U.S. men defeat Spain to reach basketball gold medal game
RIO DE JANEIRO — Gone was the all-offense, all-action play that turned the last two gold medal games into classics.
To get by Spain again, the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team would have to win ugly, so unusual it’s practically un-American.
“It was just a real different game today,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. Same result, though. The U.S. advanced to its third straight gold medal game an 82-76 victory Friday, another tight matchup between the teams that met in the last two championship games.
Klay Thompson scored 22 points for the Americans, who will play Serbia on Sunday for their third consecutive Olympic title.
“This is where we wanted to be,” Kevin Durant said. “We talked about it all summer and to be here for the final game, to win the gold, for all the marbles, we like our chances.”
The Americans pulled away to win 118-107 in 2008 and held on for a 107-100 victory in London, but the defenses made their mark in this one. The U.S. was just good enough again against Spain, with bodies falling more than shots and technical fouls keeping the teams from finding an offensive flow.
It certainly wasn’t pretty, but Olympic gold never loses its luster.
“It’s an amazing feeling now,” center DeAndre Jordan said. “We really want to accomplish this.”
Jordan made his presence felt in the middle with 16 rebounds and four blocked shots to go with his nine points.
Durant added 14 points on the day he moved past LeBron James into second place on the U.S. Olympic career scoring list. Kyrie Irving had 13 for the U.S.
Pau Gasol scored 23 points for Spain, which made it tough on the Americans for the third straight Olympics, but again had to settle for coming close.
Gasol said after he believed Spain missed its best chance to beat the U.S.
“They are not playing as well as other times they’ve played, but they are still a very talented team individually,” Gasol said. “I just (feel) like if we had been a little sharper with our shots, if we would have moved the ball a little better, if we would have boxed out more, and make it a two- or threepossession game, then you’re talking about a whole different story.” SERBIA 87, AUSTRALIA 61: Milos Teodosic scored 22 points as Serbia, which pushed the starstudded U.S. team to the final seconds before losing earlier in the Rio Games, moved into the Olympic gold medal game against the Americans with a shockingly easy semifinal win over Australia on Friday.
Stefan Markovic scored 14 and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets had 11 rebounds for the Serbs, who will get another crack at the U.S. on Sunday. Serbia’s win guaranteed its first Olympic medal in men’s basketball since gaining independence in 2006.
The Aussies, who were without former UNM Lobo Cam Bairstow (separated shoulder), scored just 5 points in the first quarter and will have to beat Spain for their first top 3 finish.
WOMEN: Team USA could again be without its captain Sue Bird, who is day to day after suffering a right knee capsule sprain, when it plays Spain for the gold medal today.
The Americans advanced with an 86-67 victory over France in Thursday’s semifinal, led by Diana Taurasi (18 points) and Maya Moore (15 points).
Spain advanced by defeating Serbia 68-54 in the other semifinal.