United States regrouped and found its way to the men’s basketball gold

Once again, the United States men’s national basketball team struggled in a first half against a tough opponent.

And once again, the top-ranked Americans silenced doubts by finding their rhythm and pulling away for a 97-78 semifinal rout of 3rd-ranked Australia and a berth in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics gold medal game against France on Saturday (Friday night in the USA).

France, which turned back the red, white and blue in the opening game, is fifth-ranked and gained the championship game by turning back Slovenia in the other semis. As for the United States, it will be out to carry off its fourth consecutive gold medal.

As it did in the quarterfinals triumph over 2nd-ranked Spain, the stars and strips trailed at the half, this time 45-42, but that was deceptive. Once in a 15-point hole, the Americans under head coach Gregg Popovich, had already began rally and take permanent control in the second half.

Once again, they were led by 6-foot-10 Kevin Durant, who scored the game-high 23 points, while he was supported by 20 points from teammate Devin Booker, and Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday tallied 11 each.

Said Durant: “People should not get too excited when opponents jump to an early lead and suggested the U.S. was just sizing things up against teams that  typically have more experience playing together than the Americans have.”

It’s called rhythm, that’s the main word for this squad that didn’t have a full roster until Middleton and Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks and Booker of the Phoenix Suns arrived in Japan Saturday after playing their National Basketball Association finals.

“We knew Australia would come out fast and hit us with a nice punch,” Popovich said. “We knew that teams want to get us early, see how we respond.

“But we’re a better team now, we’re all piecing things together, and again we stuck with it, stuck with our principles, made a couple of switches on defense, and were able to get some momentum going into the half. Our guys came out with that intensity, making shots as well.”

And the Aussies had no answer when momentum shifty. Their aggressive 3-point shooting cooled, and NBA sharpshooter Patty Mills led their scoring with 15 points and also took down five rebounds, while the USA stepped up its defense.

Yes, the red, white and blue just figures out what its doing and just find ways to exploit it. Against the Matildas, it forced numerous turnovers in the third quarter and was just living in transition, and that’s tough to beat.

The Americans trailed 24-18 after one quarter and 45-42 at the intermission, but piled it on quickly in the third quarter to outscore Australia, 32-10, and take a 74-45 lead into the final quarter. They are trying to rewrite their story line from curiously questionable team to strong finisher, if not gold medalist.

Durant, a tall and talented bundle of versatility of the Brooklyn Nets, said he is  totally confident that the gold will again belong to the perennial champions as long as they continue to regroup on defense as it did in beating the Aussies for the ninth straight time.

“Obviously,” he said, “we’re not worried about that, but going out there and executing the game plan defensively as a team, and we’ll see what happens.”

So, after a pair of exhibition losses to the Aussies and France before the start of the Games, the United States mostly cruised through its next two games versus far weaker opponents Iran and the Czech Republic, and had some time to establish its rhythm as a group.

Australia can still end up with its first-ever Olympic medal in basketball by turning back Slovenia for the bronze.