Now that Kobe Bryant, strangely missing, has finally joined the fun, the U.S. appears complete.
Oh, there are some major defensive flaws, but that hardly matters to this suped-up, American-manufactured scoring machine that goes from zero to 100 points in seconds.
Overpowering and dominant in a way not seen since the 1992 Dream Team, the Americans are now two wins from a second straight Olympic gold medal.
Argentina awaits.
“We’re ready,” Carmelo Anthony said.
Pushed by teammate Kevin Durant to “turn it on,” Bryant scored 20 points – all in the second half – and the U.S. team stomped its way into the semifinals with a 119-86 win on Wednesday night over Australia, which scrapped as hard as it could until the world’s best team put the game away.
— Reported by Tom Withers of the Associated Press