LONDRES .- Con otra demoledora exhibición ofensiva en el tercer cuarto, Estados Unidos despachó el viernes 109-83 a Argentina y ahora enfrentará a España en la final de básquetbol masculino de los Juegos Olímpicos.

El Estados Unidos-España será una reedición del choque que fue ganado por las norteamericanos hace cuatro años en Beijing.

LeBron James fue el motor de Estados Unidos al sumar 18 puntos, siete rebotes y siete asistencias.

Además, Kevin Durant aportó 19 unidades, Carmelo Anthony metió 18 y Kobe Bryant anotó 11 de sus 13 tantos en el primer cuarto para un equipo estadounidense que busca su 14ta medalla de oro en las 16 ediciones de básquetbol olímpico en las que han participado.

Manu Ginóbili anotó 18 puntos, mientras que Carlos Delfino y Luis Scola anotaron 15 cada uno por Argentina, que al igual que hace cuatro años perdió en la semifinal ante Estados Unidos y ahora peleará por el bronce ante Rusia.

El encuentro, que fue la tercera semifinal en Juegos Olímpicos en fila entre los dos rivales, comenzó con un inspirado Bryant anotando 11 puntos en el arranque. Fue así que Estados Unidos sacó ventaja 18-6 con 5:37 por jugar en el primer cuarto, pero los argentinos les respondieron con nueve puntos sin puntos para acercarse a tres antes de que encestes de Russell Westbrook y un triple de Deron Williams pusieran las cosas 24-19 al final del primero.

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  • LeBron James

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En el segundo cuarto, Argentina se acercó a un punto pero luego James anotó siete consecutivos, sellados con una jugada de tres que puso la pizarra 37-27 con poco más de cinco por jugar y la diferencia se mantuvo en la decena de unidades hasta que Ginóbili clavó al filo del descanso un triple desde la esquina derecha para dejar las cosas 47-40.


Para el tercero, Estados Unidos aprovechó una sequía de más de tres minutos sin puntos de Argentina y con dos triples de Durant, acompañados por siete puntos de James, consiguieron una amplia delantera de 72-53 que los puso en rumbo al triunfo.


En el arranque del cuarto, la ventaja llegó a crecer hasta 93-64 después de un par de triples de Anthony acabando con cualquier esperanza de los argentinos, que replegaron banderas y mandaron al campo a casi toda la banca ya pensando en el encuentro por la medalla de bronce contra Rusia.