Olympics 2012 Men's Basketball Live Blog: USA vs. Spain In Gold Medal Game Play-By-Play

Aug 12, 2012 09:29 AM EDT
Kevin Durant Drops 28 to help USA win
Kevin Durant led Team USA in scoring with 28 points against Argentina in exhibition game. He will try to lead the U.S. to gold. "

By the way. I am noticing the searches. I am trying to figure out what the gold alien Harden had on the court is. Hang tight. It looks like a cartoon on a iPad game I've seen before. 

ONCE AGAIN--- USA WINS 107-100. 

Thanks for joining us at sportsworldreport.com. Hope you enjoyed live blog play-by-play. 

Kobe asked if he would return after seeing how great it is to celebrate and winning.  KObe's response "I am done. I might show up in Rio but only to watch and support the guys"

Asked how Durant and James were able to have chemistry after James stole NBA Championship from him, Durant's response "We respect each other"

James did not want to go back home with four fouls. Says Olympic medal not about him, about USA despite having the biggest year of NBA player.

Durant thanks his teammates says he tried carrying team. Defensive scheme on Durant caught him off guard but says he tried to do what he could while James was out. 

Kobe says "Game was fun."

Words from Kobe, Durant and James

Okay, I know Harden has the beard and all. Has his own character, but he has a big stuffed toy on the court during celebration. It is a big, golden, stuffed alien-looking toy. 

Coach K goes over to bench to congratulate Pau Gasol. Kobe goes over.

Stay here. I will keep narrating until players leave court. OR until NBC decides to cut it to commercials.

No gatorade, but water bottles emptied on Coach K. LeBron showered the coach.

Kobe Bryant and Coach K once again have a moment.

USA Celebrates on court. "Whoo-whooing" at mid-court. FINAL SCORE 107-100

-----------GAME OVER---------

Llull misses. Anthony Davis grabs biggest rebound of his life. 

Harden makes second. Three-possession game.

Harden misses free throw

12.1 Harden to the line

Harden sinks second. 106-100 after Gasol two point basket.

Game still not over. Harden misses first free throw.

HARDEN fouled 18.5 left in game 

USA celebrating on bench. Gasol of Spain completes And-1 105-98

105-95 USA 25 seconds left 

James Harden, Anthony "Unibrow" Davis in the game.

37.6 seconds left. 104-95. 

Coach K jumps on sideline and then returns back to reality with straight face. Coach K enjoying last Olympics. Kobe and Coach K hug it out. 

LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT.... Chris Paul layup. Coach K celebrates on the side. 104-93

1:11 Navarro misses three.

1:25 Spain controls

LeBron with ball. James three off. Kobe jumps out of bounds to save ball. Shot clock violation as Paul misses three from waaaay behind the line.

SCORE: 102-93 USA has ball.

**Side note on James three point basket...Kobe was calling for ball. LeBron made executive decision and took shot.

1:52 Pau Gasol called for foul as Chris Paul fought over screen. USA controls ball 

1:59 LEBRON FOR THREE!!! 102-93

2:20 Marc Gasol dunk. 99-93

2:34 USA cheers ringing in arena.

2:50 LEBRON FINDS OPENING! DUNK! USA up 99-91

3:03 Love playing tough defense despite having four fouls. Pau Misses. Chris Paul fouled on fastbreak.

3:08 Spain controls 97-91 USA

*Melo fell on Spain player's foot. Limping around court. LeBron James back in game.

USA IS A HOT MESS! Needed timeout but U.S. inbounded. Can't call timeout once ball is in play in international ball.

3:20 Melo with turnover after offensive rebound. 

3:38 Kobe throws ball away. 97-91! Spain

4:41 Marc Gasol misses fade away. Kobe calls for it. Melo three rattles in and out. Kobe rebounds. Kobe scores. 97-90 After NAVARRO THREE!

4:51 Kobe misses three.

5:20 Paul at the line. Sinks first. Misses second. USA controls 95-87

5:30 Melo misses three

5:37 Love four fouls.

USA stopping Spanish offense.

95-86 USA. 

