RIO DE JANEIRO — Argentina's "Golden Generation" nucleus exposed the Americans once before, and there was a scare at the start of this game that brought back memories of 2004. Then Team USA went on 27-2 run to take control and the panic looked ridiculous. The Americans won, 105-78.
Here are three thoughts from the night Team USA looked like a juggernaut again.
Kevin Durant remembered that he's Kevin Durant
Some of this year's Team USA struggles are unique next to the teams from 2008 and ‘12, but not all. In any Olympic year, Team USA is a group of NBA All-Stars learning to play together while also playing FIBA's frenetic variation of the sport.