Tokyo ; The mighty favourites United States overcame another slow start at the Tokyo Games to defeat France 87-82 on Saturday and win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold in men’s basketball, said dpa international.
Superstar Kevin Durant led the Americans with 29 points, 21 in the first half, to get vengeance over a French side that upset them with a shock defeat in the group stage.
The US again started cold – shooting 2/10 from the floor, including 0/5 from the three-point line – in the first six and a half minutes, before shots slowly started falling. The Americans closed the first quarter with a 22-18 lead.
The US appeared ready to take off in the second, going up by as many as 13 helped by good defensive plays and a high turnover rate by the French, but the European side managed to close the gap at half-time to 44-39.
The French, who last led 7 minutes into the match, refused to let the Americans get away, keeping the game close until the very end. For a moment it looked like they could pull off the upset when Damian Lillard missed two free throws and a chance to ice the game as the US led 85-78 with 23 seconds to go.
A dunk by France’s Frank Ntilikina, a turnover by Jrue Holiday and two converted free throws by France’s Nando De Colo brought France within three points of the Americans with 10 seconds to go.
Durant however did not miss from the charity strip after being fouled with 8.8 seconds to go, putting an end to French hopes.
The US had won the last three Olympic golds, and six of the last seven, going into the contest.
