Team USA beat Argentina and Spain knocked off Russia on August 10 to earn a spot in the gold medal game on Sunday, August 12. The game is not a surprise, as both teams came into the 2012 Summer Olympic basketball competition as favorites. However, how they made it there is a slight surprise.
While Team USA rolled through Olympic play undefeated, Spain struggled. Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant led Team USA with 18.0 points-per-game. The NBA’s three-time scoring leader led the U.S. in scoring in three of their victories. Reserve Carmelo Anthony ranked second on the team with 17.4 points.
It is telling that both men are small forwards and backups to starter LeBron James, who added 12.4 points a game on his own. Now, Team USA needs to get past Spain in the final gold medal game. First, Russia takes on Argentina for the bronze.
6:00 a.m. ET: Argentina vs. Russia â€" Russia almost ended up in the gold medal game behind the strong play of Andrei Kirilenko. Russia beat Spain in group play and led for much of the game in the semifinals. However, Spain proved to be too tough and pulled out the win. Russia now hopes to finish off their 2012 Olympic basketball play with a bronze medal.
To do it, they have to get past Argentina, who is making their third consecutive trip to the medal round of basketball play. In 2008, they won the bronze and, in 2004, they took the gold medal. That is the year they upset Team USA in the semifinals. Manu Ginobili hopes to bring the third medal in a row back to Argentina.
10:00 a.m. ET: Team USA vs. Spain â€" Spain was a heavy favorite in the 2012 Summer Olympics basketball competition to face Team USA in the gold medal game. However, they dropped two losses in the group play to Russia and Australia and looked to be faltering. Pau Gasol and company rebounded and prepare now for the final game.
Oklahoma City Thunder fans will see a gold medal around one of their player’s necks at the end of the event, as Serge Ibaka plays for Spain while Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden play for Team USA.
While Team USA has struggled at times in these Olympic Games, they always had one quarter that pulled out the big win. Spain has fire power, but they will have to bring everything they have for four full quarters if they want to upset Team USA in these Olympic basketball games.
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