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SAITAMA, Japan – When the United States team began to feel that historic warmth, the creeping grip of unwavering defeat, they turned to the men with the rings.
NBA champions Kevin Durant and Jrue Holiday showed off the kind of skill and balance that is absolutely vital in high performance basketball.
Durant and Holiday not only broke the spirit of Australia in the Olympic semi-finals, they lifted their entire team around them in a brilliant performance which led to a 97-78 victory. That means a berth in Saturday’s gold medal game as the Americans play their fourth straight game.
Australia had been preparing for this game for a long time and came out with a smart game plan, crisp execution and tight focus. The Australians showed Team USA defensive looks they had clearly saved, showing off doubles teams and speed rotations that put the Americans on their heels.
This game meant everything to the Boomers, who were in their fifth Olympic semi-final and looking for their first victory. They have seven players with NBA experience, led by Patty Mills, one of the greatest goalscorers in Olympic history, playing in a game that would have earned them the respect of their peers and compatriots for the rest of their lives. .
With that as a backdrop, they played like this and methodically built a 15 point lead in the first half. It was a calling card for the USA team, which tends to start games with choppy execution and poor shooting.
It was dangerous to dig a hole under these circumstances, but at the end of the day the Americans had Durant, who had 23 points and wasn’t needed in the fourth quarter, and the Aussies didn’t.
With the offensive crunch and 3-point shot, the heart of Team USA’s offense that was absent as they missed their first 10 3s, failing totally, Durant lowered his head and got to work. He made his way all the way to seven baskets in the first half. Holiday was his partner, amassing six assists in the first half while being Mills’ main defender.
The United States closed the first half on an 8-0 streak as Australia began to falter as the lead narrowed to just three. It was a crucial moment, especially because the Americans showed an ability to be a great team in the third quarter.
At the start of the second half, Durant and Holiday took the game into their own hands and abandoned it. Holiday, who had 11 points, made two baskets and Durant made three out of the gate, including two 3-pointers. It was a 12-0 run that made him 20-0 when tied at the end of the second quarter.
He was aided by a solid defense led by tough shots from Holiday and Durant, and backed by big men Bam Adebayo and Draymond Green, whose versatility prevailed. After starting 13 of 26 shots, the Australians were clearly shaken by the American’s run and started missing shots as they were 3 of 16.
Durant and Holiday’s trust was infections, especially for Devin Booker. With the Australians desperate to stop Durant, Holiday began looking for Booker. He scored two 3 points and scored 10 of his 20 points in a third quarter kick that turned the game into a rout. Mills finished with 15 but most of them after the game were already decided.
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