After anxiety that followed a handful of close wins, it was a fitting end that this team capped off their journey for a gold medal with a resounding 30 point win.
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Serbia were guilty of missing too many shots and the United States capitalised, with Durant racking up 24 points as they went in at the halfway point with a 52-29 lead.
Carmelo Anthony, a gold medalist again.
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.
The only USA male player to be chosen for four Olympic teams, Anthony became the first to win three golds as the Americans saved their best for last and crushed Serbia 96-66 on Sunday.
For ten of the 12 players on the squad, it was their first gold medal. Durant has now scored 88 points in USA’s last three gold medal games.
Kevin Durant scored 18 of his 30 points in the second quarter to trigger the rout, stretching the USA’s Olympic winning streak to 25 games and its decade-long unbeaten string to 76 in what was the final gold medal match of the Games.
“I know this is the end”.
Krzyzewski, 69, will hand the reins to San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich as he leaves Team USA after almost 11 years and with a 24-0 record in the Olympics. “I committed to something”.
This was the final game for Mike Krzyzewski as head coach of USA Basketball, a position he has held since 2005. I’ve seen both sides of it. And Anthony has collected three golds as precious to him as an National Basketball Association ring. Much of the turnaround can be attributed to a renewed defensive effort – a hallmark of Coach K’s previous Olympic teams. Durant led the USA with six.
DeMar DeRozan (USC 2009) finished with six points, two rebounds, two assists and a block in 11 minutes of action.
It was a tough ending after an impressive run for Serbia in its first Olympics as an independent nation.
Sergio Rodriguez made two free throws with 5.4 seconds left and the Spaniards, who won silver in Beijing and London, got the defensive stop they needed as Australia fumbled the ball away on its last possession.
Durant, who joins the NBA Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors next season, had 14 points in the pivotal spurt including a spectacular steal and fast-break slam dunk.
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“I think the way these players have felt, they’re given an opportunity to play for their country and you make the most of it”.
