Kevin Durant makes history as Team USA routs Czechs
USA’s Jrue Holiday (L) and USA’s Kevin Wayne Durant (C) gesture during the men’s preliminary round group A basketball match between USA and Czech Republic during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 31, 2021. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)
Kevin Durant became the highest-scoring player in Team USA history as the Americans locked up a quarterfinal spot in the Tokyo Olympics with a 119-84 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday in Saitama, Japan.
Durant made eight of his 11 shots and finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists to spark the victory. He now has 354 points for his Olympic career, putting him ahead of Carmelo Anthony’s 336.
Jrue Holiday was the only other starter in double figures, scoring 11 points and adding three steals and a block.
Jayson Tatum came off the bench to lead the Americans in scoring with 27 points in just 24 minutes on 10-of-16 shooting.
"That's the highest level of scoring that this game has ever seen."
🗣️ @DevinBook on @KDTrey5
🇺🇸 #USABMNT x #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/l7pcjGTl4h
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 31, 2021
Zach Lavine and JaVale McGee also reached double figures off the bench, scoring 13 and 10 respectively.
Former Loyola-Chicago player Blake Schilb led the Czech team with 17 points. Tomas Satoransky, the only NBA player on the team, finished with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting.
France, which stunned the U.S. in the opening match, beat Iran 79-62 to finish 3-0 in the group.
The quarterfinal draw will be held Sunday, with the U.S. assured of not playing France again until the semifinals.
