An American squad of NBA stars and their Women’s NBA counterparts are expected to add more Olympic history to their amazing legacy at Rio.
 The US Olympic men, guided for the third and final time by coach Mike Krzyzewski, seek a third consecutive gold medal and the sixth in seven tries since NBA talent debuted on the 1992 Barcelona ‘Dream Team’.
 “That Dream Team, I think everyone realizes what they did and then moving forward just putting USA back on top. That’s where we want to stay,” US guard Jimmy Butler said.
“That’s what everybody’s goal in mind is, to never accept defeat, to win gold and that’s what everybody is about right now.”
 The US women have been even more dominating since settling for bronze at Barcelona, making five unbeaten runs to gold to enter Rio on a 41-game Olympic unbeaten streak.
 Add in 1984 and 1988 gold medals and the US women are 55-1 with seven of the past eight Olympic titles.
 “So many athletes before us have set the standard of how to play.
 “I just want to continue in their footsteps and keep that standard of play the same,” US Olympic debutante center Brittany Griner said.
 “I know everybody is coming for us. No country, no team is going to roll over and just give it to us.
 “We’re going to have to go and take it. We have to take our best ball on both ends of the floor.”
 Krzyzewski, coaxed out of retirement for the Rio run, is 52-1 in international tournament play, a semi-final loss to Greece at the 2006 worlds in Japan the only blemish on his tenure.
 “I’m not nostalgic until something is over,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s one of the biggest mistakes any competitor can make, to be in only your moment. So I’ve got to coach them like it’s my first time.
 “We just want to play as well as we can, be worthy of winning the gold. And also be worthy of winning the
respect, continuing to win the respect of our country and the world as we’re doing it.”
 San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will replace “Coach K” in the role after Rio and players want Krzyzewski to go out on top.
 “Well we obviously expect to win gold,” said US 3-point sharpshooter Klay Thompson.
 “We know it’s not going to be an easy road. If we respect our opponent, play hard every night and trust each other then I think we will win gold.”
 Carmelo Anthony, in a US men’s record fourth Olympics, could become the first man from any country to win three Olympic hoops gold medals.
 “I don’t think there are many weaknesses with this team,” Anthony said. “We’re doing well. Everybody is on board and locked in.”
 Paul George is back from a horrific leg injury two years ago while training for the US world team that cost him an NBA campaign.
 “What’s really the final step in the chapter of this is coming home with that gold,” George said.
 Several stars withdrew from consideration for the US squad, with long seasons and health and safety concerns the key factors in such stalwarts as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and James Harden saying no to Rio.
 “A lot of those guys that aren’t here already have gold medals,” said Kyrie Irving, James’ teammate on the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. “They decided not to play. We respect their decision and now we have to move on with this Team USA and go out there and compete for gold.”
 The US women are sparked by tri-captains Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings — three-time Olympic champions on a team featuring nine gold medalists chasing a sixth consecutive USA crown.
 “It takes a lot to get to a fourth Olympics,” Bird said. “It has nothing to do with anything in your control. You have to stay on top of your game and be ready, but so much can happen that can derail, so I just feel really lucky.”
 The US women already own the longest gold medal streak for any women’s Olympic team sport.
 Only the US men’s basketball tean winning the first seven Olympic titles have done better for such a sustained period.

USA topple Nigeria in final pre-Olympic contest

AFP/Los Angeles

The USA, gunning for their third straight Olympic basketball gold medal, wrapped up their pre-Summer Games exhibition series with a dominating 110-66 win over world number 25 Nigeria yesterday.
 The Americans’ build-up to the Rio de Janeiro Games included five straight exhibition wins, but just one came against an opponent ranked in the top 10 in the world. They easily beat No. 4 Argentina, No. 14 China twice and rolled over No. 22 Venezuela by 35 points.
 “We played good defense and it led to some fast breaks,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “Our team is very deep. The most versatile team we have had.”
 Despite the absence of NBA stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry, Krzyzewski’s squad is favored to win a third consecutive gold. A half-dozen Americans finished in double figures, including Carmelo Anthony, who tallied a team high 19 points. Klay Thompson (17), Kevin Durant (14), DeMar DeRozan (13), DeMarcus Cousins (10) and DeAndre Jordan (10) also finished in double figures. Kyle Lowry had 11 assists and Jordan grabbed nine rebounds in the victory at the Toyota Center arena in Houston, Texas.
 “It was good way to close it out. Now the big show starts and we got to lock in,” Anthony said. He also complained about the basketball they are going to using during the Rio Games, saying he prefers the heavier NBA ball. “It is lighter and more slippery,” Anthony said. “When it gets wet it is harder to control. That’s a ball you really have to get used to.”
 Point guard Kyrie Irving (bruised left thigh) and Paul George (left calf) sat out with injuries. Irving injured his thigh when he collided with a Venezuela player during Friday’s contest in Chicago.
 Venezuela is in the first-round group with the USA, China, Australia, France and Serbia. The Americans play the Chinese again to open the Rio Olympics on August 6 and also meet Venezuela again.