“My goal is to help this team and lead this time to a gold medal”.
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Durant picked up right where he left off in the 2012 Olympics with 25 points as the USA men’s basketball team routed China 119-62 on Saturday night in its opening game.
This year’s team will be led by all-stars Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony- and they have a legacy to protect.
Asked what he expected from China today, Kevin Durant, the 2014 NBA MVP, searched for a moment for something positive to say before settling on the well-worn, but trusty cliche: “They made us work”.
Perhaps the only thing that went wrong for Durant came with just under two minutes to play in the first half. He has the chance to win his third Olympic gold medal; a feat no American men’s basketball player has ever achieved.
“When you get hot, you want to see your bench get excited for you”, Durant said. When we move the ball and everybody is just kind of like _ everybody’s doing their part _ screening, rolling, cutting to the basket _ you never know where the shot is going to come from.
Team USA plays Team Venezuela on Monday, and while Venezuela played them better than China did during the exhibition, it was still a 35 point blowout.
It’s a transition to a new era for USA Basketball, as the team is filled with fresh faces heading to RIo de Janeiro and looks to win the gold medal for the third consecutive time.
Anthony also played in his 24th Olympic game, tying the American record held by both LeBron and David Robinson.
China features former National Basketball Association center Yi Jianlian and 2016 second-round draft picks Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin. The players level of celebrity doesn’t allow for the same level of privacy in the Village as other athletes are afforded so Team USA has elected since 1992 to find their own accommodations.
The Americans closed the first quarter with a 26-6 burst to lead 30-10.
High-flying DeMar DeRozan provided a spectacle for the fans on hand with two monster dunks.
The U.S. crushed China, the opponent in its opener Saturday, 106-57 and 107-57. They’ve won 41 straight Olympic contests. It’s just a private environment for the US basketball national team for women’s and men’s, our coaching staff.
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“What’s done is done. We have played Team USA three times this summer and this is a very good opportunity for us to learn”.
