FIBA World Cup News: Slovenia Star Goran Dragic Bashes Australia, Accuses Boomers Of Game-Fixing Against Angola

The Australian basketball national team was accused by Slovenia star guard Goran Dragic of intentionally losing their final game of the group phase of the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

On Thursday, Australia lost to ran-on team Angola, 91-83 despite a big halftime lead for the Boomers. Dragic, who plays for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA), took his thoughts to Twitter criticizing Australia’s effort to tank the game:

Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola!! @FIBA should do something about that!

— Goran Dragic (@Goran_Dragic) September 4, 2014

Dragic was not without a point too as Australian head coach Andrej Lemanis chose to rest their top players for the game even as the team played a lackadaisical second half. Watch the highlights of the Angola vs. Australia game here:

(YouTube/FIBA)

Two Australian starters, Joe Ingles and Aron Baynes did not suit up in the game against Angola. Ingles, who is the squad’s top offensive perimeter threat, averaged 30 minutes per game in the first four games logging in 11.8 points and 3.5 assists per outing.

Meanwhile, Baynes, who was a member of the San Antonio Spurs 2014 champion team, also saw zero minutes after averaging 25.8 minutes an outing in the first four. Baynes is arguably Australia’s best player in this tournament with team-highs 17.2 points per game and 7.0 rebounds.

Another key player for Australia, Matthew Dellavedova of the Cleveland Cavaliers, played a grand total of four minutes.

After an 80-to-69 win against the lowly Koreans in their opening match, Angola suffered three straight blowout defeats against quality teams Lithuania (75-62), Mexico (79-55) and Slovenia (93-87). Meanwhile, Australia was on a three-game winning streak with big wins over Korea (89-55), Lithuania (82-75) and Mexico (70-62).

Dragic’s comments will most likely fall into FIBA’s, basketball’s governing body, deaf ears as no proof of actual “game-fixing” will be discovered.

For Australia, the intentional loss will be considered as a strategic ploy to better their chances in the tournament. With the defeat, Australia drew with Turkey in the Round of 16, a single-elimination knockout game, but more importantly avoided a potential quarterfinals match-up with powerhouse and favourite United States of America (USA).

Meanwhile, Dragic’s Slovenia lost to Lithuania, 67-64 in their final match of the group stages and are now in the unenviable position of being drawn in the same bracket with Team USA. Slovenia faces Dominican Republic in the Round of 16 before a potential clash with the Americans, who are pegged to handle Mexico in their opening KO game.

Is Goran Dragic correct in his accusation that Australia intentionally threw away their game against Angola?

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