Olympic games, semifinals: Friday, August 22, 2008
|
The United States made it to its first Olympic gold medal game since 2000 by downing Argentina 81-101 in the second semifinal at Wukesong Arena on Friday. The U.S. now has the chance to win its 13th gold medal in 16 Olympic appearances if it beats Spain in the title game on Sunday, in a rematch of the Los Angeles 1984 final. Meanwhile, Argentina lost the chance to defend the Olympic title won in Athens 2004 but can go back home with a bronze medal if it beats Lithuania in the bronze medal game also on Sunday. The game was also a rematch of the 2004 Olympic semifinal, in which Argentina upset the U.S. 89-81. Carmelo Anthony led the winners with 21 points in 13-for-13 free throws. Lebron James added 15, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul each had 12, Chris Bosh 11 and Dwight Howard 10 for the United States. Bosh added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Two-time All-Euroleague forward Luis Scola led Argentina with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Carlos Delfino of Khimki added 19, Paolo Quinteros had 12 while Andres Nocioni had 10 despite being slowed by an injury for Argentina, whose superstar and former Euroleague Final Four MVP Manu Ginobili left the game with a sprained ankle midway through the first quarter.
Bryant got the U.S. going with a put-back layup but his had troubles to score in the early going. Meanwhile, Ginobili shined with a a driving layup while a jump hook by Scola gave gave Argentina a 4-3 edge. Jason Kidd hit a six-meter jumper while James scored in penetration for a 4-7 U.S. lead. Bryant followed a fallaway jumper with a corner triple while Ginobili picked up his third foul and soon left the game with an ankle injury. An unstoppable Bryant dunked it again while Paul followed a three-pointer with a fast break layup to make Argentina call timeout at 4-21, after a game-breaking 0-18 run. Argentina went scoreless for 6 minutes until two-time All-Euroleague second team selection Pablo Prigioni of Tau Ceramica buried a triple that Deron Williams matched in the other end. Anthony joined the three-point festival while Bosh added a layup-plus-foul to make the U.S. get a 11-30 margin after 10 minutes. Nocioni banked in a jumper early in the second quarter but Paul stayed on fire for a 13-34 U.S. lead. Scola shined with a three-point play and Delfino added free throws but only got Argentina within 18-34. Nocioni had a huge block on Bryant while Quinteros and Juanpi Gutierrez combined for 9 points in a 0-11 run to bring Argentina back in the game, 29-37. Gutierrez kept pacing Argentina but Anthony and Bryant stepped up for the U.S., 31-42. Scola took over with a three-point play while Quinteros added a reverse layup for a 36-44 Argentinian deficit. Once again Scola scored twice in the low post to keep his team within 40-49 at halftime.
Howard scored twice in the paint right after the break while James added a layup for a 42-55 U.S. lead. Scola nailed a jumper but James immediately answered from downtown to make it a 14-point game, 44-58. Argentina called timeout and switched to a 2-3 zone defense that Howard punished with a monster dunk. Oberto and Anthony traded jumpers while Delfino struck from downtown to keep Argentina as close as 49-63. A technical foul on Nocioni allowed Anthony to restore an 18-point game, 49-67. Scola kept pacing Argentina with 6 consecutive points to keep his team in the game, 55-70. Williams downed a three-pointer while Anthony and Dwayne Wade helped the U.S. to make it a 20-point game, 58-78. Delfino shined with 5 quick points to give Argentina some hope, 64-78, after 30 minutes. Argentina needed a quick comeback to return to the game but James opened the fourth quarter with consecutive three-pointers for a 66-84 U.S. margin. Quinteros answered from downtown but Howard dunked it and James added a layup to seal the outcome, 68-87. Argentina managed to get within 77-90 through an outstanding Scola but Wade and Bosh made sure that the U.S. cruised to a well-deserved win.
|
|
Euroleague.net
|