Kobe swishes third

Kobe swishes second 

Kobe misses first 

6:00 KOBE FOULED ON THREE! ...Misses three... Taking free throws. 93-86 USA

USA controls. 

Durant has broken American record for most points in Olympics. Broke record at the end of the 2nd quarter when he scored 147th point.

DURANT's confidence flying. Hits three. Slowly turns around and walks as shot sinks in.

-----TIMEOUT USA----

6:43 M. Gasol hits big shot 90-86. Kobe Thrree rims in and out. DURANT DROPS A THREE! 30 points. 93-86

Marc Gasol back in game. WHICH USA PLAYER WILL STEP UP? Kobe, Anthony, Durant, Love, Paul? Leave comment at bottom in discussion box.

7:23 Pau Gasol has eye poked by LeBron. Four fouls on LeBron. BENCH for James. 

7:39 Paul had LeBron coming down baseline! ....Hard pass. Turnover. Spain controls

8:09 LeBron misses three with Pau defending. Should have driven inside.

Pau Gasol back on the court.

-----TIMEOUT USA----

8:25 Game getting physical once again. Fernandez takes foul to stop U.S. on fastbreak.

8:45 Chris Paul with layup 90-84

9:10 CHRIS PAUL THREE! (gets  A LOT of contact and by A LOT I mean he was bulldozed and hit the deck. No foul)

9:30 Llull with easy layup

9:45 Kobe to LeBron 85-85

-----Start of 4th AND FINAL QUARTER---- USA huddle in court. Time to turn it up. Marc Gasol back on court. Sorry not on court yet. Will play later.

-----END OF THE 3rd------ USA 83-82 SPAIN


What a game!  

D Wiliams controls. OH! tried dunk over Ibaka. Gets blocked! 

Ibaka 2-2 from line. 83-82 game.

27.8 Score still 83-80. Iguadolo attempts block. Ibaka to the line.

1:34 DURANT WITH THREE! 83-80

1:55 Ibaka over Melo. 80-80

Giving commercials while game had started after timeout.

2:21 80-78 Gasol scores. 

3:45 Kobe with steal. Goes baseline. Fouled. Goes to the line. 77-72 USA leads. Kobe 2-2 from line.

4:01 Durant, foul line jumper 75-72 USA

4:15 James with three fouls. Ibaka to the line. Ibaka 1-2.... 73-72 USA

4:25 Kobe misses three. Kobe thought he was fouled.

4:34 Navarro misses three

4:51 KOBE THREE! Lakers letting their presence felt  in the Olympics 73-71 USA

5:02 Going the other way. Gasol And-1 triple teamed. 71-70 Spain

5:13 Durant to LeBron! Alley whoop! 70-68

5:32 Kobe drives by Calderon! DUNK! 68--68

11 combined fouls in first quarter. 22 combined in second. Referees are stealing the show

5:46 Love called for foul on P. Gasol. Goes to the line. 68-66

6:10 LeBron James with the drive! Easily gets past Ibaka. 67-66.

6:29 Gasol with 7-0 run. 67-64 Spain

6:50 Love with a three. Misses. 65-64 Spain

7:21 Durant misses three. 

7:40 Spain takes lead. 65-64 on Gasol dunk

8:19 Pau Gasol finishes as he is fouled. 64-63 after two free throws

8:34 DURANT ATTACKS BASKET! Fouled while dunking. At the line. 64-60 USA

9:17 Paul with three-pointer USA 62-60

------START OF 3RD QUARTER----

Game Statistics

USA - United States ESP - Spain
10/19 (53%) Two Points 9/22 (41%)
8/18 (44%) Three Points 7/13 (54%)
15/18 (83%) Free Throws 19/21 (90%)
7 Assists 11
8 Offensive Rebounds 8
11 Defensive Rebounds 13
2 Steals 2
1 Blocks 0
5 Turnovers 5
17 Fouls 16

 

 

Stats of the first half coming in a little while. 

------------FIRST HALF OVER------------- 59-58 USA

59-58 3 seconds left! Spain gets ball! 

Spain holds it. P Gasol working on Love. Foul on Iguodala. Unsportsmanlike foul. 

59-56 USA

Two free throws for Spain

43.6 seconds. Referees stealing the show. Calling tight game. 59-54 USA. Foul on Melo.

