In what will be regarded as one of the greatest basketball games of all-time, Team USA defeated Spain 118-107 for the Olympic gold medal this morning.
Dwyane Wade led Team USA with 27 points on 9-of-12 from the field, 4-of-7 from the three-point line, and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. With Kobe Bryant and LeBron James forced to the bench with two fouls apiece and the United States trailing 13-9 with 6:30 left in the first quarter, Wade scored 13 points in the first period to give the US a 38-31 cushion going into the second quarter.
Kobe Bryant opened the second period with a three-pointer, scored on a dunk, and assisted on a three-pointer from Carmelo Anthony to extend Team USA’s lead to thirteen. But Rudy Fernandez scored all 13 points of his first half points in the second quarter to keep Spain within striking distance. Fernandez shot 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from the three-point line to help Spain close the gap to 69-61 at the half.
Team USA’s eight point lead heading into the third quarter was their smallest halftime lead of the Olympic tournament.
The United States opened the third quarter by feeding Dwight Howard on three of its first four possessions. Howard responded with a layup, dunk, and LeBron James scored back-to-back layups to give Team USA a 81-75 lead with 4:05 remaining. But Spain continued to fight. Juan Carlos Navarro scored eight of Spain’s nineteen points on an assortment of runners, and assisted on another basket to help keep Spain within striking distance heading into the final period.
Kobe Bryant checked in to begin the fourth quarter and was assigned to Navarro. Bryant forced a Navarro miss on Spain’s first possession and blocked Navarro’s shot on the next possession before Pau Gasol scored on a putback to cut Spain’s deficit to seven. After another two-pointer from Gasol and a three-pointer from Fernandez off a cross-court bounce pass from Ricky Rubio, Spain trailed by just two points with 8:13 remaining.
With their backs against the wall, the United States took a timeout. What was said in that timeout is unclear, but whatever it was, Kobe Bryant got the message.
In what may turn out to be the defining game of his illustrious career and with the hopes of a nation riding in the balance, Bryant scored or assisted on 18 of Team USA’s final 25 points.
First, Bryant scored on a double-pump runner across the lane. After a stop by the United States, LeBron James rebounded the ball and advanced the ball to Bryant behind the three-point line, Bryant drove across the lane again and found Deron Williams for a three-pointer from the wing. After another stop by the United States, Bryant took a pass from Williams, penetrated Spain’s defense, and found Dwight Howard open under the basket for a dunk. Rudy Fernandez responded with a three-pointer to cut Team USA’s lead to six.
But Bryant would answer the call yet again with a corner three-ball to put Team USA back up by nine.
After a LeBron James make off of his own miss and a missed three-pointer from Bryant, Spain trailed by five with 3:12 remaining when Bryant took a pass from Dwyane Wade and drilled a three-pointer while drawing a foul from Rudy Fernandez. Bryant’s triple put the US up by eight. The foul was Fernandez’s fifth, forcing him to the bench for good and Bryant sank the free throw to extend Team USA’s lead to nine.
Navarro scored on a layup on the next possession. Bryant then missed a forced three-pointer that resulted from a near turnover by Dwyane Wade as the shot block wound down. Wade lost his man in transition on the next possession as Carlos Jimenez nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four with 2:29 remaining.
Wade made up for those two prior miscues on the next possession as he took a pass from LeBron James to nail a three-pointer that put the US up by seven with 2:08 to go.
After Navarro split two free throws, Bryant scored on another runner through the lane with 1:12 remaining and he and Chris Paul combined to connect on four of Team USA’s final five free throws to put the game on ice and give the United States a 118-107 win over Spain.
Team USA suffered more than their fair share of lapses defensively, but credit goes to Spain for executing their offense and taking care of the basketball. After turning the ball over ten times in the first half, Spain settled down and committed only four turnovers the rest of the way.
The gold medal game reinforced what was so clear in 2004 — and that is that basketball — even at the highest levels — is a team game. Spain didn’t have Team USA’s talent, but they played well together. And it took a team effort to beat them when the stakes were highest. Although Bryant and Wade emerged as the stars of the gold medal contest, it took three years of practice and camaraderie to develop the teamwork necessary for Team USA to make the split second decisions of who to defer to, and when.
The gold medal game was basketball in its purest form. It wasn’t about glamor or glitz. It was about pride and determination.
As much as we try to quantify the game with box scores and advanced statistics, it will always be more art than science.
And the gold medal game was a masterpiece.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
well done boys. man… i havent been this excited since the lakers won the champs in 2000. kobe bryant is simply phenomenal. and the redeem team is certianly the dream team now. usa rocks and kobe…….. simply the BEST!!!!!!!!! NO one like him.
August 24th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
One of the better basketball games I’ve seen in a while. Not much on the defensive end, but the offensive execution was great, and the game went to the wire.
A few shots from this game and the Olympics as a whole.
- Kobe made the big plays at the end (that 4-point play effectively ended the game), but DWade was the stud of the game. His hitting from behind the arc so effectively was huge, and he carried Team USA for stretches.
- It’s a shame Navarro ended up in Memphis and is heading back to Europe. He could be a real quality bench player in the league. He’s got a runner in the lane that is extremely good, and he really stepped up with Calderon out.
- Memo to the league: Rudy Fernandez is really good. If you don’t believe me, ask Dwight Howard.
- I have been extremely impressed with the poise of 17 year-old Ricky Rubio in Spain’s two games against the USA (and the bit of the Lithuania game I saw). Especially this game, on the biggest stage in the world and replacing Calderon in the starting lineup. In 28 minutes against relentless pressure defense, Rubio only turned the ball over twice. He still has plenty to improve on, like his shooting stroke and his ability to finish around the rim, but his ball-handling, court vision, creativity, and unnatural poise for his age are extremely impressive.
