Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant lead U.S. over Spain for the gold

BEIJING -- The U.S. men's basketball team survived a rally by Spain to win the gold medal Sunday, 118-107.

Spain had closed to within two, 91-89, early in the fourth quarter, but the U.S. responded with a 27-18 surge to close out the victory.

Dwyane Wade led the U.S. offense with 27 points. Four other U.S. players reached double figures: Kobe Bryant contributed 20, LeBron James had 14, and Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul each scored 13.

The Lakers' Pau Gasol had 21 points for Spain.

The medal is the 109th of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games for Team USA, its most in a full-participation Olympic Games. The gold medal is the 36th for the United States in Beijing, matching the total received at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Kobe Bryant celebrates the victory over Spain for the gold medal. Credit: Rungroj Yongrit / EPA

Comments

[Lucas]

Congratulations to USA from Spain for your gold medal... and congratulations to Spain too. Because both of them played a great match!! All the world could enjoy with this match. Unbelievable!!Amazing!! This is bas-ket-ball!!
Again...congratulations for your gold medal USA.
Enjoy with the spanish players in the best leage in the world...the NBA... specially with Rudy Fernandez

[Peter Lewis]

You forgot to thank the refs. Their help was indispensable for the victory, anyway...

[lee]

Kobe proves once again that he is a big shot maker. The Americans responded admirably when a real challenge finally arrived.

It's time for the USA baseball team to take a page out of the "redeem" playbook in the WBC.

[Sam]

You don´t mention the big help the referees gave to the USA team!

[luis]

you americans stole the game by cheating the referees. it's ok, we don't care, the world knows we are the moral winners.

[miguel angel]

What a game !!!

I'm from Spain, I only want to send my congratulations to the USA team and Spain team, they give us one of the best games ever.

I only want to see Kobe and Pau winning next NBA season with the Lakers team :)

[JM Noguera]

Kobe, with the same rules for both, could you tell the crowd to hush?

[superepi]

It´s been an historic and epic match. USA feared not to win until the 3 of Wade, two minutes to the end.
Congratulations!

[tomtom]

L. A. Times: Review your Medal Count, China is number 1 as they've got 51 golden medals, U.S. only 36

[Jean]

Get ready. If the other blogs are any indication, expect sour grapes from Spain any minute now. Their team was robbed; the US cheated; the US is doping; Spain is much smaller than the US and therefore deserved to win(??); the world hates the US, and yet, miraculously, the refs threw the game for the US. Same old, same old.

My buzz will not be killed!!

[dandarx]

Congratulations U.S.A. your so called "New Dream Team" was about lo lose (something impossible according to Lebron James) Referees helped you out soooo clearly that is even insulting to tlak about that. Either we play ALL tih NBA rules or weith FIBA rules, but today was really insulting what happened.

By the way, talking about "unrespectful gestures" (something you love...) What about Kobe Bryant's gesture of "shut up"... Isn't that unrespectful???...

Well Yet Another unfar olympics victory (tell me about olympic spirit...)

[Shreeram]

Spanish sports fans are the biggest whiners in the world. Not just basketball, but also their disgraceful behaviour over the Alonso-Hamilton affair.

[wes]

Kobe? did anybody watch the first half, d-wade was a monster, where would the US be without him?

[Lulz]

Whine more Spanish fans. You had your chance when they called 2 fouls on Kobe and LeBron. dandarx, go fall in a pit. That way your incessant cries will only be heard by the nearby vermin.

[Robert]

My two cents? Spain is a cheap shot team full of BS whiners. They were lucky to get silver. The other Gasol is in serious need of a butt whippin'. Those technicals that they finally called on Spain were looooong overdue. Babies.

[Robert]

Three more comments.

Unrespectul is not a word in the English language.

Where did this myth of Pau Gasol being a leader originate? He pulled a disappearing act in the NBA playoffs. Played scared with zero heart. And I'm supposed to believe now that he is a leader? Lies.

First name on the back of the jersey? Can't take you seriously Ricky. Same with you Rudy. Man up and put your last names on the laundry.

[Arturo]

Congratulations to US team from Spain! Great game, the best everybody can imagine... Please don´t pay attention to embittered people (there are always some of them) trying to ruin the best game I´ve ever seen... (by the way I wonder what has to do with this the alonso-hamilton affair?)

[james]

kobe, thank you for the gold medal

[james]

kobe, thank you for the gold medal

[Z]

Congrats to the US Men's Basketball team. Support the USA and post your olympic videos on www.sportsfananza.com - the leading sports fan's voice and user generated video and news site.