Dream Team 4.0 redeemed themselves in the 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing by defeating Spain 118-107 for the gold medal. It marked the 13th gold medal for USA men’s basketball.
The United States has not won a gold medal or a major international title in the last eight years. They finished Olympic play with an 8-0 record and averaged 106.3 points per game. Their margin of victory in those games was over 28 points with 40 percent shooting beyond the arc.
Spain, the reigning World Champions, did not have starting point guard Jose Calderon in the lineup due to injury. However, they played tough, staying within reach most of the game.
Spain’s zone and man-to-man defense was much more aggressive in this game than in their previous match against the U.S. in the Beijing Games, which they lost by 37 points. They hit seven of their first nine shots and were leading throughout a majority of the first quarter.
In their previous loss to the United States, their stars struggled. However, NBA players Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and Juan Carlos Navarro played well in the gold medal game as Spain trailed by just eight points at the half.
Dwayne Wade led the U.S. with 27 points (4-7 from downtown) and throughout international play was the team's most consistent scorer. Kobe Bryant was the second highest scorer with 20 points (13 coming in the final quarter).
Spain narrowed the lead to two points with eight minutes to go. The reigning NBA MVP then asserted himself as the go-to offensive weapon for the U.S. and stepped up his game in the final period, highlighted by a back-breaking four-point play.
LeBron James finished with 14 points while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul chipped in with 13 points apiece.
The Americans were fantastic from downtown, draining 13 three-pointers at a 46 percent clip. They also shot an outstanding 60 percent from the floor.
Winning a bronze medal during the 2004 Athens Games was one of the lowest points in USA basketball history. However, four years later, the “Redeem Team” has landed their nation back on top.
0 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete