U.S. too much for Argentina, advances to basketball semis
Will play Spain on Friday
By Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press
This was the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team that everyone expected to see at the Rio Games, now right where it was expected to be — in the semifinals.
And a familiar foe will be waiting.
Emphatically ending a stretch of three straight close games, the Americans advanced by sprinting past Argentina 105-78 on Wednesday night.
Turning a slow start into an early ending with a 27-2 run in the first half, the Americans put away one old rival and set up a meeting with another. They will play Spain on Friday in a rematch of the last two gold-medal games.
Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Americans, who had played three straight close games for the first time under Mike Krzyzewki, setting off a round of questions at home and in Brazil about what was wrong with them.
The answer might be nothing. At least it there wasn't anything wrong against Argentina.
The Americans eliminated Argentina for the third straight Olympics, this time ending not only a tournament for the Argentines but also an era for the 2004 gold medalists.
It was probably the last Olympics for Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and the rest of the Golden Generation, who beat the U.S. in the Athens semifinals en route to gold.
The Americans have won 23 straight in the Olympics since, and this was how they usually do it: too much firepower, too much defence, and way too much talent.
It took a little while to get going, as Argentina opened a 10-point lead. The Argentines made nine of their first 10 shots inside the arc and led 19-9 when Andres Nocioni hit drilled a 3-pointer. But the Americans finished the first period with a 16-2 run, getting the final six points from DeMarcus Cousins, to take a 25-21 edge to the second.
Three-point plays by Cousins and Jimmy Butler around Durant's 3-pointer in an 11-0 start to the second made it 36-21 before Facundo Campazzo stopped the onslaught with a three-point play.
Cousins, the normal starting center playing as a reserve, finished with 15 points.
Spain beat France 92-67 earlier Wednesday, its fourth straight victory after two losses to open the Olympics. The U.S. edged Spain 118-107 in the 2008 final and 107-100 four years ago in London.
France's Tony Parker, who scored a team-high 14 points, announced that he was retiring from international competition after the game ended.
"A lot of great memories. A lot of tough memories, but that's sports," said Parker, of his time with the national team.
The loudest crowd yet for a U.S. game, filled with chanting, flag-waving Argentina fans, boxer Floyd Mayweather and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, was treated to an explosive performance by the Americans, with devastating crossovers by Durant and Kyrie Irving that left defenders helpless and brought teammates to their feet on the bench.
They opened a 25-point lead in the first half and were in control from that point on, the first time since their second game in Rio they had it easy.
Ginobili, Scola, Nocioni and Carlos Delfino, the remaining Golden Generation players, checked in together for a last run with about 4 1/2 minutes left. Argentina fans danced, cheered and completely ignored the crooked numbers on the scoreboard, turning Carioca Arena 1 into a raucous farewell party.
Ginobili was replaced a few minutes later, hugging teammates, coaches and after the game Krzyzewski, before returning to the court after the teams had headed to their locker rooms to be presented a game ball by an Olympic official.
"An amazing journey. I've been so lucky to have the opportunity to play four times in this type of event. Very successfully sometimes. Sometimes, not quite," Ginobili told NBC after the game. "But anyway, competing at the highest level. Enjoying what my team did and taking a lot from it. I learned a lot.
It was an unbelievable experience. It's been 20 years with this jersey, so it's quite an emotional day."
Even Argentina's proud veterans didn't consider themselves medal contenders, especially after the Americans blew them out 111-74 in an exhibition game last month in Las Vegas and came to Rio as the overwhelming favourite.
"I started playing at 19, 20 years old. And now, I'm almost 40, so now of course, a lot of things happened. Some amazing times, unbelievable ones — some other tough ones," said Ginobili. "But most of them with the same core group of guys, good friends. Representing a lot of people that I love.
"Leaving on the side, my family … It's just very hard, I'm sorry."
But once play began, the U.S. rarely played up to those expectations, with one narrow victory after another as the competition toughened. The Americans held off Australia by 10, then pulled out three-point victories over Serbia and France.
The nail-biting came to end for the Americans.
So did an era for the Argentines.
Australia cruises past Lithuania
In the other side of the bracket, Australia shot 52 per cent from the field en route to a 90-64 win over Lithuania.
Patty Mills led the way with 24 points for the Aussies, who finished the night as a team with 30 assists and just nine turnovers.
Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas had five points for Lithuania.
Australia will face Serbia in their semifinal.
Serbia beat Croatia 86-83 in their quarter-final matchup late Wednesday night.
With files from The Associated Press