A booking gone bad.
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You were moved to question the wisdom of that choice once or twice in the early stages Sunday, when stubborn Serbia managed to hang with mighty Team USA for a quarter at Carioca Arena 1.
The Americans got their gold, and they did it easily.
“It was therapy for me after making a big change in my life”, Durant told The Vertical.
There would be no storms, or lasting fears of silver, on this afternoon. Kevin Durant led the assault, pouring in 30 points including 24 in a brilliant opening half, while DeMarcus Cousins was again a beast on the boards, pulling down 15 rebounds.
Kevin Durant scored 30 points while DeMarcus Cousins added 13 points and 15 rebounds as the United States squad cruised to a 15th overall men’s basketball gold medal, every U.S. player scoring in the romp, in what was the Rio Games’ last title decider.
Durant’s final shooting numbers from Rio: 52-of-90 overall, 27-of-50 from three.
“I don’t go into it thinking about ‘Is the last? or ‘Is this the second?'” Krzyzewski said. “It’s big. This is what we came for”. Just because we didn’t play well at all. When I’m smiling out there, screaming and beating my chest, showing emotion, that’s when I’m really lost in the game. From the USA women’s big win in basketball to the host country’s spirits being lifted by a performance on the pitch, team sports were coming to a close on Saturday at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Now that the Olympics have come to a close, it’s time to settle in and prepare for National Basketball Association preseason. The Serbs couldn’t cope with their length and athleticism and pressure on the ball, then watched helplessly as Durant sailed in for a slam and a 45-25 cushion when multiple defenders rushed out to try to crowd him on the perimeter.
It is hard to extract meaningful information during the Olympics about National Basketball Association players, regardless of if they are playing for the U.S. or their home country. He averaged 19.5 points per game. Those mini-camps will help the new staff finalize the roster for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, the next major worldwide tournament before the 2020 games in Tokyo.
The Warriors’ own Mr. Intensity, meanwhile, continued to play a lesser role in the USA game plan. With 10 first-time Olympians and six players who had never played in a major worldwide competition, the USA has struggled. Oh, and Nikola Mirotic will be bringing his bronze medal-winning skills to the table as well. You never know what’s going to happen in four years.
That raised doubts about the ability of the newly assembled team to play as a unit and handle the perpetual motion of global play. Too soon to say.
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Serbia will get their chance to make history when they face the US in what’s been labelled a “David and Goliath” gold medal match. He did what he could over 10 years to establish a foundation that would last beyond him: “The future will take care of itself if we do the necessary steps right now”, he said before the Olympics.
