With three more reserves joining George and Durant in the game, Team USA went on a 27-2 run to take control.
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Spain will move on to play the victor of the semifinal game between the United States and France for a chance at the gold medal.
Kevin Durant led the USA scoring with 27 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. The USA got the lead up to 11, then Spain pulled it back to a five-point game.
“We fed off wanting to play better than the last three games”, Durant told the Associated Press.
Durant was 7-for-9 from downtown and had a game-high 27 points for the United States.
But it has never won gold at the Olympics, losing to the U.S.in the final game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. However, the United States of America had their best start of the Olympics overall, racing out to a 10 point lead with hot shooting from Thompson.
As for the semifinals, Durant said, “Pau Gasol’s a load down there in the post”.
But this year’s players were still quarterfinalists against a US squad whose past two games were three-point wins against France and Serbia.
“Today I think that it pays off, but how I say it’s not only that the people who’s here, it’s from all the people who work in this team and for Spain basketball”, Torrens said.
Team USA’s performance was a welcomed departure from its previous three games, when it defeated Australia by 10 points, Serbia by three and France by three. He started at guard, playing 35 minutes.
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It was probably the last Olympics for Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and the rest of the Golden Generation, who beat the U.S.in the Athens semifinals en route to gold.
Spain’s victory, however, puts it in the US’s bracket, and it will need to be giant-killer to make the final a third straight time.
“We couldn’t play any better in the tournament”, Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. “A lot of tough memories, but that’s sports”, said Parker, of his time with the national team. Once the quarterfinals arrived, the USA found contributions from everywhere.
Australia had no trouble to trounce Lithuania 90-64, while Spain led all the way to crush France 92-67 for another berth in semis.
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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. Even with inconsistent effort on the defensive end and players who look out of place in their first worldwide appearance, Mike Krzyzewski’s team has more talent and depth.
