Just not especially well, yet.

The 7-foot center has described himself as having been an "immature snot" who embarrassed himself with a poor performance at the Athens Games four years ago and wants to make up for it. Yet he and the Boomers failed to make much of an impression in their opener, a blowout 97-82 loss to Croatia on Sunday night that raised serious doubts about their medal chances - but didn't surprise Bogut.

"Not really," he said. "We played them twice [before the Olympics] and they played well both times against us."

In the prelude to the momentous U.S. vs. China game, Bogut played against his ancestral homeland, his parents having emigrated from Croatia to Australia before he was born.

But that had little meaning, especially once the Boomers fell behind by 18 points in the first half and an ineffective Bogut found a spot on the bench. He did not start the second half -- the Boomers trailed by as many as 29 points -- and finished with 10 points in just 21 minutes of his first game since sitting out an exhibition against Team USA with a sprained ankle.

The Boomers gave the Americans a scare in that game before losing by only 11, but enjoyed no similar fortune against the Croatians. They played little defense, allowing Croatia enough open shots to hit 36-of-54 for 67 percent, including 12-of-16 from three-point range.

"We just came out, didn't execute and didn't defend," Bogut said. "And it helped when they shoot 70-some percent from three. ... We gave them open looks at the start of the game, and then the second half of the game, they stayed hot."

The road doesn't get any easier for Australia; its next game comes Tuesday against Argentina, the defending world champion that lost to Lithuania earlier Sunday.

"We're going to concentrate on Argentina in our next game," Bogut said. "That's our next goal."