By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
USA saved the best for last and dominated the final game of the Olympic basketball tournament against Serbia, getting an more than easy 96-66 win.
Like in the 2014 World Cup final, Kevin Durant with 30 points led the charge and tied the best scoring performance in an Olympic final, DeMarcus Cousins had a double double (13 p., 15 r.) and for the first time in Rio, USA toyed with top level competition and extended its winning streak to a record 76-0 wins.
Serbia was in the game only during the first period, led 13-11 and USA concluded the first 10 minutes of action with a modest 19-15 advantage. And then everything changed.
With Durant scoring 24 points in the first half and also 12 team offensive rebounds, USA ended the first half with a 23 points lead (52-29). The players of coach Mike Krzyzewski controlled the boards, blocked the Serbian pick and roll and with the possible exception of Milos Teodosic – who had 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, but also 3 turnovers and 0/5 threes – no other player from Serbia seemed ready for this kind of contest.
USA flirted even a double score (77-41) during the third quarter, led 84-43 at the start of the fourth and the game was over long before the final buzzer. The only thing missed by coach K’s team in this final was the record point difference in an Olympic Games final which remains 44 points from the 1948 game between USA and Soviet Union (65-21).
