Tokyo, Japan • July 24-August 7, 2021

Overcoming adversity was the golden theme for the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympic 2020.

With the Olympics delayed one year from 2020 to 2021, the 2021 NBA Finals not concluding until July, losing one player to a positive COVID test, and not having all 12 players on the same court until hours before the opening game of the Olympics, U.S. head coach Gregg Popovich successfully piloted the Americans through all those things to win the USA’s fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

In claiming gold, the U.S. overcame an opening game 83-76 loss to France on July 25. After clawing back from a six-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, the U.S. led 74-67 with just 3:41 remaining. But the three-time defending gold medalists’ shooting went cold and France outscored the U.S. 16-2 to take the game. Jrue Holiday led the U.S. with 18 points, 12 of which came during a fourth quarter burst that helped the USA take back the lead. Damian Lillard added 11, Kevin Durant scored 10 and was in foul trouble for much of the game.

Three days after the opening game setback, the U.S. came out strong to beat Iran 120-66 on July 27. Lillard led six U.S. players scoring in double digits with 21 points, all of them coming on 3-pointers (7-13 3pt FGs). Devin Booker added 16 points, Jayson Tatum 14, Zach LaVine scored 13 and also had a team-high eight assists.

The U.S. insured its spot in the quarterfinals with a 119-84 win over the Czech Republic in its final Group A game on July 31. Tatum scored 21 of his game-high 27 points in the second half. Durant added 23 points and racked up team highs with eight rebounds and six assists on a night he passed Carmelo Anthony to become the all-time leading U.S. men’s Olympic scorer. 

A strong second half paved the way to a 95-81 victory over Spain in quarterfinals action on Aug. 3. Spain led 39-29 with 3:25 left in the half, but Durant triggered a 14-4 run to close the half and tie the game 43-43. The U.S. defense kept Spain from a field goal for the opening 5:44 of the third quarter, and offensively, Durant hit a pair of quick 3-pointers and the Americans connected on five of their first six shots from deep to lead the USA on a 22-6 run that turned a tied game into a 65-49 U.S. advantage. Durant scored 13 of his 29 points in the third quarter, Tatum had 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter to help put Spain away, while Holiday added 12 points, Lillard 11 and LaVine 10 points. 

Durant scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the U.S. stormed back from an early 15-point deficit to surge past Australia   97-78 in the semifinals. Down 41-26 advantage with 5:23 left in the second quarter, the U.S. again stepped up its defense and a 16-4 run to close the half pulled the Americans within 45-42. After Holiday scored the first two buckets of the third quarter, Durant scored the game’s next eight points, and the U.S. went on to outscore Australia 55-33 in the secon half. Booker added 20 points for the U.S., while Holiday finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

With Durant scoring 29 points, including two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to seal the win, the U.S. won its fourth consecutive gold medal, fending off France 87-82 on Aug. 7. Tatum recorded 19 points and seven rebounds, Holiday added 11 points and five rebounds and Lillard had 11 points. Thanks to a 16-6 run to close the first quarter, the U.S. led 22-18 and went on to lead by as many as 13 points before taking for a 44-39 halftime advantage. The U.S. led 71-57 in the third quarter, before France’s trimmed the margin to 71-63. This time the U.S. didn’t go cold down the stretch, even when France pulled within 85-82 with 10.2 seconds remaining. Durant made his two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to seal the gold medal game win.

Durant led the USA's scoring for a third straight Olympics, averaging a USA Olympic high 20.7 points a game..

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