Kevin Durant sparks USA to gold medal win against France

source url: https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/08/07/kevin-durant-sparks-usa-to-gold-medal-win-against-france/

Durant is a hooper and wanted to play - and Team USA doesn't win gold without him. While the rest of the Team USA offense waivered in the first half of the gold medal game against France, Durant kept the USA afloat, scoring 12 of the team's first 18 points and putting up 21 by the half. Combine Durant's scoring with the best and most consistent defense Team USA played all Olympics - led by another strong night from Jrue Holiday - and the Americans held off a resilient French team to win 87-82. Team USA won its fourth straight Olympic gold medal. We saw it again in the gold medal game when they made a push back every time the USA threatened to run away - France played through the American pressure, they were not shaken by it. Durant gets some credit for that, accepting the role as the go-to shot creator and scorer on a team loaded with guys paid a lot of money to do that in the NBA. USA coach Popovich deserves some credit, too. For an American team that was expected to win gold, it was an unconventional and difficult road. But in the end, it was another American gold.