Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski made a big lineup change by flip-flopping DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan, but at first that didn’t pay dividends as the defense continued to struggle and Argentina ran out to a 19-9 lead.
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“We played with passion and energy tonight”, Durant told NBC Sports.
“I don’t think I inspired them just because I scored points”, he said following practice at the Flamengo Club, a short drive from scenic Leblon Beach.
It came on the same stage 12 years ago at the 2004 Athens Olympics when Argentina beat the Dream Team in the semi-finals and then went on to take the gold.
After all the talk about how Australia, Serbia and France had pushed the Americans all the way until the end of their last three wins, this was different. Team USA leads Argentina 56-40 at the half and Durant already has 18 points.
Ginobili scored 14 points in his final game in Argentina’s blue and white, tearing up after receiving applause from his fans and warm wishes from his opponents.
“They showed some weaknesses that we had and we tried to get better”.
The depth and size of the Americans proved decisive.
By early in the second quarter, the chanting was ongoing but the game was over. Spain routed France earlier in the day, 92-67.
If one or two of those guys isn’t willing to take a backseat offensively, United States of America could find itself in another unnecessarily close game. Too many DeMar DeRozan minutes.
After Team USA recalibrated its program and took the embarrassment of a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics to heart, the US hit its stride of re-configuring its mindset and approach at the right time.
The U.S. attacked the rim in the second half.
But this year’s players were still quarterfinalists against a US squad whose past two games were three-point wins against France and Serbia.
With the USA team needing a lift, something to shake it from this South American slumber and re-direct the angst aimed at the 2016 collection of NBA All-Stars after three lackluster victories, Durant delivered. By the start of the fourth, the USA was up 87-61.
In July, the US opened a five-game exhibition tour with a 111-74 victory over Argentina in Las Vegas.
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Luis Scola led Argentina with 15 points and 10 rebounds. And now, they’ll attempt to fill one of the few voids in their storied program’s history when they face off on Friday. It’s probably particularly troubling that France was able to pressure them all game without Tony Parker playing a single second.
