RIO DE JANEIRO – Count Brazilian legend Oscar Schmidt among those eager to see the United States and Spain reunite in Olympic basketball one round earlier than normal.
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Those questions were answered in the form of a 105-78 rout against Argentina as the USA extended their Olympic winning streak to 23 games. He ripped off the first seven points for the red, white and blue. This time they have been tested to their limits with games with Australia, Serbia and France, all of which gave team US hard-fought games that resulted to wins that came down through the wire.
Manu Ginobili was still one of the best players on the globe back then, soon to be one of the most respected performers in the National Basketball Association during his long (and still current) run with the San Antonio Spurs.
Albert and Doug Collins spent considerable time on that team’s history during an otherwise uneventful fourth quarter, and cameras kept with an emotional Ginobili and his teammates at the end.
After their slimmest wins in the Olympic streak – three-point group-stage triumphs over France and Serbia – the United States millionaire lineup started slow but showed top form against a veteran foe.
Durant was 9 of 13 from the field and a staggering 7 of 9 from beyond the arc to lead the U.S. with 27 points. “We’ve got talent. We have to match it with effort”.
It shouldn’t be easier from here on out. Total fouls-United States 20, Argentina 15. If the US can manage a victory over them, they will move on to replay either Serbia or Australia for the gold medal this Sunday, August 21. No one wanted to be known as the first USA men’s basketball team to fail to win a medal of any type in the Olympics, though it certainly seemed a possibility. Small forward Paul George added 17 and Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins had his best game so far with 15 points. The team overwhelmed France 92-67 in the quarterfinals, with the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Mirotic scoring 23 points.
Although their road in Rio hasn’t been a very big challenge, there’s still a lot of pressure riding on this United States of America team. None of the three moved, instead standing and spectating as Durant went 1-on-everyone. “I’m very proud. And at the same time, I’m happy – sad and happy because having the opportunity to play this game at 39, and it’s not something that happens often”, Manu Ginobili said.
As France and Argentina made their quarter-final exits, they not only said goodbye to Rio but also bade farewell to standout players who put their respective countries on the basketball map. “We can talk about players and what we should do on defense or offense, but who wants it more?” Curry has similar skills. When the Brazilians joined the Americans in chants of “U-S-A!” the Argentinians only grew louder to drown them out.
“We have ultimate respect for Spain”, US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. As the USA played out the last minutes of a blowout, Argentina’s fans sang and danced, bouncing up and down in the aisles.
Spain’s Pau Gasol, left, and Jose Calderon, right, celebrate on the bench during a quarterfinal round basketball game against France at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.
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LOCHTE: NBC devoted 10 minutes of its prime-time broadcast to the murky story of American swimmer Ryan Lochte and his teammates, who said they were robbed at gunpoint during their time in Rio.
