Beijing 2008, Gold Medal Game: Sunday, August 24
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The United States of America won its 13th gold medal in 16 Olympic appearances by beating Spain 107-118 in the final at Wukesong Arena on Sunday, in one of the best games ever seen in world basketball history. The U.S. won its first world-class competition since 2000 while Spain matched its best olympic results ever, getting its second silver medal 24 years after its first Olympic final. One of the greatest games in basketball history closed the Olympic men's basketball tournament in Beijing on Sunday with the United States on top of the world again, but Spain having put European basketball perhaps higher than ever despite losing. Dwayne Wade paced the winners with 27 points on 5-for-5 two-pointers and 4-for-7 triples. Kobe Bryant added 20, Lebron James had 14 while Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony each got 13 for the United States. Reigning ULEB Cup Final Eight MVP Rudy Fernandez led Spain with 22 points in 18 minutes. Pau Gasol added 21, two-time All-Euroleague guard Juan Carlos Navarro of FC Barcelona had 18, Carlos Jimenez of Unicaja got 12, Marc Gasol 11 and Felipe Reyes of Real Madrid 10 for Spain, that trailed 104-108 with 2:25 to go but could not complete its comeback.
James got the U.S. going with a three-pointer but Pau Gasol matched it with a layup-plus-foul and soon added a fast break dunk for a 5-4 Spanish lead. Jason Kidd scored in penetration but Jimenez kept Spain ahead with free throws, 7-6. Anthony and Jimenez traded triples, as the U.S. already entered the foul bonus in the opening 4 minutes. but Navarro sank foul shots and Rubio added a driving layup to give Spain a 15-11 margin. Wade stepped up with a three-point play but Pau Gasol scored in the other end while Navarro added his trademark "bomba" to make it a five-point game, 19-14. Paul shined with a layup-plus-foul but Berni Rodriguez of Unicaja and Navarro kept Spain ahead, 22-17. Paul had another three-point play, igniting a 0-9 U.S. run that Wade capped with a revese dunk, good for a 22-26 edge. Garbajosa struck from downtown but Tayshawn Prince beat the Spanish 2-3 zone defense with a layup. Marc Gasol gave Spain some fresh air with consecutive baskets while free throws by Rubio got Spain within 31-35. A three-pointer by Wade boosted the U.S. lead to 31-38 after 10 minutes.
Bryant buried a three-pointer and soon added a fast break dunk to make it a 12-point game, 31-43, early in the second quarter. Marc Gasol stepped up with a put-back layup that Anthony bettered with a corner triple. Fernandez answered from downtown while Rubio got Spain within single digits, 38-46. Bryant had a monster alleyoop dunk but Pau Gasol and Jimenez got Spain even closer, 42-48. James provided a highlight with a power layup, as Spain now tried Navarro as point guard. Wade dunked it off a steal to make Spain call timeout at 42-52. Wade and James kept pacing the U.S. with back-to-back triples but Fernandez and Reyes kept Spain within 46-58. Fernandez sank a seven-meter bomb and Mumbru added free throws for a 51-60 Spanish deficit. Wade and a red hot Fernandez exchanged triples while Bosh the U.S. a 56-67 lead. Reyes shined with a backdoor layup while Fernandez and Navarro made free throws to get Spain within 61- 67. More foul shots by Paul made it an eight-point game, 61-69, at halftime.
Reyes sank a mid-range jumper right after the break, as Spain tried to slow down the game tempo early in the third quarter. The U.S. had improved its defense, however, while a put-back layup by Howard kept his team ahead, 63-71. Reyes took over with an outstanding driving layup while Pau Gasol added a left-handed jump hook to make it a four-point game, 67-71. Spain faced severe troubles, as Fernandez returned to the bench with 4 fouls. Navarro sank back-to-back "bombas" to make the U.S. call timeout at 71-75. Anthony stepped up with a fast break layup that Jimenez matched with a put-back basket. James shined with a reverse layup and soon added a three-point play but Marc Gasol kept Spain close, 76-81. Bosh and Wade combined for 5 quick points to make the U.S. restore a double-digit margin, 76-86. Navarro scored in penetration but Williams matched it with a mid-range jumper. Pau Gasol took over with an alleyoop dunk and even when Anthony answered from downtown, Navarro beat the buzzer with a floating layup for a 82-91 Spanish deficit after three quarters.
Pau Gasol stepped up with a tip-in early in the fourth quarter, as Spain had fully adjusted its 2-3 zone defense. Pau Gasol provided a highlight with an alleyoop dunk that Fernandez followed with a running triple to make it a nine-point game, 89-91, after a 9-0 run. Bryant scored in penetration off a U.S. timeout while Williams struck from downtown to give his team some fresh air at 89-96. Howard dunked it to cap a 7-0 U.S. run while Fernandez and Bryant traded triples for a 92-101 score. James scored inside but Fernandez simply took over with a dunk-and-foul over Howard, 95-103, midway through the fourth quarter. Spain tried Navarro and Fernandez at both guard spots for more fire power, while Pau Gasol followed free throws with a jumper made it a five-point game at 99-104. Bryant nailed a critical triple and the free throw that came with it but Navarro gave Spain some hope, 101-108, with 3 minutes to go. Jimenez buried a corner triple but Wade immediately answered from downtown to make Spain call timeout at 104-111. Navarro made a free throw while Bryant sealed the outcome with a driving layup, 105-113. Spain ran out of time and the U.S. became the Olympic champion in an instant classic that will go down as one of the best games in world basketball history!
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