Monday Bolts – 7.30.12
Chris Mannix of SI.com: “Sometimes, you wonder how they do it, how they crack jokes, slap hands and eat meals so casually with the man who cut their hearts out. A month ago LeBron James was the enemy to Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Oklahoma City lost to Miami but it was James, averaging 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a Finals MVP performance, who delivered blow after crippling blow. The pain of the loss is still there — “I’m still not over it,” said Westbrook — but there they were, in the U.S.’s 98-71 Olympics opening win over France, Durant dunking off James feeds, Westbrook finding James for open jumpers, teammates united in the pursuit of gold.”
KD on the Finals: “It took me about a week to get over it,” Durant said. “It is what it is. I know it is a process. I am not going to be upset or let it take away from what we’re trying to do here (at the Olympics). We just got to focus on this and be better once we come back next year. We just have to continue to go down the same road we have been on since 2009. Continue to grow as individuals and as a team. That experience, the Western Conference Finals, the Finals, playing in tough games, everything we have been through will help us out next year.”
Watch LeBron’s full court bounce pass to KD.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com: “There was no clear-cut victim this time. No Frederic Weis on the receiving end to be frozen forever on a timeless poster. How do you fit a 50-foot bounce pass into a single frame, anyway? That’s right: You can’t. You can’t print and sell a shot of what LeBron James did to the French here Sunday afternoon, something devotees of the dish will put right up there with the feat of athleticism Vince Carter famously uncorked on the top of Weis’ head when we last saw Les Bleus in the Olympic basketball tournament.”
Watch Michelle Obama hug every player.
Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com on Team USA: “Durant led the scoring with 22 points, and James orchestrated things with eight assists, most of them of the flashy variety. There ought to be a rule against those two playing in the same lineup, because it’s truly a frightening and exhilarating thing to watch. There has been a lot of talk about Team USA’s potential size disadvantage on the interior, but what about the size, strength, speed and skill disparity other teams have to overcome facing that pair on the perimeter, in the lane and in the open floor?”
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on Team USA’s win: “Durant is the best catch-and-shoot player (or at least most willing) on Team USA and using him as the tip of the spear has been really effective. Durant scored 22 to lead Team USA and man, can that kid shoot.”
