RIO DE JANEIRO — Kevin Durant and this new-look U.S. Olympic basketball team look just as dominant as the ones who slammed and jammed their way to the last two gold medals.
Durant picked up right where he left off in the 2012 Olympics with 25 points, and the Americans routed China 119-62 in their opening game Saturday night.
The new Golden State Warriors star scored 30 points four years ago in the gold-medal game, when the Americans held off Spain for the championship. Only he and Carmelo Anthony returned from that team, but the new guys were plenty ready for their Olympic moment.
DeMarcus Cousins added 17 points and Paul George 15 for the U.S., which is a heavy favorite to win a third straight gold and won’t change any opinions after this performance.
Tougher competition might come later, but it should be an easy start for the Americans. They play again Monday against Venezuela, another team they beat easily in exhibition play.
Anthony finished with nine points and made by history becoming the first U.S. male to play basketball in four Olympics. He will become the first three-time gold medalist on the men’s side if the U.S. wins.
The 32-year-old veteran tied LeBron James and David Robinson by playing in his 24th game in the Olympics.
The Americans beat the Chinese twice in exhibition play by scores of 106-57 and 107-57, and this one was even less competitive.
Former NBA lottery pick Yi Jianlian had 25 points to open his fourth Olympics. No other players were in double figures for the Asian champions.
Durant, Anthony, Cousins, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson started the game for the Americans, and all 12 players scored.
The Chinese got on the board first with a pair of free throws, and it was tied at 4 after a basket by Yi. Then it was nine straight points for the Americans, who closed the first quarter with a 26-6 burst to lead 30-10.
DeAndre Jordan shook the backboards inside Carioca Arena 1 with some of his powerful dunks, DeMar DeRozan had a couple, and in case the dunks were too easy, Irving knocked in four 3-pointers in the second half for his 12 points.
There were flags waving and fans singing, the festive scene in the stands more interesting to watch than the game that wasn’t competitive after the first few minutes.
ANDREW BOGUT wanted one more shot to represent Australia at the Olympics and wasn’t going to let an injury take that away again.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft tumbled to the floor with a hyperextended knee in Game 5 of the NBA finals, and no one really expected him to get up this summer.
But here he is, making a nearly perfect debut.
The injury looked bad, and not to mention played a significant role in the Golden State Warriors losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers after setting the NBA regular-season record at 73 wins.
But the new Dallas Maverick looked fully recovered, scoring 18 points on 9 for 10 shooting in Australia’s 87-66 win over France on Saturday. He played his usual complete game, pulling four rebounds to go with five assists.
“I felt good, I kind of was surprised that I did,” Bogut said.
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