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'Redeem Team' finishes job, holds off Spain for basketball gold

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 24, 2008 at 2:26 a.m.

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USA's Carmelo Anthony, left, Deron Williams and coach Mike Krzyzewski celebrate after beating Spain 118-107 in the men's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics today.

Charlie Riedel, Associated Press

USA's Carmelo Anthony, left, Deron Williams and coach Mike Krzyzewski celebrate after beating Spain 118-107 in the men's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics today.

Dwayne Wade scores against Spain during the second quarter in their men's gold medal basketball game in Beijing on Sunday.

Photo by Eric Gay/Associated Press

Dwayne Wade scores against Spain during the second quarter in their men's gold medal basketball game in Beijing on Sunday.

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BEIJING — Standing on the top step of the podium, Carmelo Anthony took a bite out of his gold medal.

It tasted pretty good.

"That's the best feeling I've ever had other than the birth of my son," Anthony said Sunday of the Olympic men's basketball medals ceremony.

Four years after Anthony's disastrous Olympic trip to Athens, where he played little, got on the bad side of coach Larry Brown and was on a team that settled for bronze, the Nuggets forward got redemption.

He stood on the victory platform with fellow members of the U.S. men's basketball team after they toppled Spain 118-107 in the gold-medal game.

It was the first major international competition won by the Americans since the 2000 Olympics. After that, they failed to win two world championships in addition to the Athens debacle.

"Now that I look back at '04, that experience has been a blessing to myself, to LeBron (James), Dwyane Wade and also Carlos Boozer," said Anthony, referring to the other three holdovers from 2004. "We were at America's lowest point in '04. . . . I think we did a hell of a job of putting American basketball back where it's supposed to be, which is at the top of the world."

Against a surprising Spanish team, which suffered a 119-82 humiliation against the Americans eight days earlier, it was a team effort all the way for Team USA.

Five players scored in double figures, with Wade (27) and Kobe Bryant (20) leading the way. Anthony scored 13 points to finish with an 11.5 Olympic average.

"It will probably go down in history as one of the greatest Olympic games ever," James said of the high-scoring affair.

Afterward, James had an idea to show how unified the Americans are. Instead of having one player attend the postgame news conference, which had been standard procedure, he suggested everybody go.

So 12 players, coach Mike Krzyzewski and USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo piled onto a stage behind a table where no more than five (each team's coach, a player from each team and a moderator) had sat at any time during the tournament.

Extra chairs had to be pulled from the media to make room for the mob.

"What you saw (Sunday) was a team," Bryant said. "Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish, being arrogant, being individuals. What you saw (Sunday) was a team bonding together, facing adversity and coming out of here with a big win."

Bryant helped rescue Team USA after Spain closed to 91-89 with eight minutes remaining. With his team up 104-99, Bryant drilled a three-pointer, was fouled and converted the four- point play with 3:10 to play.

Spain did get back to four down before Team USA's tidal wave of talent was too much. The Spanish did all of it with their floor leader, point guard Jose Calderon, out with a groin strain.

"I'm proud of the way we played," said Lakers big man Pau Gasol, who scored 21 points for Spain, while teammate Rudy Fernandez, bound for Portland, had a team-high 22 while making 5-of-9 three-pointers. "(But the Americans) took this tournament very seriously. The guys were hungry and wanted to get back to first place."

When first was secured, Kr- zyzewski blew kisses to the crowd and gave Colangelo a kiss on the cheek. It's no wonder; Colangelo said the two have been "joined at the hip" the past three years, a time in which Colangelo put together a core team.

Without the experience of all the players having been together three straight summers, Colangelo said the Americans might have wilted down the stretch.

That happened in the 2004 Games, when the Americans lost three times, including in the semifinal to Argentina, which won gold.

Argentina settled for bronze Sunday, beating Lithuania 87-75, which meant a second Nuggets player didn't medal.

Forward Linas Kleiza left the Games in a bad mood, going scoreless in a semifinal Friday against Spain and scoring only five points Sunday to finish with an 11.1 tournament average.

But there was nothing but joy from Anthony.

"We came a long way and it feels great," he said. "It's a blessing for us, and we're going to enjoy this moment for a long time."

Anthony already has said he wants to play at the 2012 Olympics in London. Colangelo said about a half-dozen players have indicated a desire to return.

