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<< Previous   of   Next >> Associated Press  (click to enlarge) Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk in the USA's 119-82 victory over Spain.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, August 17, 2008 No contest: The U.S. crushes Spain 119-82 to stay unbeaten By Mark Heisler Los Angeles Times BEIJING -- Seems like old times? For anyone born since 1992, when the Dream Team awed an overmatched world, the sight of a U.S. basketball team flattening everything in its path, as it just did to Spain, another supposed contender, is a novelty, but it used to be like this. No, really. After buttering up undefeated Spain for two days, or convincing themselves the Spaniards were a threat, the U.S. gunned them down, 119-82, Saturday in Wukesong Arena. In other games, Yao Ming scored 25 points to lead China past Dirk Nowitzki and Germany 59-55. Manu Ginobili scored 32 and Luis Scola added 20, leading reigning Olympic champion Argentina past winless Iran 97-82. Andrew Bogut had 22 and eight rebounds to help Australia past European champion Russia 95-80. Lithuania beat Croatia 86-73 and Greece thrashed Angola 102-61. The U.S. is 4-0, leading Pool B. The only other undefeated team is Lithuania, which is 4-0 in Pool A and the U.S. buried the Lithuanians by 36 two weeks ago in Macao, so they might not be that close, either. Despite the skepticism that comes with seven losses in the past three world competitions, it's becoming ever clearer this is an old-fashioned, dominant U.S. team. "When you commit to something, the hard work that you put in, you want the prize at the end, and they've identified the prize," said Jay Triano, the Toronto Raptors assistant who coached the U.S. select team against the big team in practices in Las Vegas. "I'm not a betting guy but I would put down everything on this team winning." So, at this point, who would you get to bet on anyone else without a 20-point spot? Proving they can do more than defend, dunk and hurl bricks from the three-point line, the U.S. actually found the range Saturday, making seven of its first 10 threes and finishing 12 for 25 overall. The U.S. players also defended. This time their focus was Pau Gasol, the Lakers center who had been burning up the tournament. Gasol came into the game averaging 18 points, shooting 69 percent, having outscored Yao Ming, 29-11, in their meeting, posterizing him several times while making 13 of 17 shots. Saturday he didn't even get a shot off in the first quarter although he did have three turnovers. Posting up NBA-style, Gasol was like a human bull's-eye. The U.S. players have spent weeks adjusting to the international drive-and-kick game with its premium on three-point shooting. Post basketball is something they already know from the NBA. So the U.S. players double-teamed Gasol as if he were Shaquille O'Neal in his prime. Just for good measure, they ran the offense through Gasol's man, usually Dwight Howard, at the other end. By the end of the first quarter, the U.S. was up by 13 points and garbage time was coming fast. Yet to be seen is whether the rest of this tournament is any more competitive than those last three quarters.

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