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The FIBA World Cup is almost here, with Josh Green telling SEN Radio earlier in the year that the Boomers are ready to take the next step towards becoming a basketball \u201cpowerhouse\u201d.<\/p>\n
But first, Australia played three warm-up games in Melbourne and have another two before the World Cup itself opens.<\/p>\n
The warm-up games give coach Brian Goorjian one final chance to figure out what his starting line-up could look like. <\/p>\n
It was also going to offer Goorjian another opportunity to settle on who would be the final player to miss out on a spot in the 12-man squad, although that decision was taken out of his hands.<\/p>\n
FIBA Basketball World Cup | Starts Aug 25. Watch every Boomers, Team USA and Finals game FREE & LIVE on ESPN with Kayo Freebies. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly<\/a> ><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Boomers beaten by Brazil in warm up game | 01:26<\/p>\n Starting big man Jock Landale suffered an ankle injury that will sideline the new Houston Rockets recruit for the entire World Cup.<\/p>\n Landale had already been sidelined for the first two warm-up games with a right ankle issue before landing awkwardly on his left foot while defending the rim. <\/p>\n Coach Goorjian revealed to reporters after the win over South Sudan that Jack White was set to miss out on selection before Landale\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n Now though, having already experimented with small lineups all week, Goorjian will have to embrace that playing style out of necessity.<\/p>\n Fortunately this Boomers squad has the kind of positional versatility needed to make it work. <\/p>\n For Goorjian, Landale\u2019s injury was justification for delaying a call on the final cut to the squad, telling media White will be a \u201cvery helpful piece\u201d at the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is a big hit but I\u2019m taking the high road on this,\u201d Goorjian said.<\/p>\n \u201cI got criticised quite strongly about having 13 guys and not making that selection… Jack White has been right on the cusp of this thing and is huge for us and is a quality piece there and I\u2019m not comfortable with some of these guys that have not played at all. <\/p>\n \u201cThank goodness he\u2019s here. He\u2019s played in all of this and we went down the road we went and he\u2019s a very helpful piece. He\u2019s multi-purpose and if we\u2019re going to play that small-ball switch, he\u2019s another really important piece.\u201d<\/p>\n Josh Green though did not take part in that game though, eventually getting a start on Thursday against South Sudan after nursing an elbow injury earlier in the week. <\/p>\n Goorjian got exactly what he was after from the Dallas Mavericks wing, bringing his trademark hustle and energy to both ends of the floor \u2014 something that was missing against Brazil. <\/p>\n Goorjian described Green as like \u201cDelly on steroids\u201d, referring of course to veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova, who was one of the first names cut from the initial World Cup squad.<\/p>\n \u201cJosh Green and then Matisse, Jack White \u2014 there\u2019s an avenue there to go down and we\u2019re going to have to be really good at certain things to get to where we want to go without Jock,\u201d added Goorjian.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s doable and I saw flashes of it tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n While Landale\u2019s omission is a big blow, it presents an opportunity for Duop Reath to build on an impressive run in Australia\u2019s warm-up games.<\/p>\n Reath has formed a lethal combination playing off Josh Giddey and will be leaned on heavily to provide some much-needed size and offensive versatility in the frontcourt.<\/p>\n Xavier Cooks and Nick Kay will also offer options for Goorjian at the five, although how he rotates minutes remains to be seen. <\/p>\n While Chris Goulding (knee) also sat out Thursday\u2019s game against South Sudan, Goorjian said that was just precautionary and that the Melbourne United star should be right to go.<\/p>\n Read on for a full ultimate guide of everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup!<\/i><\/p>\n BOOMERS VS THE WORLD<\/b><\/p>\n While the World Cup itself gets underway later this month, the Boomers will have five warm-up games before then to finetune things.<\/p>\n Australia won its first warm-up game 97-41 against Venezuela<\/a> at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night (7.45pm AEST).<\/p>\n Wednesday\u2019s exhibition game against Brazil, which the Boomers lost in an upset<\/a>, was scheduled for the same time but later pushed forward to a 5.30pm tip-off.<\/p>\n It means Australian basketball fans were able to tune into the game before switching over to watch the Matildas, who went down 3-1 in the FIFA World Cup semi-final against England.<\/p>\n The final warm-up game in Melbourne tipped off at 7.45pm (AEST) on Thursday night, with the Boomers toppling South Sudan but copping a big injury setback in the process<\/a>.<\/p>\n There will be two other opportunities for the Boomers to get reps in before the World Cup itself, with friendly games against France and Georgia in Japan on August 20 and 22.<\/p>\n FULL SCHEDULE (Times AEST)<\/b><\/p>\n Australia def. Venezuela 97-41 \u2014 Game recap<\/a><\/p>\n Australia def. by Brazil 86-90 \u2014 Game recap<\/a><\/p>\n Australia def. South Sudan 88-67 \u2014 Game recap<\/a><\/p>\n Australia vs France (Sunday, August 20 @ 2pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Georgia (Tuesday, August 22 @ TBD)<\/p>\n HOW TO WATCH EVERY BOOMERS FIBA WORLD CUP GAME<\/b><\/p>\n As for the World Cup action itself, the Boomers are part of Group E and will play Finland in their first official game to kick off the tournament.<\/p>\n That game is scheduled for 6pm AEST on Friday, August 25. Australia is also scheduled to face Germany (6.30pm, August 27) and Japan (9.10pm, August 29) to round out the group stage.<\/p>\n You can watch EVERY Boomers game live with ESPN on Kayo<\/a>. <\/p>\n FULL SCHEDULE <\/b><\/p>\n Australia vs Finland (Friday, August 25 @ 6pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Germany (Sunday, August 27 @ 6.30pm)<\/p>\n Australia vs Japan (Tuesday, August 29 @ 9.10pm)<\/p>\n BOOMERS\u2019 12-MAN SQUAD<\/b><\/p>\n Xavier Cooks, Dyson Daniels, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Chris Goulding, Josh Green, Joe Ingles, Nick Kay, Patty Mills, Duop Reath, Matisse Thybulle, Jack White<\/p>\n PLAYERS ALREADY CUT<\/b><\/p>\n Jock Landale (injured), Matthew Dellavedova, Will McDowell-White, Thon Maker, Keanu Pinder, Sam Froling<\/p>\n FIBA WORLD CUP GROUPS<\/b><\/p>\n Group A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy<\/p>\n Group B: South Sudan, Serbia, China, Puerto Rico<\/p>\n Group C: USA, Jordan, Greece, New Zealand<\/p>\n Group D: Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania<\/p>\n Group E: Germany, Finland, Australia<\/b>, Japan<\/p>\n Group F: Slovenia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Venezuela<\/p>\n Group G: Iran, Spain, Cote d\u2019Ivoire, Brazil<\/p>\n Group H: Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France<\/p>\n FIBA WORLD CUP WINNER ODDS (via TAB.com.au)<\/b><\/p>\n USA \u2014 $2.10<\/p>\n Canada \u2014 $6.00<\/p>\n Australia \u2014 $9.00 <\/p>\n Slovenia \u2014 $11.00 <\/p>\n France \u2014 $12.00<\/p>\n