Colangelo said it's too early to say how the U.S. might put together its next Olympic teams. He said one emphasis on USA Basketball will be building up teams with younger players so "playing for the United States in the Olympics becomes the thing they want to do."

Representing their country in the Olympics was the thing the 2008 players wanted to do. After three summers of hard work, they reached their goal of gold.

It sure tasted sweet for Anthony.

U.S. 118, Spain 107

SPAIN (6-2)

Fernandez 7-13 3-3 22, Gasol 9-18 3-5 21, Navarro 6-14 6-8 18, Jimenez 3-4 4-4 12, Gasol 5-9 1-2 11, Reyes 5-8 0-0 10, Rubio 1-3 4-4 6, Garbajosa 1-2 0-0 3, Rodriguez 1-1 0-0 2, Mumbru 0-2 2-2 2, Calderon 0-0 0-0 0, Lopez 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-74 23-28 107.

U.S. (8-2)

Wade 9-12 5-7 27, Bryant 7-14 3-3 20, James 6-9 0-2 14, Paul 2-5 9-10 13, Anthony 5-11 0-1 13, Howard 3-3 2-6 8, Bosh 1-2 6-6 8, Williams 2-5 2-2 7, Prince 3-3 0-0 6, Kidd 1-1 0-0 2, Boozer 0-0 0-0 0, Redd 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 39-65 27-37 118.

Spain31 30 21 25 - 107

U.S.38 31 22 27 - 118

Three-point goals - Spain 8-17 (Fernandez 5-9, Jimenez 2-3, Garbajosa 1-1, Navarro 0-2, Gasol 0-1, Rubio 0-1); U.S. 13-28 (Wade 4-7, Bryant 3-8, Anthony 3-7, James 2-3, Williams 1-2, Paul 0-1). Fouled out - Spain (Fernandez). Rebounds - Spain 37 (Reyes 7), U.S. 31 (Bosh 7). Assists - Spain 16 (Navarro 4), U.S. 17 (Bryant 6). Fouls - Spain 29, U.S. 26.

Comments

  • August 24, 2008

    8:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    samsmargolis writes:

    Let's see. Given the final medal count and the estimated populations of each country, China won a gold medal at a ratio of 1:26 million (rounded) of their population. The US won a gold medal at a ratio of 1:8 million (rounded) of their population. Seems to be a quantity versus quality statement in the works here. (Still wish we had their drive for excellence in education here in the states, though.)

  • August 24, 2008

    3:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    raoul writes:

    wonder how china gets so many golds. 2012 would be a great year to introduce synchronized ping pong, chess, and paper plane flying, none of which would have that pesky "age limit" requirement.

  • August 25, 2008

    5:15 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SwolOne writes:

    The USA Basketball team was a joy to watch in Beijing. Kudos to Colangelo, Coach K, Boeheim, McMillian, DeAntoni and the 12 players who played such great basketball. Way to go Melo!

  • August 25, 2008

    5:51 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    dilligaf writes:

    I a have mixed feelings. I'm glad the USA got the gold and the best TALENT won. But the best basketball team did not. With the star talent that was on this team it should have been a blow out. Spain played the game the way it is suppose to be played. Good defence, passing the ball, and driving the lane. My hat goes off to Spain. They played a great game against a team that was far superior and could have won. Now lets go back to where the Olympics was suppose to be about. And that is our young amateur players against the worlds amateurs. These muti-millionaires need to stay home and allow our young kids play this game.

  • August 25, 2008

    7:09 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    AppleKnocker writes:

    No mixed emotions from me; Watching these men play with the joy of the playground and win a gold medal as a team was pure gorgeous. Even better that they are well-paid pro's, amplifying that they put their "star" on the side and played as a team. As it pertains to the thought of allowing our young kids to play the Olympics, check the ages of Lebron, Dwight, and CP3! Oden, Beasley and Durant will be great additions! Can't wait for 2012 in London!

  • August 25, 2008

    7:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    dilligaf how did that work in baseball during the tourney? all these other countries have pros that come in and stomp our college and minor league players... the Olympics is about bringing the BEST team possible. The US did pass the ball, have good defense and was driving the lane, just like Spain. It was a good game but in the end, the US wanted it more. They played team ball all through the tourney and earned the win. The rest of the world is catching up to the US in regards to basketball. That's why this win is better than the '92 "Dream Team".

    Way to go, Melo! Nice defense during the tourney. Here's to hoping you do the same for the Nugs this year!

    I do wish Kleiza would have won a medal though!