- You’re not going to find a lot of other guys with better hands than Pau Gasol. Be it tips at the rim or alley-oops in traffic, he does a great job finding the ball in the air and controlling it.
- For all his raw talent, Dwight Howard is not a good fit in international play. Chris Bosh, on the other hand, is very, very good.
- I know everybody loves Jason Kidd and how he’s the old veteran on this team and how he’s an all-time great point guard and all, but can we start admitting that he’s a bit washed up at this point? It was pretty obvious last year before Dallas traded for him, it was really obvious after he went to the Mavs, and it’s been glaringly obvious at the Olympics that he just isn’t close to the level of Paul and Williams.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:39 am
xphoenix-
I disagree about Jason Kidd. He still has some left in the tank and his court vision and savvy were essential to the success of this Team USA. Not too mention who knows what ever gets said in those locker rooms…but Kidd has NEVER lost a single game while representing Team USA and he was the oldest member of the team. I wouldn’t trade that leadership for any talented, young up-and-coming PG I can think of. (what PG would YOU replace him with??) You were also hard-pressed to see Kidd gamble on defense – something that Deron Williams and Chris Paul did a bit too much…
not too mention Deron Williams played absolutely horrible during these Olympics…on both sides of the court.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:40 am
lonewolf/number1kobefan,
No one will ever touch the Dream Team. Like Coach K and Colangelo have stated, it was a different time. But this team carved out a nice place of their own.
I know that I was much more emotionally invested in this squad.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:43 am
xphoenix87,
I agree with everything you wrote.
Rubio isn’t a highlight reel player, but he has a great feel for the game. He made a lot of passes that you don’t see very often. He’s going to be a phenomenal pro. But like you said, his shot is going to have to be completely retooled.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:49 am
King_Kaun,
I thought Deron Williams played very well actually. He was also instrumental in Team USA’s run in the 4th quarter against Spain.
But I agree that it’s a little premature to be closing the door on J. Kidd. Let’s see how he plays this season.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Kaun – Look, Kidd is a great story. I have no problem with him being on Team USA because he’s a veteran presence, he helped with the general attitude on the team and was more effective in the Olympics where the US was able to fast break almost whenever they wanted. Also, quite frankly, the team had no shortage of talent around him, it’s not like he was absolutely crucial to the team’s success. I have a problem with the idea that Kidd is still an all-star level guy, or really anywhere near that level. He’s an above-average point guard at this point, he’s not a star. He’s a borderline top ten PG (if you want to know: Paul, Williams, Nash, Baron, Parker, Billups, Calderon, Arenas, and Miller are all better, and there are several others who are debatable).
Hoff – The funny thing is, Rubio makes some truly spectacular plays, and he has better highlight reels than most NBA players. His combination of flash and composure is a rare thing. I really don’t see how anyone can think he’s not the number one pick whenever he enters the draft.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Hoffman says:
I thought Deron Williams played very well actually. He was also instrumental in Team USA’s run in the 4th quarter against Spain.
–what part of the 4th quarter are you talking about? Like how he ended the 3rd quarter getting burned by Rudy F. for a layup, then opened the 4th quarter by missing a wide-open layup and yet ANOTHER missed wide-open three a bit later? Throughout the entire playoffs, Deron (and to a lesser extent, Paul and Kobe early-on) kept missing those wide open threes until it got to a point that I cringed each time they were left open on the 3.
No…I know exactly what you are referring to. You are ONLY referring to that 3-pointer he hit in the final 5 minutes…which YES, was very huge, but it doesnt mean he didnt play terrible for the REST of the game, or for the rest of the Olympics, for that matter.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:43 am
oops…slip up!!!
I meant OLYMPICS…not playoffs….
haha. where is my mind.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:48 am
xphoenix-
Yes, Paul, Williams, Nash, Baron, Parker, Billups, Calderon, Arenas, and Miller are all better than Jason Kidd. But you did not answer my question. Who would you replace Kidd with on Team USA?
From your list, only Baron, Billups, Arenas and Miller are Team USA options. Billups pulled out of the Olympics for ‘personal reasons’. Arenas isn’t even a true point guard (plus his me-first attitude would never fly for Team USA), so that just leaves Miller and Baron…
would you honestly rather have had one of those two players and their skillsets over everything Kidd brings to the table? (or any other NBA PG?)
Despite your paragraph above, I still don’t think you are giving Kidd any credit to the influence he might have had on the team in the locker-room and by helping to QB this Team USA. If your biggest beef is that he is NOT an ‘all-star level guy, or really anywhere near that level’, then why even mention it? This is Team USA. All-star appearances mean NOTHING. We just needed to put the best team on the floor to win…which we did. I wouldn’t trade Kidd for anyone during this Olympic run…not even a healthy ‘Big Shot’ Billups.
thanks for reading.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:40 am
Like I said, I have no problem with Kidd being on the team mainly because this team didn’t really need a third point guard. Despite the fact that Kidd started games, Paul and Williams could’ve played all Kidd’s minutes and the team wouldn’t really have been hurt. Because of that, I don’t mind that he was on the team. You could’ve had a random fan as the third point guard and it wouldn’t have mattered, might as well have someone who is going to be a good locker room presence.
My point was, it’s glaringly obvious that Kidd has lost several steps and just isn’t a top-tier point guard anymore. It’s more a comment about the next NBA season than it is about the Olympics.