US squad breezes into Cup final

Madrid awaits. Spain doesn't.

The gold-medal matchup seemingly everyone wanted in the Basketball World Cup - maybe even some US players - won't be happening.

The Spanish were upset in the quarterfinals, ending the predicted No 1 vs. No 2 game on Sunday in Madrid.

"I think one of the reasons why we came over here was to play them," US guard Derrick Rose said.

"Too bad we're not playing them, but hopefully we go out there in our next game and play hard and just know that we're there for a reason."

The Americans held up their end, moving within a victory of repeating as world champions for the first time with a 96-68 victory over Lithuania on Thursday night.

James Harden scored all of his 16 points in the lopsided third quarter of a near carbon copy of the Americans' quarterfinal victory over Slovenia, when he awoke from a scoreless first half to help turn a close game into a blowout.

The Americans will face France or Serbia, believing either could provide the test that was expected from Spain.

"Obviously they're playing there for a reason," Harden said.

"We're not going to take anyone lightly, which we haven't thus far."

They will arrive as even heavier favorites after Spain's stunning loss to France on Wednesday.

With their veteran experience and near misses against the US in the last two Olympic gold-medal games, the Spanish were considered the team with the best chance - perhaps the only one - to beat the Americans.

Harden was told that forward Kenneth Faried said he'd wanted to play Spain.

"Kenneth's crazy," Harden said.

Some US players watched Wednesday's game, while others learned the result afterward.

Talk of a US-Spain final had lasted as long as the tournament, and though the Americans tried to ignore it, guard Stephen Curry acknowledged that was impossible.

"I don't think we're disappointed, or wished we played a certain team," Curry said. "We're happy to take care of our business."

Their opponent will have to show it can hang with the Americans for more than a half, which nobody in Barcelona did.

Against Lithuania, the Americans held an eight-point lead at the break before making 14 of 19 shots in the third quarter, and outscoring the European squad 33-14.

Kyrie Irving had 18 points and Klay Thompson added 16 for the Americans in a rematch of the 2010 world basketball championship semifinals, also played on Sept 11, the date of the terrorist attacks on the US in 2001.

Kevin Durant scored a US-record 38 points in that one, an 89-74 victory.

That was a rare comfortable margin in this series where close games have been the norm. That includes the 2012 Olympics, where the Americans' 99-94 win was their tightest in London.

The physical play nearly turned ugly when DeMarcus Cousins reacted angrily after appearing to be elbowed in the neck by Jonas Valanciunas of the Toronto Raptors while battling for a rebound.

Cousins wound up as if he were going to punch Valanciunas in the back of the head, drawing a technical foul.

The Americans then threw the knockout blow, coming out of the locker room with an 18-2 run - emphasis on run, because they turned this semifinal game into a fast-break drill.

(China Daily 09/13/2014 page9)