Oh-lympic Basketball: US 98 vs France 71

For about one quarter, Team USA vs France was very much a basketball game. The French matched the intensity, fierceness and athleticism of the American to go down by only 1point, 22-21, in the first quarter. And then, the Americans turned it up another notch.

Kobe Bryant scored 5 straight points in the first 2mins of the second quarter as part of the 11-0 run by the Americans to put them up by 12points, which would be the closest France would get in the next 3quarters.


The Americans ended the first half with a 16point lead and proceeded to increase their lead every quarter but, truth be told, it seemed to me that the Frenchmen used the game as a glorified testing ground, fielding in their young players for most of the 3rd and 4th quarters, barely using Tony Parker and Boris Diaw.

Man of the match: Kevin Durant (USA). Lebron James and Kobe Bryant made an impact at key points in the game but Durant was the one who made an impact in almost every quarter and at every aspect of the game. He led Team USA with 22points while Kevin Love contributed 14.

Surprise of the match: Ali Traore. Someone give this man an NBA contract! Traore is an undersized power forward who bulldozed and finessed his way through Chandler, Love and Carmelo Anthony to lead France with 12points in just 13mins.