LONDON – Somewhere in the midst of their relaxing afternoon stroll to the gold medal, Team USA looked up and found themselves in a fight. Spain rained 3-pointers over the Americans' heads. Pau and Marc Gasol bullied the U.S. frontline. And after U.S. center Tyson Chandler became entangled with Sergio Rodriguez in the second quarter, the little Spanish point guard stepped up and jabbed his right index finger into Chandler's face.
Rodriguez's message was clear: For all your NBA talent, for all your American dominance, you will not push us around.
Yes, Team USA's gold-medal rematch with Spain proved nearly as difficult as their battle in Beijing four years ago. Just like in 2008, the Americans finally separated themselves from Spain in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, holding on for a 107-100 victory that gave them their second straight Olympic gold medal.
[ Photos: Team USA fights off Spain for gold ]
The player most responsible for delivering Sunday's victory wasn't on the U.S. roster in 2008. Kevin Durant
has since become one of the NBA's biggest stars, and he played like one
against Spain, totaling 30 points and nine rebounds. Durant's Oklahoma
City Thunder lost the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat, but he leaves the
summer with his first Olympic gold medal.
LeBron James hit a late 3-pointer to finish off Spain, and finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. He joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win the NBA regular-season MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA title and Olympic title in the same year.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 points in what could have been his final Olympic game. Mike Krzyzewski coached his final game for Team USA, joining Henry Iba as the only coaches to guide the U.S. to consecutive gold medals. He'll stay involved with USA Basketball, but has no plans to continue coaching the national team. Pau Gasol led Spain with 24 points.
From Las Vegas to London, Team USA had rolled through its competition. Only Lithuania gave the U.S. anything close to resembling a scare before the gold-medal game. Spain, though, was different, and the Americans had only to remember back four years to know this. In the gold-medal game at the 2008 Games in Beijing, Spain gave the U.S. a fight until the final minutes.
Team USA coasted past Spain in an exhibition in Barcelona shortly before the start of these Olympics, but neither team considered it to be a true barometer of Spain's competitiveness should the teams meet in London. Even after Spain blew a large fourth-quarter lead against Brazil in pool play, opposing teams suggested the Spainards had pulled back to avoid facing the U.S. before the gold-medal game. Everyone here knew the obvious: The only team that had any chance of beating Team USA was Spain. From the size of the Gasol brothers and Serge Ibaka to its many shooters, Spain had a formidable roster.
Celebrities in attendance. (ITSLUDACRIS via Instagram)And for much of the first half, Spain gave the U.S. a fight. Juan Carlos Navarro scored 19 points in the half while making all three of his 3-pointers. Even after Marc Gasol exited with his fourth foul midway through the second quarter, Spain clung to the U.S. When Pau Gasol threw down a dunk early in the third quarter, the Americans trailed by a point.
From the opening minutes, Spain made clear it wasn't going to just concede the gold to the U.S. Navarro's shooting buoyed Spain. The Spaniards also played the Americans physically. Rudy Fernandez wrestled Chandler to the floor. Durant streaked to the basket for a layup attempt only to be flung to the floor hard by Jose Calderon.
Durant and his U.S teammates took Spains best punch, but picked themselves off the floor. Team USA finished Sunday in the same position they stood in Beijing four years ago. On the podium's top step, gold medal draped around their necks
Original article http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--team-usa-fights-off-spain-to-win-gold-medal-in-olympic.html
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