1:06 Westbrook bricks three. Love gets offensive rebound. Love at the line

58-54 USA D-Williams with 3 fouls

1:22 Spain gets offensive rebound after missed free throw. 58-52 USA. Spain takes two more free throws

LeBron leaves bench arguing with referee. On foul call. USA bench warned. 

1:33 Durant called for foul. 

1:46 D-Willams with a three! 58-51 USA. 

2:03 Carlos Navarro with layup takes it the distance. 55-51

2:40 James with offensive rebound. Two pointson layup 55-49

3:01 USA ball. Spain called for offensive foul. Fans not happy. Players not happy.

*Side note. Jose Calderon has not made any noise in the game. Bad sign for USA as game is close. 

3:35 Navarro called for the foul. USA 53-49

4:01 LeBron with floater 52-49 USA

4:40 Navarro gets 50-50 ball. KNOCKS DOWN 3! 50-47 USA

4:56 game slowing down. USA has been in bonus since 6:51. Love hits two free throws. USA 50-44

***Side note. That is 4 fouls for Gasol in the first half. Only five fouls before player gets disqualified.

6:05 Marc Gasol fouls Marc Gasol. Durant AND-1! Completes three-point play 46-44 USA

------TIMEOUT USA------- LeBron passes Michael Jordan in Olympic scoring. 258 for LeBron, 256 Jordan, DAVID ROBINSON leader with 280

6:24 Marc Gasol easy two. 44-43. 

6:34 USA attacks rim. James draws foul on Ibaka. Two free throws for James 43-42 USA

6:40 Love called for foul as Llull hits three! 42-41 Spain. Spain gets ball. Throws it away. 

2 free throws for Durant 41-39 USA

6:51 Durant with steal. Draws foul. At the line.

7:03 K. Love with off. rebound and easy layup 39-39

Sergio Rodriguez elbows Chandler in elbow. Double tech. 

7:19 Spain takes lead!! 38-36 SPAIN after Rodriguez three

7:54 Gasol with amazing fade-away! Rainbow shot. 37-36 

8:14 LEBRON JAMES Dunks with authority. Gets by Ibaka. USA 37-34

8:43 USA 35-34 after two free throws.

8:52 Durant misses three. Chris Paul fouls. 

9:00 Gasol with nice move in post on Love. 35-32 USA

Melo with the foul. Anthony sits out. Sits with 2 fouls KOBE in. Westbrook sits out. 

9:21 Westbrook turnover. Spain the other way. Ball out of bounds Spain ball 

9:37 Rudy Fernandez for three! USA 35-30

******START OF FIRST QUARTER*********

------FIRST QUARTER OVER------

DURANT BLOCKS PAU GASOL FROM THREE!!! 

30 seconds Rodriguez to Fernandez ALLEY! 35-27

1:10 M Gasol with jumper. Durant answers back with corner three 35-25 USA

1:21 Westbrook with jumper 32-25

1:31 Rodriguez to Gasol. Gasol to Ibaka. Fouled by Williams. Ibaka to the line.
2-2 for IBAKA 30-23 

------TIMEOUT SPAIN------

1:47 Deron Williams gets attantion from 3 players. Feeds Love. DUNK! 30-21

2:02 Congo's IBAKA misses first free throw. Has not received a lot of playing time, believed to be due to opponents playing a lot of zone. 
IBAKA 1-2....... 28-21 USA 

2:06 Spain's Sergio Rodriguez controls. Ibaka fouled after rebound

2:23 USA with a three. Deron Williams makes it 28-20

Westbrook in the game after suffering sprained ankle

3:02 Love in the game. Gets offensive rebound immediately. 

3:09 25-18 after Gsol free throws.

3:09. Gasol fouled as he was getting offensive rebound. 
Ibaka missed open layup.  

LeBron on Pau Gasol. ---> Defensive matchup

3:50 Melo with a sweet touch from three. 25-16 .....10-2 USA RUN. Fans showing appreciation chanting USA

4:42 Durant hits free throws. 2-16. LeBron with steal. Melo gets 2 points. 22-16 on jumper off the glass

*side note. NAVARRO 12 points. Rest of team 4.

