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SAITAMA, Japan – The best thing Team USA had to do this summer was for Kevin Durant to commit to playing at the Tokyo Olympics. On Saturday he reminded everyone why.
One night when he became America’s all-time top scorer at the Olympics, Durant added another formidable performance to his team United States resume in a 119-84 victory over the Czech Republic.
This victory allowed the team to advance to the quarter-finals on Tuesday. After their disappointing first loss to France, back-to-back breakouts put them in a favorable position for Sunday’s draw for their next opponent. The Americans will be seeded No.4 and likely play either Italy or the loser of Sunday’s game between Spain and Slovenia led by Luka Doncic.
Durant finished with 23 points on 8 of 11 shots, which of course was important to the cause, but his play and defense were just as helpful as he had eight rebounds and six assists. In the third quarter he was masterful, scoring 10 points with four of his assists, going from a close game to a comfortable blowout.
“It looked easy, didn’t it? It looked easy,” Jrue Holiday said of his new teammate’s performance. “It’s fun to watch; fun to be a part of.”
Durant defended the Czech tall men, blocked 3-point attempts on the perimeter, fought inside for rebounds to start quick breaks and acted during stretches as a point forward. Add a handful of smooth jumpers and that was all the team could have asked for from their captain.
“I’ve asked a lot of all the teams I’ve been on since I was eight years old. It’s no different here, ”Durant said. “But I feel like I have to be available to do anything on the pitch … I’ve been working to be at this point and it’s fun.”
He had had a pedestrian start in Tokyo, scoring just 20 points overall in the first two games and shooting just 40%. Even in the preseason games in Vegas, Durant wasn’t moving at full speed as he admitted it all seemed like practice, and he only shot 43%. Then he made a mistake in the opening loss to France, a key factor in America’s offensive struggles.
While Doncic, who scored 48 points in her first Olympic game, got off to an impressive start and Australia’s Patty Mills put in an excellent performance, Durant had faded into the background in week one of the tournament. .
All that lethargy was gone on Saturday as he looked for his shot early. The Czechs got off to a good start, making eight of their first 11 shots and building a 10-point lead. But Durant led a charge to pass them, his 3-point second in the second quarter giving the United States the lead for good.
It was a relevant basket, not only because he put the team ahead, but also because he pushed Durant (354 points) past Carmelo Anthony (336) for the all-time scorer lead. Durant’s international career is impeccable, including the 2010 World Cup in Turkey, where he established himself as a centerpiece of the national team for the next decade.
It was also a night of breakup for Jayson Tatum, who had his best game of the summer with 27 points and five 3 points. Tatum, who was hampered by a minor knee injury in Vegas, had lost his starting spot. Coach Gregg Popovich had positioned him to be an impact scorer on the bench, but he was only shooting 40% in the first two games.
“It was good to see some shots come in,” Tatum said. “We play better every game, and that’s what we expected, to be better than the last game of this tournament.”
Holiday, who was once again formidable defensively as he relentlessly squeezed the ball and collected three interceptions, had 11 points.
The Czechs were led by Blake Schilb, who played at Loyola Chicago, with 17 points.
In another action, Mills scored 24 points, Jock Landale added 18 and Australia moved away for an 89-76 win over Germany and an unbeaten group final. Nic Kay helped the Australians finally break free in a close game and finished with 16 points.
The Australians went 3-0 to win Group B, a balanced group where they, Italy and Germany all played competitive matches against each other.
Italy are heading towards the Olympic quarter-finals, ousting Nigeria for the spot. Nicolo Melli scored 15 points, Nico Mannion had 14 and Italy used a 14-0 streak in the fourth quarter to win 80-71 in the Group B men’s basketball final for both teams Saturday.
Chimezie Metu scored 22 points and Jordan Nwora added 20 for Nigeria. The Nigerians opened the summer with exhibition victories over the United States and Argentina in Las Vegas, but did not go any further in their first Olympic appearance under coach Mike Brown.
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