US Dream Team remain unbeaten

NBA stars routed Argentina 126-97 on Monday, alluring chance of a US-Russia gold medal final

I / London August 07, 2012, 9:39 IST

US NBA stars routed Argentina 126-97 Monday to remain unbeaten and set up showdowns in Wednesday's Olympic quarter-finals, with the alluring chance of a US-Russia gold medal final.

The Americans could meet Russia 40 years after a US squad lost to the Soviet Union in a controversial Olympic final where the last seconds were played three times before the Soviets won, the first US defeat in Olympic history.

"I'm up for that," US star Kobe Bryant said yestrday. "That would be something special."

Indeed. So bitter were the feelings that the US silver medals from 1972 remain unclaimed to this day.

But first, those top-seeded teams must navigate a difficult playoff road that begins Wednesday when the US multi-millionaire superstars face Australia, Argentina will meet Brazil, Russia will play Lithuania and Spain tests France.

The US Dream Team only led Argentina 60-59 at half-time before LeBron James ignited a 19-7 run to open the third quarter and the South Americans never recovered, the US squad stretching the lead as large as the final margin.

"We can be beat," US playmaker Kevin Durant said. "We have always got to come out in the third quarter and try to turn it on."

Durant scored 28 points, 17 in the third quarter, while James added 18 and Chis Paul had 17. NBA guard Manu Ginobili led Argentina with 16.

Spanish NBA stars blamed a fourth-quarter fade that led to an 88-82 loss to Brazil on nagging inconsistency, not a deliberate desire to lose in order to postpone a playoff matchup against the United States.

"This team always plays to win. Always," Spanish guard Jose Calderon of the NBA Toronto Raptors said. "We're never going to speculate about that. Never."