Team USA Beats Spain, 107-100, to Win Olympic Men’s Basketball Gold Medal
Kevin Durant scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds, as the United States defeated Spain 107-100 in the gold medal game of men’s basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London on Sunday. Leading by just one point after the third quarter, the heavily favored Americans outscored the relentless Spaniards 24-18 in the fourth quarter.
NBA player Pau Gasol scored 24 points and had eight rebounds for Spain, while teammate Juan-Carlos Navarro added 21. Spanish forward Marc Gasol chipped in 17 points, as the Spanish team pushed the US squad, taking the lead several times in the game.
American LeBron James scored 19 points, including a late three-pointer with two minutes to play that all but sealed the win for the US. Kobe Bryant scored 17 points for Team USA, who won its second consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball; the Americans also defeated Spain at the 2008 Beijing Games. It was the last Olympic game for US coach Mike Krzyzewski, who said Saturday that he would step down as Team USA’s coach.
Russia beat Argentina, 81-77, to capture the bronze medal in the event.