Team USA overcame Czech Republic, 119-84, to progress to the quarterfinals in Tokyo Olympics Men’s Basketball as Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant combined for 50 points.
Tatum led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Durant went for 23 points on 8 of 11 attempts. In the game, he surpassed Carmelo Anthony, who had 336 lifetime points, as the all-time highest scorer in US men’s basketball Olympic history.
Durant only needed six points to pull off the feat. Overall, he has 354 points in his Olympic career.
After the first quarter, the United States trailed 25-18, and the Czech Republic kept the game tight throughout the first half. The Americans, on the other hand, pulled away in the third, outscoring the Czech Republic 35-17.
The Americans went on a 16-2 run to conclude the third quarter with an 82-60 advantage heading into the fourth, and they never looked back.
Team USA will not learn its next opponent until until group play concludes on Sunday.
On Monday, August 2, the quarterfinals will begin.