TOKYO — Gregg Popovich kept reminding everyone during these Olympics that the rest of the world has been catching up with the Americans in basketball. He’s right. They have.
It’s just no one has caught up with Kevin Durant.
The United States men’s basketball team won its fourth consecutive gold medal, and Durant won his third, by blowing out France 87-82 here Saturday.
Durant led the way with 29 points, including two key free throws with 8.8 seconds remaining to seal the victory and hold off a ferocious French comeback attempt. He scored 30 in each of his previous two gold medal games and cemented himself as the greatest international player of all time.