4:42 Spain picking on Durant. Foul him again.

4:58 Marc Gasol backs down Anthony in post. easy two. 18-16 USA

5:12 Carmelo Anthony comes in as sub during free throws. Knocks down three. 18-14 USA

5:30 Navarro leaner! 15-14 HE IS ON FIRE!

5:58 Dyrant 2-2 from three. 15-12 USA after Kobe 3. 

5:58 Game gets physical. Durant fouled hard. Was sandwiched by to Spain players on layout pass by LeBron James. 
Durant shoots two free throws and USA gets ball. 

6:45 Kobe with a three. 

7:06 Durant misses three. Corwd cheers. Navarro controls. Misses jumper Gasol 2 offensive rebounds. NAVARRO WITH ANOTHER 3!
SPAIN 12-7 

7:11 Foul on Spain

7:24 NAVARRO WITH ANOTHER 3! 9-7 Spain

7:57 Chandley strips Gasol. No jump ball in international play. Spain controls. Gasol misses jumper

8:30 LeBron penetrates! ...misses layup. Gets rebound. Gives it to Durant. AND-1 misses lay up 7-6 USA

8:45 Pau Gasol bodies Chandler down 6-5 Spain

9:05 Durant with a three. 5-4 USA

9:27 NAVARRO WITH A THREE! And-1! 4-2 Spain 

9:50 Kobe to Chandler 2-0 USA

10:00 USA Controls

WHO WILL WIN THIS GAME? Tweet me your answer at @frankie_swr

-----FIRST QUARTER STARTING------

*Side note Kobe scored 20 points in the 2008 Beijing Olympics against Spain to help the USA claim gold

10 a.m. Warm ups taking place 

9:58 National Anthems are playing
Spain's played. USA's Star Spangled Banner playing now.  

9:58 USA Lineup being announced. Players on court.

9:55 SPAIN BENCH
6 Rodriguez
9 Reyes
10 Claver
11 San Emeterio
12 Llull
14 Ibaka
15 Sada 

9:53 USA BENCH
7 Westbrok
8 Williams
9 Iguodala
11 Love
12 Harden
14 Unibrow Man Davis
15 Anthony 

9:51 SPAIN PROABABLE STARTING LINEUP
4 Gasol P
5 Fernandez
7 Navarro
8 Calderon
13 Gasol M 

9:47 USA PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
4 Chandler T
5 Durant K
6 James L
10 Bryant K
13 Paul C 

9:44 Line Ups and Rosters coming soon

-----Welcome to the Live Blog of the U.S. vs. Spain Gold Medal Game----

Team USA gets ready to try to capture gold in the 2012 London Olympics. As one of the events closing the Olympics out, the tension builds as the U.S. will face Spain for the second Olympic gold match in a row. The action starts at 10 a.m. ET/3 p.m. GMT.

Surprised that they decided to play the most important basketball game of the Olympics so early on Sunday morning. Everybody in the U.S. is probably sleeping after a long night of partying or on their way to church, but the show must go on as London will prepare for the Closing Ceremony at 4 p.m. ET/9 p.m. GMT. 

Spain and the U.S. met in 2008 at Beijing. Everybody knows what happened then, the U.S. won 118-107 to capture gold. The game was close despite the U.S. winning all four quarters.

Now, the U.S. faces the same team, but they have pressures they did not have before, beginning with the one they brought upon themselves, saying they were better than the 1992 team. An argument that should be left to video games promotions was brought to life after NBA TV released their documentary on the greatness of the 1992 Dream Team. 

Players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James dished out their opinions saying they think they are better and that they could be the old representatives.

Kobe, being the sixth degree of separation actually faced Jordan before he retired, had some rights in running his mouth, but everybody else should have stayed shut. The U.S. will have to win in order to stay close to par in regards to the 1992 club.

Aside from that, the U.S. are the heavy favorite to win the match as they have a flock of talent up and down their lineup. 

If by any chance you cannot witness the action live, I will try my best to give you the action live through blog. Updates and scores will be at the top of the page. Sit tight and enjoy.

You can ask me questions through Twitter @frankie_swr. 

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