Editing » our strengths, and I think we put them on

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The trip wasnt always easy, though they arrived at their expected destination.The players on the U.S. Olympic mens basketball team never doubted they would be standing on the gold-medal platform, even after some close calls in Rio and criticisms they lacked the usual big names and bigger wins.I know there was kind of a lot of buzz around us not playing well a couple of games, two, three games in the early round, Carmelo Anthony said, but the way that we locked in and the way that we focused in to be able to have this gold medal around our necks was special.Saving their best for last in a tournament that had been tough, the Americans convincingly won their third straight gold medal, beating Serbia 96-66 on Sunday.We came here and despite what people are saying about this group, being less talented and not blowing teams out, we did a good job of bottling all that up and unleashed it on Serbia, forward Paul George said.Kevin Durant scored 30 points in the final game with the national team for Mike Krzyzewski, who took the Americans back to the top and leaves with them there after becoming the first coach to win three Olympic gold medals.To go home as gold medalists and leave Coach K off with another gold was one of our main goals as well, Durant said.Anthony also picked up his third gold to go with a bronze, becoming the most decorated male in Olympic basketball history.The U.S. beat Serbia by just 94-91 in pool play, holding on when Bogdan Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. This rematch looked nothing like that meeting, but it did resemble the final of the 2014 Basketball World Cup, which the Americans won 129-92.To come out there and play as well as we did against a team that had stepped up their play as well, it showed that we came together at the right time, Durant said.Anthony checked back into the rout in the final minutes so he could grab a seventh rebound, passing David Robinson for U.S. record with the 125th in his Olympic career. He had already become the leading scorer earlier in the tournament, capping an Olympic career that began with disappointment as a member of the U.S. team that finished third in 2004.The Americans havent lost since, winning 25 straight in the Olympics.A few of the victories were more difficult than usual in this tournament, where half the Americans eight games were decided by 10 points or fewer.Krzyzewski said it didnt matter how the Americans won, that there would be no questions as long as they did.And there was no doubt they would Sunday once Durant heated up.He had also scored 30 in the 2012 gold-medal game, after he poured in a U.S.-record 38 in one game en route to the MVP of the 2010 world basketball championship. He is already the Americans No. 2 career scorer in the Olympics in just two appearances.When the final horn sounded, the U.S. players shared long hugs with each other and then Krzyzewski.It was a tough ending after an impressive run for Serbia in its first Olympics as an independent nation. The heart of an international power in the former Yugoslavia, the Serbs hadnt qualified for the Olympics since gaining their independence in 2006.They dropped three games in the group stage but had the look of a team that could challenge the Americans after nearly knocking them off earlier in the tournament and overwhelming Australia in the semifinals.They were down just 16-15 before Durant made a 3-pointer for the final points of the first quarter, and before they knew it he had turned the game into a blowout.They are superstars. If you let them play like they want, they will kill you, guard Stefan Markovic said. Each of their 12 guys can do that.A challenging year for the Americans started long before they boarded the cruise ship they stayed on while in Rio. For the first time since 2004, many top American players opted to skip the Olympics, forcing them to bring some here who wouldnt have been considered otherwise.The 10 Olympic newcomers seemed to be jelling slowly and the U.S. had a pair of three-point victories and came in winning by just 21.4 points per game, more than 10 per game fewer than four years ago and about half the 43.8 the Dream Team won by in 1992.This team kept getting better and even those three games in pool play, we had not played that type of game against that type of level of opponent, Krzyzewski said. We said it was a learning experience and our guys did learn and we put it to good practice.Krzyzewski, an assistant on the Dream Team, has long insisted that international basketball has gotten too strong for anyone to win that easily again.Yet on Sunday, the Americans did.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney Jurickson Profar Jersey . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Darwin Barney Jersey . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. http://www.officialrangersgearshop.com/Rangers-Delino-Deshields-Kids-Jersey/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Ivan Rodriguez Jersey .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Drew Robinson Jersey . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. TORONTO -- The fastest team made a fast, strong first impression at the World Cup of Hockey.With blazing speed and uncontainable skill, Team North America skated circles around Finland on the way to a 4-1 victory Sunday night at the World Cup of Hockey.Led by goals from Jack Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau, Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon, the group of 23-and-under Americans and Canadians toyed with a proud Finnish national team that has the most Olympic medals since NHL players began participating.Were here to play, Gaudreau said. Hopefully, teams dont take us lightly. I think were a fast, speed, skilled team, and hopefully we can keep proving [to] people [that] we belong here.North America doesnt just belong in the elite tournament full of almost 200 of the best players in the world. It might be one of the most skilled from top to bottom. Four of the past five No. 1 picks were at their best Saturday night, offensively and defensively. Playing his first of what should be many games at his new home arena with the Toronto Maple Leafs, No. 1 pick Auston Matthews had an assist and showed he was ready to face NHL competition.I thought he was going to have a helluva game, and he did, coach Todd McLellan said. There was no fear of playing.Captain Connor McDavid, the 2015 No. 1 pick of the Edmonton Oilers, also had an assist and several nifty moves that confounded Finnish defenders.Much like Team Europe, a collection of players from eight European countries, North America made a great first impression after plenty of criticism about being a gimmick. North Americas blazing fast play in exhibition games made it the most intriguing part of the World Cup, and that fascination is only stronger now that it showed it can thrive when it counts.Just because were younger doesnt mean that were not as good or something like that, McDavid said. Its just we have a little bit less experience.Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Matt Murray made 24 saves but mostly had an easy night as North America outshot Finland 43-25, includingg an 18-6 domination in the second period.ddddddddddddThe second period was a cold shower for us, Finland coach Lauri Marjamaki said. They got better, they won every battle, they skate hard, they are so aggressive. ... such a great team.Pekka Rinne made 39 saves for Finland and struggled at times but also kept the game from turning into even more of a blowout.Goals came in every possible way: Eichels greasy rebound at the side of the net, Gaudreaus jumping, spinning deflection, Drouins toe drag and MacKinnons backhand-forehand move after he beat everyone else to the puck. North Americas apt goal song, Opposite of Adults, blared on the Air Canada Centre speakers all night.I think all four lines really brought something tonight, and everybody was out there kind of doing their part, Matthews said. We were utilizing our strengths, and I think we put them on their heels.Sometimes the pace was so quick that Gaudreau said players stood up on the bench in anticipation of the next fancy move. North America owned the puck against Finland, which had nine players back from the bronze-medal team in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.They really took it to us and showed their individual skill, but also as a team, they were extremely dangerous, Rinne said. Im not going to take anything away from them, but we werent ready to go. We made too many mistakes. We werent skating. That was the result.Valtteri Filppula scored the only goal for Finland late in the third period after the result was decided. McLellan said the lapse was a good teaching moment for his team and will help as the World Cup goes on.Russia is up next on Monday after a 2-1 loss to Sweden earlier Sunday. Despite Russia losing and North America winning, McDavid doesnt see his team as the favorite in the game.Russias a hockey giant, and theyre one of the best hockey nations in the world, McDavid said. Its going to be a good test for us. ' ' '