Speaking after the US men’s basketball team won a third straight gold medal with a rout of Serbia, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said other countries need to find a way to be more competitive.
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On the podium wearing his third Olympic gold medal, Anthony, who led this inexperienced US team from the moment it first gathered weeks ago in Las Vegas, pointed toward one end of Carioca Arena, to the spot where the American flag was about to rise. In that time, the U.S. have won three Olympic Gold Medals, two FIBA World Championships and one FIBA America’s Championship.
MORRISVILLE-Although Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has now led US basketball to three consecutive gold medals, his tenure with the national team is now finished.
“I committed to this in ’04”, added Anthony, who would be 36 for Tokyo 2020. “We just raised the level of intensity and it was a great game”, Clay Thompson said. “I knew (a backlash) was coming”. This is it for me. Anthony said. “I’ve seen both sides of it”.
U.S. scraped to a three point win the group stages of the competition, but they showed no mercy as they surged to 52-29 half time lead which gave them the initiative to go on in the second half and claim a 25 straight win on the Olympic hardwood.
Krzyzewski, who will continue coaching at powerhouse Duke University, is confident U.S. basketball will continue to thrive, especially with Popovich, five times NBA champion as Spurs head coach, set to take over.
While there’s little doubt that the gold medal game was not as competitive as many expected, Colangelo appears to have forgotten the earlier struggles of his own team in this tournament. All three opponents in bracket play shot less than 40 percent from the field after the US allowed their last three opponents in pool play (Australia, France and Serbia) to shoot better than 50 percent from the field.
Durant had 14 points in the pivotal spurt, including a spectacular steal and fast break slam dunk that brought the loudest roar from U.S. fans. In comparison, Durant alone was 5-for-11 from long range.
After that, Kevin Durant made a decision to take over the game and put the Serbian national team away for good.
Cousins had 13 points and 15 rebounds in the game.
In the second half, it was only a matter of settling the final margin and seeing some highlight-reel United States moves, notably an alley-oop slam dunk by DeMar DeRozan early in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant saved his best for last.
The UConn coach put his five former Huskie players on the court at the same time for the first time in the Olympics, and that group started the 16-3 run that blew it open.
At the finish, the Americans were dancing at mid-court in celebration. Perennial all-star Kevin Durant led the way with 30 points and a series of highlight-reel three pointers and dunks.
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The Americans lost three times at the Athens Games, and the sight of them wearing olive wreaths on their heads, bronze medals around their necks and disappointment on their faces, was a low point for the sport’s standard of excellence.
