A third gold Sunday validated the entire endeavor, not only for Krzyzewski but Anthony, a member of all three teams and the first three-time gold medalist in Olympic men’s basketball history.
Advertisement
When asked about winning gold, Butler said, “This isn’t just for me”.
By half-time Durant had poured in 24 points – 18 in the second quarter alone – and Cousins had already posted a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds) and the USA led 52-29.
The U.S. beat Serbia by just 94-91 in pool play, holding on when Bogdan Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He entered late in the first quarter with U.S. trailing 14-12 and helped the team close the quarter on a 7-1 run. He usually led Team USA in steals in every game of this Olympic competition. With the win, Team USA – this 2016 version that was led by Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and all the rest – has won 52 consecutive games in FIBA play (24 in the Olympics).
Kevin Durant was the team’s leading scorer, dropping 30 points on 10-for-19 shooting with five made 3-pointers.
During the 1996 Summer Olympics, all 12 players on the United States of America roster were members of an All-NBA Team (First, Second, or Third); the 2016 squad only represented six – that’s half of what it was 20 years ago!
“Coach (Mike Krzyzewski) sat me down and showed me some film of 2010 and he said, “I want to see that guy again”, Durant said. That sparked a two-game win streak that lifted them into the medal round on a tie-breaker, followed by wins over Croatia and Australia.
“It’s kind of like in college when you go from being a team to being an outstanding program”, he said.
The U.S. struggled earlier in the tournament, but has been dominant in the medal round, beating Argentina, Spain and now Serbia en route to the Olympic title.
Serbia had given the Americans a scare in the preliminary round, clawing back from a 23-5 deficit to push the tournament favorites to the limit before losing by three.
“You get chills over your body, man”, said DeMarcus Cousins, who had 13 points and 15 rebounds. That capped an Olympics in which the US dominated the medal tables, both the gold (46) and overall totals (121).
Durant and Anthony hugged late in the fourth quarter with the result long decided. The Duke University coach, a five-time National Collegiate Athletic Association title victor, will hand over to San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
The Aussies sent their best team to Rio, but were still without Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, and Dante Exum, still recovering from a knee injury. I call it character, and in that moment, sometimes after a loss, you find out a deep character in someone. “I think we made them (proud)”.
Advertisement
Despite not fielding its best possible roster, the USA marched to an 8-0 record in Rio with a plus-182 scoring differential and four victories by 20-plus points.
