stunning finish coming up

Well done to the refs not calling more than the one push in the back by LBJ... Spain played physical as they always have, and knowing that USA can't handle it, yet they got called for everything and USA continues to be allowed to do as they please. Marc Gasol took a big charge early in game yet called for block? It's beyond me how the "best" national team in the world needs to be pampered by the refs so much. And benching starters with 40 seconds to go in a 9 point game to start celebrating? Arrogance much!

Yeah agree Ricey, reffing slightly more balanced than previous games, but still missed a lot of USA cheap holds and pushes on Spain.

Why did Spain not have either Pau Gasol, Marc gasol or Serge Ibaka start the 4th quarter, instead starting Reyes?

Spain's guards Defence let spain down, inability to box out and keep USA off the glass..Navarro shooting can be great but really is a defensive liability.
Man on Man defence seemed to be most effective for spain and really troubled US 'superstars' more so than zone, should have stayed with man on man d longer.

Humility is not in this USA teams make up.

same token, the USA got undercut on every single three pointer they took and not one was called (see the 3 that Chris Paul made with about 3 mins to go to make it 88-84....or the Carmelo one a little later).

There were a few mistakes but the reffing was fine, both teams acting and whinging making out theyd been mugged on every second play.

Great game though, not quite as stunning as 2008 with big runs by both sides, but more a quality game between two closely matched sides.

As in 2008, however, the USA showed that while Spain is close they arent close enough. I wonder how many of the current groups will be back in 2016 (and 2014).

Spain will drop once Pau Gasol and Navarro move on. This US group is a brilliant generation with so many superstars, and I suspect they will drop back to the pack a little too once Bryant, James and Anthony call it quits from the FIBA game.

Amazing that a team that was so dominant throughout the tournament had underachieved by so much. Still many flaws in their game, but the US finally learned from the mid-2000s teams that shooting talent is extremely valuable, not just athletic ability.

While the US is certainly star-studded from 1-12, Durant and James are just at another few levels up in the international game. Remove James and Durant, and the US are so much more vulnerable.

Veteran players like Bryant and Kidd make huge contributions. Who was the one who hit the big shots in 2008? Kobe has been a big part of this generation's success.

Durant is incredible, he'll be around for a long time hopefully, but the ability of he, James and Anthony to make shots to stretch frontcourts is crucial to this team being unbeatable.

Durant's value wasn't just reflected by his amazing spot-up shooting ability (over 52% from 3-point range from 65 3PAs!), but also when he hit them. I know it seemed like he was just a spot-up shooter, but he was also good at the defensive end, leading the team in blocks and second in steals.

I agree that Kobe is not nearly as valuable internationally as his reputation indicates. But when there is no offensive structure, some low percentage selfish play seems to be more tolerable and it is balanced out by the moments when he catches fire. Same goes for Anthony. Apart from Durant and James, I also really like Williams, Paul and Love at international level.

not really sure about durant though who was largely just a spot up shooter msot of the tournament

Love this quote from Coach K to a reporter

Krzyzewski, for the first time all summer, had to stifle a more biting response when a television news reporter from back home in the States asked how much coaching really has to be done with players this good.

That naturally didn't thrill Krzyzewski, who did say: "None. You got it. Absolutely none. I'm out every night with my family, drunk as a skunk. Wait until you see me tonight. I'll get in at 6 a.m. and you all are invited to come out with me. We just roll out the damn ball and that's it. You got it. I don't know how you figured that out."

The truth, of course, is that Team USA's coaches wound up staying up well past 4 a.m. after Friday night's semifinal rout of Argentina, studying film of Spain to prepare for Sunday's rematch of the 2008 gold-medal game that was so uncomfortably close in Beijing.ESPN

Was the poke in the eye on Pau Gasol supposed to take him out of the game,interesting tactic!

I don't see the 3-point line staying out for long. It's too hard to shoot from the corner without stepping on the side-line. Once enough players complain, then it will go back out.