Team USA has prolonged its reign in Olympic men’s basketball.
With an 87-82 victory over France on Saturday, the U.S. claimed its fourth-straight gold medal in the Olympic Games, cementing its status as heavy the favourite in Tokyo.
GOLD #USABMNT defeats France, 87-82, and earns Olympic Gold in the #Tokyo2020 Men’s #Basketball Final!
Durant: 29 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST
Tatum: 19 PTS, 7 REB, 3 3PM
Gobert: 16 PTS, 8 REB pic.twitter.com/gAuz0uUtcf— NBA (@NBA) August 7, 2021
Kevin Durant had 29 points, six boards and three assists to close out his third-consecutive gold-medal campaign. He joins Carmelo Anthony as the only living men’s basketball player to win three straight golds. Jayson Tatum added 19 points and seven rebounds in the win. France’s Rudy Gobert had 16 points and eight rebounds in the silver-medal effort.
The Americans have earned a medal in every Olympic Games since 1980, when the nation withdrew from the tournament amid a boycott of the Moscow Olympics.
Luka Doncic and Slovenia will face Patty Mills’s Australia on 7 a.m. ET Saturday to determine the bronze winner in Tokyo.
On the women’s side, Team USA is set to play the home team for gold, tipping off against Japan on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
