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Team USA advanced to the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, beating Spain in a close match in men’s basketball.
Although the Americans lag behind in the first quarter, they won the next three splits and finished 95-81, surpassing their longtime rival and second-largest team in the world.
Kevin Durant led the Americans with 29 points in 10-17 shots. Jayson Tatum added 13 and Jul Holiday dropped a chip at 12.
Devin Booker provided 9 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, with Team USA surpassing Ricky Rubio’s 38 points.
“The second quarter was the key for us to connect it, and then we came out in that third quarter and put them in our mouths to control the game,” Durant said after the game. Told to.
The American men’s team characteristically lost two exhibition games on the last day before the Olympics, dropping their first match in Tokyo to France.
But since then, they have won three straight games to set up a match between the Argentine and Australian winners.
In other quarter-final matches, France beat Italy while Slovenia was routing Germany.
The France-Slovenia winner will face the US-Argentina / Australia winner in the final.
“We have to finish it. We have finished it,” Durant said. “We should be here. For us, it’s about getting money.”
The United States defeated Spain in the 2008 and 2012 finals, winning three consecutive gold medals.
They ended in bronze in 2004, prompting the rebuilding of previously successful programs.
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