The nail-biting came to end for the Americans.
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According to Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, they are not taking Team Spain lightly due to their long history of rivalry.
The Americans had a slow start but utilized a 27-2 first half run to take full control of the game.
Spain crushed its long time rival France that is full of National Basketball Association talent on Wednesday with 92-67 score to reach semis, while U.S. had a easy win over Argentina 105-78 to face off Spain. The team’s underperformance against Australia, Serbia, and France called into question the legitimacy of the gold medal hopefuls.
Kevin Durant lead the team with 27 points, and during the game passed Michael Jordan for 4th all time on the Team USA scoring list.
The answer might be nothing. At least it there wasn’t anything wrong against Argentina.
“The only thing that we changed was our passion and our energy”, said Kevin Durant. By the time Argentina head coach Sergio Hernandez took him out of the gamem a section of the Carioca Arena 1 crowd gave the 2004 Olympic gold medalist a standing ovation.
Ginobili, 39, and longtime 36-year-old teammate Andres Nocioni retired from worldwide competition after the game, 12 years after winning gold in Athens. “We just can’t send a group of all-stars over there, throw them together and expect you’re going to win”. “We formed part of something unique we did for our country and it’s going to be there”. They grew up together on that worldwide stage, and while they went down different paths with their club careers – Ginobili picking up four titles, a Sixth Man of the Year award, a couple of All-Star appearances, and incredible respect as a member of the Spurs – they always came back to their global team bond.
“They congratulated me and I’m very proud of their words”, said Ginobili, who scored 14 points.
“They congratulated me, and I’m very proud of their words”, Ginobili said.
If the United States of America men’s team is going to win these Olympics, it will happen with defense, pure talent, and good old American superstars.
Scola led Argentina with 15 points while Ginobli, in his final global game, finished with 14.
Durant hit a 3-pointer early in the second quarter that helped the Americans start the period on an 11-0 run.
The run was sparked in part by a US substitution that saw Paul George, Kyle Lowry, DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmy Butler replace all but Kevin Durant of the USA starters.
Almost written off after two losses to open the Rio Games, Spain is back in the men’s basketball semifinals for the third straight time after a 92-67 rout of Parker and France.
The U.S. moves on now to play Spain in an eagerly anticipated semifinal matchup.
The loudest crowd yet for a US game, featuring boxer Floyd Mayweather and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, was treated to an explosive performance by the Americans, with devastating crossovers by Durant and Kyrie Irving that left defenders helpless and brought teammates to their feet on the bench. Argentina fans danced, cheered and completely ignored the crooked numbers on the scoreboard while saying one long goodbye. Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski embraced Ginobili after the match as the pair had a brief conversation, and the 39-year-old was given the game ball to keep as a memento from his final appearance in an Argentinian jersey. Led by Manu Ginobili, another San Antonio Spurs star, they play basketball’s version of the “beautiful game” – the ball always moving, flowing across the court.
“We tended to think it was going to be easier than we thought”, Durant said.
So, not to go all “Hawks Starting Five Wins Eastern Conference Player of the Month” on you, because that was bullshit (but actually, watch me do just that), the player of the game really was Argentina’s Golden Generation - Manu, Delfino, Nocioni, and Scola. Rebounds-United States 51 (P. George 8), Argentina 35 (L. Scola 10).
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With the United States looking vulnerable, the fourth ranked Argentines came into the quarter final thinking “upset”.
