He scored 30 points as the United States won the gold medal in men’s basketball Sunday, routing Serbia 96-66 after leading by as many as 41 points.
For the first time in history, the United States won both the first gold medal (shooter Ginny Thrasher in women’s 10-meter air rifle) and the last at an Olympic Games in summer competition.
Good shooting played a part in the bookend gold medals. Durant scored 24 points in the first half on 64 percent shooting and in the second quarter he outscored Serbia all by himself 18-14 with seven baskets, including four 3-pointers.
Team USA has now won 25 straight games in Olympic competition dating back to the bronze-medal
game in 2004. The U.S. has won gold medals in 15 of the 18 Olympics in which it has competed and has an overall record of 138-5.
Carmelo Anthony, who scored seven points, won his fourth Olympic medal – a U.S. men’s record – his third straight gold after starting his Olympic career 12 years ago with a bronze.
Serbia was making its first Olympic appearance, although Yugoslavia won the silver medal behind the U.S. at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Serbia ended its run with a 4-4 record after fighting its way into the gold-medal game.
This was the same squad that coach Mike Krzyzewski said came “within a whisker” of beating the U.S. in pool play 94-91 on Aug. 12.
With Team USA getting off to a slow start Sunday, Serbia led 14-11 with 3:12 to go in the first quarter. The Americans closed out the quarter with an 8-1 run, then started the second quarter with a 6-0 spurt sparked by Paul George’s steal and fast-break dunk. After DeMarcus Cousins hit four free throws, Durant went to work before a full house in the Carioca 1 Arena.
He guaranteed that Serbia, which came back from an 18-point first-quarter deficit in their first meeting to challenge the U.S. at the end, couldn’t get back into the game.
Durant was in the hunt to break Anthony’s record for scoring in a single game (37 against Nigeria in 2012). A five-foot tap-in at the end of the third quarter was ruled after the buzzer, and Durant left the court with a grin on his face. But he came out early in the fourth and joined his teammates on the bench in chatting and cheering.
Durant did briefly step on the court with 1:53 left to hug Anthony as he came out of the game. Anthony also hugged Krzyzewski and the other coaches.
Team USA led 90-49 with 3:23 left, but after Krzyzewski cleared his bench, Serbia closed the game on a 17-6 run.
That didn’t matter to Team USA, which was too busy celebrating. Cousins scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Klay Thompson added 12 points.
The game marked the end of the Coach K era with the men’s national team, with Krzyzewski stepping down as coach with an 88-1 record dating back to 2006.
The Duke University coach is the first U.S. men’s basketball coach to win three consecutive Olympic Games, surpassing Henry Iba, who coached the 1964 and 1968 teams to gold medals.
“I think there are more really outstanding teams in this Olympics than in ’08 and 2012,” Krzyzewski said, “and that’s why you’ve seen the quality of the games. I think it says a lot for the continuity these other federations have had. These guys have played together. Also, more and more guys are in the NBA, or have been in the NBA, so as far as competition with us, there is a familiarity of playing against NBA players because they are or have been (NBA players), so I think that’s made it much more competitive also.”
Krzyzewski credited Anthony for helping make his tenure a success, especially with 10 Olympic rookies on this team.
“He’s been such a good guy to coach and he’s accepted different roles,” Krzyzewski said. “He wasn’t always a starter, he came off the bench, and he’s such a team player.
“In London (2012 Olympics), he was our second-leading scorer. But in this Olympics, he’s not only been a really good player, he’s been an outstanding leader. He’s tried to use his experience and he has instant respect with all the guys. His experience in what to say and what to do, it’s believed right away by the team and with so many new guys, 10 new Olympians, that’s helped a great deal.”
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