The United States men’s basketball team finally turned in the dominant performance everyone had been waiting for to comfortably defeat Argentina and reach the semi-finals at Rio 2016.
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United States’ DeMarcus Cousins (12) is pressured by Argentina’s Luis Scola (4) during a men’s quarterfinal round basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.
Alba Torrens was the high-scorer for Spain with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and a steal.
This is the third consecutive time these two teams will face each other in the Olympics and it should be Team USA’s third win.
Kevin Durant led Team USA with 27 points, including 7-9 from three point range to pace the winners. No one wanted to be known as the first US men’s basketball team to fail to win a medal of any type in the Olympics, though it certainly seemed a possibility. The run extended to 27-2 as United States of America opened a 36-21 lead in the second quarter and took a 56-40 advantage into halftime.
Manu Ginobili was still one of the best players on the globe back then, soon to be one of the most respected performers in the National Basketball Association during his long (and still current) run with the San Antonio Spurs.
Klay Thompson, who was coming off a 30-point game against France in the final game of group play, was cold against Argentina, finishing with four points on 2-for-8 shooting and 0 of 6 on 3-pointers.
Ginobili played 29 games in his Argentina Olympic career and medaled twice.
The US and Spain played in the preliminary round and the USA won that one by 40.
“We played this team plenty of times in global competition so it will be who wants it more, to be honest”, Durant said.
USA team basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski took time to pay homage to Ginobili, calling him “as fierce a competitor that I as a coach have had to face in my entire time in worldwide basketball”. With the Americans up 56-40 at halftime, Durant had 18 points and five assists while Cousins added nine. The Americans will play Spain in the semifinals Friday.
“I wouldn’t call it relief, I just think we are evolving”, said USA coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Even though the American team finished group play without a loss, questions about their ability to claim a third straight gold swirled after three unimpressive narrow wins to close out preliminary play.
Another day, another Armageddon for Team USA. The Americans held off Australia by 10, then pulled out three-point victories over Serbia and France.
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Spain and the United States of America came to Rio as the favorites to meet again for the basketball gold medal. Australia meets Serbia in the other semifinal.
