Completing a third consecutive unbeaten run to Olympic gold, the United States captured a sixth Games title with National Basketball Association talent in seven tries by routing Serbia 96-66 in Sunday’s final.
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Durant scored 18 of his game high 30 points in the second quarter, finishing the first half with 24, as the Americans led 52-29.
Anthony now leads all American male basketball players with three gold medals..
Carmelo Anthony became the first American man to ever win four Olympic medals in basketball and the first man to ever win three gold medals in basketball, earning his third gold medal Sunday after winning bronze in 2004, gold in 2008 and gold in 2012.
Since he came on board in 2005 his teams have gone an incredible 88-1 with the only loss coming to Greece in the 2006 World Championships. George has stated that his 2014 leg injury suffered in a Team USA exhibition was well behind him, but it had to be an incredible feeling to stand on the podium to accept the gold medal. “As much as I’m going to miss it, I think it’s time to pass it on to some of the guys who have been on the team this year”.
“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”.
The game also sends Carmelo Anthony out the right way.
“I think I’ve given enough to Team USA basketball”, said Anthony.
Kyle Snyder became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in USA history when the 20-year-old won gold at 97 kilograms during the men’s freestyle tournament.
No matter what happens in Tokyo, however, today the American men’s basketball team added another gold to the United States’ gold count – a nice addition as the Olympics wrap up on their final day.
Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic (7) holds onto the ball against the United States during the men’s gold medal basketball game at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016. There were a few hiccups – his bad shooting game against Australia, his passive game against Serbia – in group play, but he more than made up for it in the knockout round. None of its games should have been close, but this group was vulnerable in group play because of a lack of cohesion, especially compared to other national teams that have chemistry from years of playing together.
“America will be great again, I believe that”, Anthony continued.
While the US men came into Sunday’s championship game undefeated in seven games in Rio, Serbia had lost to the Americans in preliminary group play by only three points. “It’s not just how they’ve played, but how they acted and how unselfish they were”. “I think we made them (proud)”.
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Spain, which restricted the USA to an 82-76 victory in the semifinals, beat Australia 89-88 in a controversial finish to the bronze medal match.
