Bulls star 'undaunted' by Team USA, leads Australia to epic near-upset

The USA Basketball Men's National Team nearly fell to Australia on Monday in Abu Dhabi, due in large part to standout play from the Chicago Bulls' new point guard.

In a game that Team USA led by 20 at one point, Australia fought back and ended up losing by just six points.

Australia had no answer for Anthony Davis, who finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds in just 18 minutes. Davis' teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, chipped in with 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in a game that became way too close for comfort from the perspective of Team USA.

One of the major advantages Australia wielded over Team USA during the game was point guard play. Josh Giddey was the best lead guard on the floor, finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and just one turnover in a performance that made Bulls fans across the world extremely excited for the 2024-25 season.

Giddey was impossible to keep out of the paint all night long. When Giddey drove past Anthony Davis for a tough finish in the first quarter, FS1's play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti exploded with surprise and called Giddey "undaunted" on the attack.

Though the game was just an exhibition and tune-up for the Olympics, Australia and Giddey made a statement in the 98-92 loss. For Team USA, the result served as a scary wake-up call that the world is ready to compete in Paris.

Giddey, who was traded to the Bulls in June, looked every bit like a starting NBA point guard on Monday. With an increased role in Chicago this coming season, Giddey could be on the verge of surprising a lot of people starting in October.

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