On the heels of their 96-66 win over Serbia in the gold medal game at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, team U.S. basketball is celebrating like it’s their god damn job.
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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.
Carmelo Anthony, the only U.S. player with Olympic experience other than Durant, became the most successful Olympic basketballer with a third personal gold.
“I know this is the end, this is it for me”, Anthony said.
“We played a great game today”.
Against a team that they beat by just three points in pool play, the USA grabbed control of the game in the second quarter and didn’t look back. He spoke not only about the team, but he also made a call for unity throughout the country.
Durant started a 9-0 run which woke up the team and the United States led 52-29 by half-time as Durant raised his tally to 24 points thanks to five more three-pointers and two slam dunks. Durant led all scorers with 24 points, while DeMarcus Cousins had 11 points and 12 boards.
The U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team poses for a photo during a news conference.
Durant averaged 19.4 points at the Rio Games to pull within 25 Olympic points of tying Carmelo Anthony for most in American history.
While he continues to keep Duke as one of the largest powerhouses in college basketball, he is known for being the head coach of the 2008 “Redeem Team” and being able to pull the squad together to play to their potential again in London and now Rio as well.
“I’m done coaching the U.S team”.
This is the United States team’s 15th Olympic gold in 18 appearances, not counting the boycotted Moscow Olympics. All 12 US players scored in the game.
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Victory was never in doubt after a dominant second quarter, inspired by Kevin Durant, which saw the Americans pull 23 points clear at halftime. At the end of one, Serbia trailed by just four and looked like they may challenge the USA for gold. He walks away as the first men’s basketball coach to have won three gold medals. They beat Australia and Croatia to make it to the Olympic final.
