South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
US beats France for Tokyo title
Nothing about the summer was easy for the U.S. men’s basketball team, and neither was the gold medal game.
The Americans expected nothing less.
And in the end, their Olympic reign lives on.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points and joined Carmelo Anthony as the only threetime men’s gold medalists in Olympic history, and the U.S. held off France 87-82 on Saturday to win the title at the Tokyo Games — ending a summer that started with sputters but closed with celebration.
“Every championship is special, and the group you’re with is special, but I can be honest and say this is the most responsibility I’ve ever felt,” said U.S. coach Gregg Popovich, who adds this gold to five NBA titles he’s won as coach of the San Antonio Spurs. “You’re playing for so many people that are watching, and for a country, and other countries involved. The responsibility was awesome. I felt it every day for several years now. I’m feeling pretty light now and looking forward to getting back to the hotel.”
Wine was awaiting, and so was a hero’s welcome from the U.S. women’s team — which plays for gold of its own Sunday — when the men returned to the team hotel. Later Saturday night, after Australia defeated Slovenia for the bronze, Popovich and the team returned to the arena for their gold medals. One player would drape the prize over another’s neck, then they watched the U.S. flag get raised and “The Star-Spangled Banner” blare for them one more time.
“Everybody was questioning us,” U.S. forward Draymond Green said. “This is special.”
Allyson Felix won her 11th Olympic medal, combining with her American teammates to finish the 4x400-meter relay in 3 minutes, 16.85 seconds for a runaway victory. She also passed Carl Lewis for the most track medals of any U.S. athlete.
Malcom scored in the
108th minute and Brazil won its second consecutive gold medal in men’s soccer with a
2-1 victory over Spain. Japan beat the U.S. 2-0 for its first ever gold medal in baseball.