Durant leads fired-up US to victory

Updated August 07, 2012 11:43:26

A nasty, bad-tempered joust with Argentina's basketball team woke up the sleeping giants from the US on Monday, spurring them to a 126-97 victory that earned a top-seeded berth in the quarter-finals.

Players from both sides were knocked down in a closely-fought first half and they often glowered at each other as the contest turned into a rout for the Americans who had narrowly beaten Lithuania in their previous game.

"Tonight's game was so much fun," US point guard Chris Paul told reporters. "I give Argentina a lot of credit.

"Those guys pushed us, they made us compete. I loved it. When it gets a little chippy here and there, it gets you excited," he said after the players frequently collided going for rebounds.

The muscular LeBron James threw an arm out at one point to sweep experienced Argentine Manu Ginobili off his feet.

After going to intermission locked in a 60-59 struggle, Argentina were buried under a flurry of three-pointers from Kevin Durant.

Durant, who made 8-of-10 three-pointers in the game, nailed four from beyond the arc in a third-quarter stretch that took the US lead from 12 points to 24.

The quarter ended with more physical combat as Carmelo Anthony hit the floor doubled up in pain after making a three-pointer to send the Americans into the fourth session with a 102-76 advantage.

"He got hit in the groin. That's why he buckled. He wasn't celebrating his shot," said coach Mike Krzyzewski.

It seemed a fight might break out at that point as several players from both teams approached each other near mid-court before being separated.

Argentina won the gold medal in 2004 and are the only nation apart from the US to win the Olympic title since the triumphant American 'Dream Team' was launched at the Barcelona Games in 1992.

"It went very well for the first half and then it got physical in the second," said Argentina coach Julio Lamas who was without starting point guard Pablo Prigioni.

"(To beat) the US we really needed to play a very good game, a perfect game really."

Early in the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook was given a technical foul for taunting an Argentine player after slamming a dunk through a basket.

After that the game carried on to a peaceful finish.

Durant led the Americans with 28 points. James added 18 while Ginobili scored 16 points as Argentina's high scorer.

"Chippiness is chippiness," said Krzyzewski. "Guys want to win and they play hard.

"That's part of competition. I didn't think our guys or theirs did anything that would be below Olympic standards.

"In fact I thought it was a heck of a game."

The win helped the Americans complete a 5-0 record in Group A and they now face Australia (3-2) in Wednesday's quarter-finals.

Argentina (3-2) next meet arch-rivals Brazil (4-1) while Group B winners Russia (4-1) play Lithuania (2-3) and France (4-1) take on Spain (3-2).

Reuters

Tags: sport, basketball, olympics-summer, united-kingdom, united-states

First posted August 07, 2012 09:47:12

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Fired-up Bosh torches Bulls

Updated May 23, 2011 15:35:00

Chris Bosh discarded his 'third man' label to shoot 34 points and lead Miami to a 96-85 win over the Chicago Bulls, giving the Heat a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bulls paid too much attention to the Heat's usual threats - Dwyane Wade and LeBron James - and that allowed more opportunities for Bosh.

The pick and roll between Bosh and Wade was particularly effective for Miami but the difference between previous wins in the Playoffs and this victory was the amount of times Bosh was given looks.

Miami, now 7-0 at home in this year's Playoffs, were on top from the outset and Bosh, after missing his first three shots, was their key man.

"Bosh was terrific from the start of the game, very aggressive and I thought that we allowed him to get his confidence early," Bulls coach Tim Thibodeau said.

"He is hard to slow down once he gets going like that.

"We gave him too much space, we didn't challenge his shot properly. He had a big night."

With strong defense and Bosh's shooting, Miami never looked in any real danger and led 43-40 at half-time with the Bulls' Derrick Rose failing to make a single assist in the opening two quarters.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was delighted with Bosh.

"We run a lot of our offense through him regardless of whether he's getting shots or not," Spoelstra said.

"Tonight dictated something else. We needed him to be aggressive. Easy shots and opportunities in this series are hard to come by.

"He was able to take the pressure off the other guys, to get some baskets, which helped."

James managed 22 points for Miami while Carlos Boozer top-scored for Chicago with 26, but the Bulls will have to show significant improvement if they are to avoid going 3-1 down in Tuesday's fourth meeting of the seven-game series.

The Bulls have not lost two games in a row since February but the Heat defense locked them up again.

Rose, who scored 20 points in the game, had just two field goal attempts in the fourth quarter.

"We have got to get up and challenge their shots better. We have to finish our defense," Thibodeau said.

The game was tighter though than the scoreline suggests as Miami only broke clear in the latter stages with a 9-0 run including a decisive three-point play from James on a turnover.

"There is absolutely nothing easy in this series and it is all about enduring, sustaining and finding a way to grind it out," Spoelstra said.

"It is a battle, a scrap, a fight every possession.

"The guys did a good job of that and particularly to find a way to break it open in the last five."

-Reuters

Tags: sport, basketball, united-states

First posted May 23, 2011 15:17:00

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