Mavericks' Bogut returns to action for Australia following knee injury

It didn't last very long, but Andrew Bogut's return to action for the Australian men's Olympic squad Sunday is a positive sign that his recovery from a knee injury he suffered during Game 5 of the NBA Finals is progressing well.

With his left knee heavily wrapped, Bogut took the floor against China in exhibition action as a part of the starting lineup, grabbing three rebounds, dishing out one assist, and turning over the ball three times in just nine minutes in a convincing 82-53 victory.

"I think his first game back from an injury is always difficult. We're fairly happy with how he moved, how he looked on the court and will build from that," Australia assistant and former NBA champion Luc Longley said.

Early in the third quarter of Game 5 between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, the former No. 1 overall pick went up for a rejection on J.R. Smith and fell right on top of him, wrenching his knee in the process.

Bogut has since been traded from the Warriors, along with a future second-round pick, to the Dallas Mavericks for a future conditional second-round pick.

Australia will begin its group stage of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 7 against France.