USA forward Carmelo Anthony became the first man to win three Olympic basketball gold medals.
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The dominant US women’s basketball team won a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal in impressive fashion, routing Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
An organized Serbian team produced enough trouble for the United States, as they did in the previous encounter, when the lead was exchanged five times and the game was tied four times in the first quarter.
The Rio Olympics weren’t always so easy for Durant and the U.S., but they ended the way most expected, a flawless 8-0 record and gold medal, even if these Americans had to earn it a little more than some of their predecessors.
Usain Bolt finished off his triple-triple – three Olympics, three sprint golds in each – for Jamaica, in what he said was his last games.
DeMarcus Cousins added 13 points and 15 rebounds in the title match, the U.S. cruising to the basketball gold for the 15th time. All three opponents in bracket play shot less than 40 percent from the field after the US allowed their last three opponents in pool play (Australia, France and Serbia) to shoot better than 50 percent from the field.
The U.S. outscored Serbia 33-14 in the second quarter, taking advantage of a combination of Durant’s threes and Cousins’ unstoppable bully ball.
Cousins had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the first half, which ended with the Americans ahead 52-29 and playing like the flamboyant side most expected to see once the roster was named. There are too many other good teams – good teams that will be getting better – on the world stage to have the best American players shrug at these tournaments. The United States walloped Spain 101-72 to win gold in Rio. He also announced that he was retiring from the team, having won three gold and one bronze over the course of his worldwide career.
The final result was a 96-66 victory for the Americans, as they won their third straight Olympic gold medal.
Serbia’s Nikola Jokic admitted his team was nowhere near the United States of America in the final.
The bullying was a little less brutal in the second half, if only because the US got so far ahead.
Whether his words were a defiant answer to Trump’s challenge, a sign of his alignment with Trump’s views, or just coincidentally related to the Trump slogan, Americans can all agree on one thing: We’re proud of our boys for bringing home that gold. “I’m here today three gold medals later”. I’ve seen the worst and I’ve seen the best.
“It let us know that we had to take it to another level because it’s not going to be a walk in the park”.
“I think the key of the game was their defense”, Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said.
There were close victories against Serbia, France and Australia in pool play.
Ewing, who famously won gold with the first Dream Team in 1992, said this year’s version of Team USA, wouldn’t have got anywhere near the first Dream Team, which featured superstars Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen.
The U.S. had the largest overall team in Rio with 554 members, and the women (291) outnumbered the men (263) for the second straight Olympiad.
Both teams were called for multiple technical fouls in the tense first half.
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“For me, this [gold] ranks just like the others”, Krzyzewski told reporters. They are likely to use NBA Development League players to carry them through until the A-team is available.
