the start Team USA wanted.

Team USA is up 14 points on Australia at halftime. LeBron, Kevin Love, Kevin Durant and Deron Williams all playing well so far.

LeBron with a beautiful touch pass to Kevin Love on the break right after chasing down Patty Mills and changing his shot. He has an off shot at a triple-double if he plays enough in the second half.

Kevin Love is also dominating this game with his rebounding. He and LeBron are owning the boards.

Deron Williams has been the best player on the floor in this game. Hitting that outside shot with ease right now. Team USA now up 12.

Patty Mills just sped through Team USA’s defense and got to the rim for a lay-up. Americans are up seven as we head towards the second period. Looks like Team USA is in a position to blow it open if they continue to play this style of defense.

Carmelo now with two fouls for Team USA but he’ll remain in the game.

LeBron with a super slick and super sick pass from the right block to Carmelo Anthony, who was standing by the left block. He finishes the lay-up for an AND-1 and Team USA is starting to impose their will.

Dellavedova sitting with two fouls for Australia is even bigger than Chandler sitting with two for Team USA, in my opinion.

Kobe’s first possession of the game is a familiar site for these Olympics, which is to say that he looked pretty bad. Doesn’t look like he has good lift and he’s not getting any separation in one-on-one situations.

Kevin Durant and Patty Mills both have a pair of three-point field goals early on. If Mills can get hot, Australia can hang with Team USA for a quarter or two, but they have no shot of staying within single digits by the time the final buzzer sounds.

Team USA is off to a good start against Australia in their quarterfinals match-up as Durant hits a three and Chandler finishes a lob. Australia has five early points of their own, though, as we start things off.

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