The Reign Over Spain: Team USA Wins Olympic Basketball Gold

James, just a week removed from taking the gold medal home from London, has said that as long as he’s healthy and the rules still allow it, he would like to be that veteran presence on one final team.

James says he’s “done the math” and he’ll be 31 when the next games occur. While that may seem old to some, to put it in perspective, Earvin “Magic” Johnson was 32 when he was a key contributor on the original “Dream Team,” with Larry Bird clocking in at a cool 35.

After back-to-back gold medals, the United States has repositioned itself as the perennial favorite for Olympic basketball. But a potential age limit might exclude several current Olympians, including LeBron James, from rejoining the team in 2016.

From ABC Chicago:

Kevin Love is deep into his McKayla Maroney phase. As Team USA danced its hearts out to celebrate winning another gold medal on Sunday, Love was totally not impressed. He didn’t dance, no way. He didn’t even take out his Louis rag and wave it ‘round in the air.

Via The Basketball Jones:

Jerry Colangelo, Mike Krzyzewski and everyone involved have gotten exactly what they wanted when they took over the program in 2005: consecutive Olympic gold medals, a renewed pride of purpose for American basketball abroad and a legitimate talent pipeline champing at the bit for invites. The rebirth of USA Basketball has been a success.

But we also look ahead to the next challenge, and that’s what we’ll do here. How will Team USA change between now and Rio in 2016? What players are leaving, which will return and which will rise into consideration? It all starts at the coaching spot.

It was pretty awesome to see LeBron James’s genuine excitement after Team USA beat Spain to win the gold medal on Sunday. And if we learned anything, it’s that LeBron really is a big kid. Let’s go to the photos for evidence.

Hug!

A rather young Team USA was able to assert its basketball dominance over another Olympics, as they earned another gold medal Sunday. The team that earned second place and a silver medal might not have as much to look forward to, however, as the Spanish national team may be near the end of their reign.

Their advancing ages don’t mean that the Spaniards are ready to relinquish their spots on the national team, but Calderon told the London Free Press after Sunday’s loss that it is a possibility.

The United States men’s basketball team won its second straight Olympic gold medal match over Spain, capping a dominant run at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Sunday’s game was the tightest Team USA played over the last two weeks. Leading by just one point heading into the fourth quarter, the American squad chock full of NBA stars gradually pulled away for a 107-100 win.

For more on the Olympics, check out SB Nation’s London 2012 Olympics hub.

Momentum seemed to be turning slightly towards the Spaniards, until LeBron James came back into the game off the bench with 3:20 remaining. He threw down an emphatic dunk, then hit a 3-pointer with just inside of two minutes left to put Team USA up 102-93 and all but wrap up the gold medal.

For more on the Olympics, check out SB Nation’s London 2012 Olympics hub.

Mike Krzyzewski may be 65 years old, but he could probably compete in a dunk contest if he really wanted to at this point in his life.

Big ups, Coach K. I hope you enjoyed that London Leap.

Serge Ibaka’s Olympics haven’t been that great, mostly because it appears Spain’s coaching staff doesn’t really trust him. However, with Marc Gasol stuck in foul trouble, Ibaka came up huge in the third quarter, scoring seven points to help Spain stay within one point of Team USA entering the fourth quarter of this 2012 Olympic basketball gold-medal game.

Also, he did this.

How do they do it? A couple ideas:

There are no words.

If Spain keeps the game close without Marc, Team USA has some real problems on its hands.

If Iguodala sneaks in a quick jab towards Fernandez’s midsection (like this, but more discreet), that’ll be why.

UPDATE: And now, the reverse angle!

The United States and Spain are playing incredibly efficient basketball through the first half of the gold medal match Sunday at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Team USA leads, 59-58, with both teams shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor for the game.

The U.S. led 35-27 at the end of the first quarter, but Spain outscored the United States 31-24 in the second to draw the game to a near deadlock. The game has featured plenty of action at the foul line. The U.S. is 15-for-18 from the free throw line, while Spain went 19-for-21. While the United States has made a high percentage from the stripe, the constant fouls have disrupted their rhythm in transition somewhat.

* What’s the deal with the green jacket? Are you a Fabulous Master’s champion?

* What in God’s name is in your mouth?

Keep in mind: Five fouls disqualifies you in international competition.

The immediate question: Was it right to leave Gasol in the game after he picked up his third foul? There’s been a big push recently for coaches to allow their stars to play through foul trouble, because keeping him on the bench provides the same effect as him picking up another foul and sitting anyway. However, in FIBA play, where the referees call more fouls and are notoriously inconsistent, it probably would have been smarter to get Gasol out of there right away.

<NBC shows shot of actor Jesse Eisenberg, who played Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, in the crowd at Spain vs. Team USA>

Bob Fitzgerald:

With the clock winding down in the first quarter, Pau Gasol attempted to give Spain three more points with a short corner three. The NBA’s reigning scoring champ, Kevin Durant, used one of his eight arms to deny the Spaniard.

Durant also had 12 points in the first quarter. No big deal.

LeBron’s been doing that all tournament, but he’s on another level in this game. That kind of play eliminates Spain’s size advantage.

One thing that also helps: the shorter three-point line. Because the perimeter players aren’t as far away from the post player when making entry passes, it’s easier for Team USA’s perimeter players to double-team without leaving their man open.

Team USA took five three-pointers within the first five minutes of the gold medal game against Spain. So if you thought the Americans would edit their typical gameplan against a truly daunting opponent, you were mistaken.

Kobe Bryant has hit two threes early. Kevin Durant is 1-3. Carmelo Anthony hit one late in the first quarter.