The United States confirmed the predictions and became the heir of Spain as world queen by beating the hosts 64-81 in the final of the match in Turkey, thanks to the umpteenth scoring spectacle of its star Kevin Durant, who kept the NBA above the strength of other teams that aspired to surprise a team without the main figures of the American championship.
Four years ago, with a team with many more NBA stars (LeBron James, ‘Melo’ Anthony, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh) than the American team presented in Turkey, the ‘Dream Team’ ‘crashed’ with a discreet bronze. Two years later, in the Games they regained their status, with a very strong team that Kobe Bryant had joined and that sweated to beat Spain.
Therefore, when it was expected that the distances with the best league in the world had been definitively shortened, the United States has regained the gold and prestige, with a team ‘B’, without pivots, and only with a great star, Kevin Durant, a spectacle in the appointment.
The Oklahoma City Thunder forward had the team behind his back throughout the tournament, and in the final, he took responsibility again. Everything that had been predicted about this player was confirmed on Turkish soil and his ‘MVP’ award was deserved. Mike Kryzewski’s men have won every game, and only Brazil stood up to them and came close to surprise.
Durant, top scorer this season in the NBA, was left with close to 30 points and ended the dreams of the hostess, who resisted until the break, before which her rival had already established the distances (32-42). With their star at one hundred percent, and a rival, who could not impose his game, the United States regained the world crown after 16 years, the second for a ‘Dream Team’.
Coach K’s team lived the umpteenth splendid match of their star. With the overhang inspired, the Americans resisted the first attack of Turkey, carried in volandas by the public and where Hedo Turkoglu tried to give the reply.
The Turks came to dominate 17-14 after eight consecutive points of the power forward, with two triples included, but was a mere mirage, both by the hosts and this player. Appealing to his physique, the Americans reacted, even though in attack only scored from the hand of Durant. A partial of 0-11 turned the scoreboard and returned the initiative to the Americans, who no longer left it.
Durant ends the final
Turkey tried to resist Durant’s exhibition, but he scored nine consecutive points to allow the reigning Olympic champions to march into the locker room with the gold medal well on track (32-42), but to put an end to any emotion, they closed it at the start of the third quarter.
And it had to be, of course, their star, who finalized the final. Two consecutive three pointers from the Oklahoma City player shot the United States to victory (32-48). The Turks, weighed down by the bad game of their figures, were ‘touched’, and their audience also went out.
A slight threat of reaction from the hosts (48-61) was Turkey’s last breath. The Americans gave no choice and did not even need more of their stellar wing to keep the income smooth and conquer a deserved gold.
*Rose – 8p, 6a.
*Billups – 4p, 3r.
*Iguodola – 4p, 5r.
* Durant – 28p, 5r.
*Odom – 15p, 11r.
Westbrook – 13p, 6r.
Curry – 3p.
Gordon – 0p, 2a.
Gay – 6p, 4r.
Chandler – 0p.
Love – 0p, 1r.
Granger – 0p.
*Tunceri – 7p, 5a.
*Onan – 7p, 1a.
*Turkoglu – 16p, 7r.
*Ilyasova – 7p, 11r.
*Asik – 5p, 4r.
Arslan – 6p, 1a.
Guler – 0p.
Gonlum – 4p, 6r.
Savas – 3p.
Erden – 9p, 2r.
Akyol – 0p.
Ermis – 0p.
