‘Bonded for life’: Kevin Durant revels in his 3rd Olympic gold

Kevin Durant said he is "bonded for life" with his US teammates after they beat France to win basketball gold Saturday, ensuring the Brooklyn Nets star joined all-time great Carmelo Anthony with a third Olympic title.

The 32-year-old has been the backbone of the team for a decade, scoring more Olympic points than any player in US men's basketball history, and he was again the standout against France.

He drilled 29 points to go with the 30 he bagged in the 2012 final against Spain and 30 in the 2016 decider against Serbia, reinforcing his incredible consistency. 

In doing so, he became the first American player to score more than 100 points in three different Olympics, accumulating 124 in Japan. 

"When you are part of a team that is evolving by the second, it's just amazing to see. Every game we continued to grow," he said, after the US were stunned in their opening group game by France.

"It's just that journey that is so important, you realise. You finish the job and get the gold medal, but when you go through that journey, man, it is just so special.

"I am bonded with these guys for life, it's a family for life. I am grateful we all committed to this (Olympics) early and finished it off." 

Durant who is poised to sign a four-year, $198 million contract extension with the Nets, according to his manager, scored 21 of his points Saturday in the first half.

He was quieter in the fourth term until he drained a pair of crucial free throws with eight seconds left.

Durant said he was reluctant to compare the gold medal in Japan with his previous two "because everything is its own memory". 

"But this is one of those special journeys that is hard to describe," he added.

"Each one of us put in that work every single day. From the coaches, to the trainers, to the players.

"We all came in with the goal of let's finish this thing off, let's build a family, let's build a team, let's finish this thing off."

US coach Gregg Popovich said he was "totally frozen" when his team won, calling it "an out of body experience when you are in those kinds of games".

"Every championship is special, every group is special, but I can be honest and say this the most responsibility I've ever felt, because you're playing for so many people that are watching it for your country," he said.

Popovich had special praise for Durant, whose experience proved vital to taking home the title.

"The relationships he builds with team-mates, the respect he garners, the joy he has in playing is like osmosis. It goes into all the other players," he said.

"That sort of love of the game and of people is what makes him more special as a player."

Agence France-Presse

USA cancel Senegal trip over Ebola fears

LOS ANGELES - USA Basketball has canceled the team's trip to Senegal because of concerns over the deadly Ebola outbreak, federation chairman Jerry Colangelo said Friday.

The men's team, stocked with NBA stars, had been scheduled to visit Africa for the first time on August 27, with a day of basketball clinics, tours and other functions planned in the capital Dakar.

Although Senegal is not one of the countries so far afflicted in West Africa, Colangelo said its position bordering Guinea and Dakar's role as a gateway to West Africa heightened concerns.

"Considering this unprecedented outbreak, USA Basketball has decided to cancel our August 27 scheduled visit to Senegal," Colangelo said. "I speak for everyone at USA Basketball when I say we are extremely disappointed that we will not be able to visit Senegal.

"We will look for opportunities in the future to work with and support the Senegalese national team."

Medical charity MSF said Friday the Ebola epidemic is moving faster than authorities can handle and could take six months to bring under control.

The warning came a day after the World Health Organization said the scale of the epidemic had been vastly underestimated and that "extraordinary measures" were needed to contain the killer disease.

The UN health agency said the death toll from the worst outbreak of Ebola in four decades had now climbed to 1,145 in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The US team's stop in Dakar was to follow an exhibition game against Slovenia on August 26 on Spain's Gran Canaria island.

The United States open their FIBA World Cup campaign against Finland in Bilbao, Spain, on August 30.

The FIBA World Cup -- formerly the World Championships -- will take place August 30 to September 14.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

George has successful surgery after horrific injury

Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Paul George is recovering in a Las Vegas hospital following successful surgery on a horrific leg injury in a USA Basketball game, the National Basketball Association team said on Saturday.

"Our initial discussions with our doctors and the doctors in Las Vegas have us very optimistic," Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in a statement.

"We are hopeful at some point next week Paul will return to Indianapolis to continue his recovery."

George, the Pacers' key player, suffered an open fracture of the tibia and fibula bones in his lower right leg, USA Basketball said, when he contested a layup attempt by Houston Rockets' James Harden in a practice game on Friday in Las Vegas.

The game was cancelled and George had surgery later that night.

"I'll be ok and be back better than ever!!!" George said on Twitter.

U.S. media speculated that because of the seriousness of the injury it could be months before George is back on his feet and that his 2014-15 season could be in jeopardy.

Bird declined to comment on a timeframe for George's return to the court.

"Our first thoughts are with Paul and his family," said NBA great Bird. "It is way too early to speculate on his return as the No. 1 priority for everyone will be his recovery."

WIDESPREAD SUPPORT

The injury, which occurred when the 24-year-old George collided against bottom of the basketball stanchion, brought an outpouring of support from fellow NBA players and league officials.

"Made me immediately sick to my stomach!!" Cleveland Cavaliers' new acquisition LeBron James, who was not at the game, tweeted after learning of the injury. "Praying for u a speedy recovery homie!!!

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: "It was difficult to watch the injury that Paul George sustained tonight while representing his country. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the NBA are with Paul and his family."

Despite the impact the injury might have on the Pacers, one of the top teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference, Bird said the franchise would continue to back USA Basketball.

"We still support USA Basketball and believe in the NBA's goals of exposing our game, our teams and players worldwide," said the standout on the original NBA "Dream Team" that won the 1992 Olympic gold medal.

"This is an extremely unfortunate injury that occurred on a highly-visible stage, but could also have occurred anytime, anywhere."

USA Basketball was using the Las Vegas training camp and the game to help select a team to defend their 2010 world title at the World Cup in Spain beginning on Aug. 30.

They are aiming to become the third team after Brazil (1959 and 1963) and Yugoslavia (1998 and 2002) to win back-to-back world titles.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Wilson, North Carolina; Editing by Ken Ferris)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com