Tokyo Olympics: Devin Booker and Kevin Durant go off as USA beats Australia en route to gold-medal match
- The Phoenix Suns guard, who is coming off an excellent NBA Finals appearance, went off for 20 points in the win
- The USA will now face either France, led by Evan Fournier, or Slovenia, led by Luka Doncic, in the gold-medal match Saturday
Devin Booker played his best game of the tournament as he outscored the entire Australian squad in the third quarter – the USA went on a 32-10 tear with the Phoenix Suns star collecting 11 points – and the Americans will now play either France or Slovenia, who square off at 8pm (HKT) on Thursday.
Booker has clearly shaken off the rust of joining the team late (he missed their exhibition games in Las Vegas as he was playing in the NBA Finals), as he averaged 8.5 points over the first four games. Team USA have become known for starting slow, as they have been behind in almost all of their games after the first quarter in the tournament.
Australia led by 15 points at one point in the second quarter, and clearly had the Americans on their heels to start the game with their high-intensity defence and run and gun style as they led 45-42 at the end of the first half.
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However, Booker was having none of it as he took the reigns after Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant headed to the bench for a rest, and helped the Americans take control with a dominant display in the third. Durant was also hot as well, finishing with 23 points and a team leading nine rebounds.