Patty Mills was quick to remind his Boomers teammates they "hadn't done s**t yet" after dominating Argentina to set up an Olympic semi-final against the United States.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In his fourth Games, Australian flag bearer Mills has made it his mission to secure the Boomers a maiden men's basketball medal.
There was plenty to suggest they're close in a 97-59 quarter-final dismantling of Argentina on Tuesday, Australia scoring the first 19 points of the final quarter to streak clear after a nervy start.
But Mills remembers a 90-64 defeat of Lithuania in the corresponding game five years ago in Rio, which came before they were eventually denied bronze in a gutting one-point loss to Spain.
In 2019 they finished fourth in similarly brutal circumstances at the World Cup.
"The message to the boys after was that we're back where we wanted to be and it's been a long couple of years," Mills, who scored a game-high 18 points, said.
"But the message is that we haven't done s**t yet ... to be able to be the best we have to beat the best and we have an opportunity in front of us to take that next step."
The United States have won the last three Olympic titles beating the Boomers by 10, 33 and 31 points to get there.
But the gloss has faded on the once invincible outfit, Gregg Popovich's men finishing seventh at the 2019 World Cup and losing their last two games played against the Boomers.
They were also beaten by France to begin their Tokyo campaign but have improved in every game since, Kevin Durant starring in a solid quarter-final defeat of Spain earlier on Tuesday.
"We know a lot about them, we've played them and obviously they've got the hype of being Team USA," Boomers guard Dante Exum said.
"It's just them versus us. There's only five on the court at a time and we can play defence and only one of them can have the ball at a time."
Mills says there's "plenty of reasons" why they can turn the tables.
"We've been to this stage many times and haven't crossed the line, but we've bottled those experiences up," he said.
"We're well prepared for this moment and stage to make the next step.
"There's a togetherness and camaraderie and focus that's sharp.
"That collective unit; it's powerful, it's a culture thing, an Australian spirit thing."
Australian Associated Press
