By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team won its third straight gold medal and did it easily, beating Serbia 96-66 on Sunday. After a few close calls earlier in the tournament, this was no contest. Kevin Durant scored 30 points and helped the Americans jump out to a huge lead by halftime. It was the final game with the national team for Mike Krzyzewski, who took the Americans back to the top and leaves with them there after becoming the first coach to win three Olympic gold medals. Carmelo Anthony also picked up his third gold to go with a bronze, becoming the most decorated male in Olympic basketball history. The U.S. beat Serbia by just
Sports
U.S. finishes Olympics with 121 total medals
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The U.S. Olympic Team made itself right at home in Rio. The British, they had a Games to savor as well. The host Brazilians got soccer gold that they craved, the Russians struggled on the heels of the exposure of a state-sponsored doping program, and the Chinese finished well below expectations. So went the medal race at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where the Americans – with women leading the way – dominated both the gold and overall totals. The U.S. finished with 46 gold medals and 121 medals overall, its 51-total-medal margin over second-place China the largest in a non-boycotted Olympics in nearly a century. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime
USA Basketball’s Rio Olympics Gold Medal Run A Sign World Falling Behind Again?
The United States didn’t send its best possible men’s basketball team to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Not even close. The squad played some sloppy basketball with too much one-on-one play and inconsistent outside shooting. None of it mattered, though, as the Americans cruised to another gold medal — their third straight and sixth in the last seven Olympics — with a 96-66 win over Serbia on Sunday. The U.S. completely dominated the Olympics with the Dream Team and Dream Team II in 1992 and 1996, respectively. The world began to catch up, though, and that was evident in 2000. By the time the 2004 Athens Games came around, the U.S. was
USOC boss says Lochte, fellow swimmers will face discipline
U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun says further action is coming in the matter of 12-time swimming medalist Ryan Lochte and his three U.S. teammates whose story of a robbery overshadowed the Rio de Janeiro Games. Blackmun offered no details on what disciplinary action may be coming, but he made no effort to hide his frustration with the matter. “They let down our athletes,” Blackmun said. “They let down Americans.” Lochte said he over-exaggerated what happened at a Rio de Janeiro gas station and acknowledged it was his “immature behavior” that got him and three teammates into a mess that consumed the final days of the Olympics.RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 10: Ryan Lochte of the United States competes in the
U.S. women win 6th consecutive basketball gold
By Doug Feinberg AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi shared a long, emotional embrace. Mission accomplished. The dominant U.S. women’s basketball team did what was expected, winning a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal and doing it in impressive fashion. In yet another rout, the U.S. dismantled Spain 101-72 on Saturday. Taurasi and the Americans played nearly flawless basketball in Rio, and were never challenged. They have won 49 consecutive games in the Olympics with only one of those decided by single digits. “It’s amazing isn’t it? I mean when you think, that’s 20 years of 20 years,” Auriemma said. “You know the first one was 96 and here we are 2016. It’s mindboggling when you think about it
Serbia stands in the way of U.S. quest for basketball gold
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — No gold, no glory. That’s the way it is for the U.S. men’s basketball team. The Americans, the standard in the sport since winning their first 63 games after it debuted 80 years ago in the Olympics, are either winners or failures. There is no celebrating silver. When they say adeus to Rio, it can be with only one thing around their necks to deem the games a success. “That’s what we came here for and we don’t want to leave with anything less than the gold medal,” forward Carmelo Anthony said. Anthony and the Americans will be playing for their third in a row Sunday when they face Serbia, a team of heroes back home
A look back at the memorable moments from Rio
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Michael Phelps won more medals than anyone else, again. And then he said farewell, also again. Usain Bolt kissed the finish line goodbye after enhancing his Olympic legacy. Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky delivered under the burden of enormous expectations. Two strangers went from rivals to forever-linked by a display of kindness, an entire island seemed to celebrate a tennis match, and a gold medalist scampered home to avoid legal issues after a robbery story unraveled. And then the home team won soccer gold. The Rio de Janeiro Olympics were not perfect. But there were moments — some great, some dreadful and some downright ugly — that will not, and should not, be forgotten. Here’s a