The newly assembled team they led were occasionally challenged in Rio, raising some doubts about the outcome. Simply stated, Team USA saved the best for last.
Advertisement
Against a team that they beat by just three points in pool play, the US grabbed control of the game in the second quarter and didn’t look back.
When the duo resumed battle on the Rio hardwood it was the Eastern Europeans that began the brighter, with their aggressive defensive pressure throwing their much-fancied opponents off kilter.
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). Though undefeated heading into the final, the USA men’s team flirted with disaster at several points in the tournament, including razor-thin three point victories over France and its gold medal opponent Serbia in Group play.
It was by now an exhibition, underlined by DeMar DeRozan’s breath-taking alley-oop, as the United States’ men won a 15th basketball gold.
Kevin Durant gave Golden State Warriors fans goose bumps, showing he still belongs among the NBA’s elite.
Durant would go on to lead the U.S.to the gold medal, leading the team in scoring for the duration of the Olympics, including a 30-point performance in the gold medal game against Serbia.
Durant picked up his second gold medal and while Carmelo Anthony and coach Mike Krzyzewski, coaching his last Olympics for Team USA before ceding to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, picked up their third.
But Anthony stepped up with a game-high 30 points against the Australians, including 14 in the fourth quarter to help lock the game down. Team USA is now 138-5 all-time in Olympic play and has not lost since 2004.
Anthony revealed that the gold medal game of the Rio Olympics signified the end of his worldwide playing career.
“We got together on July 17 and we set our minds on winning the gold medal”.
After becoming the first man to win three Olympic gold medals in basketball on Sunday with the United States’ 96-66 blowout of Serbia, Carmelo Anthony hung up his global sneakers. “I want to see the level raised”.
Advertisement
Spain, which restricted the USA to an 82-76 victory in the semifinals, beat Australia 89-88 in a controversial finish to the bronze medal match.
