Redemption as good as gold

BEIJING - Typically, only one player and a coach are present for Olympic team press conferences. But after coming together to win men's basketball gold, Team USA felt it was only fitting they all attend yesterday's media gathering with coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The United States won its first men's basketball gold medal since 2000 with a tough 118-107 victory over Spain at the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium. The Americans have won 13 gold medals in the sport dating back to 1936. The US, which is chock-full of NBA stars, went 8-0 here, winning each game by double digits.

"We had to pull together to get this win," said Dwyane Wade, who scored a game-high 27 points off the bench. "If we would have broken off at one moment, the game could have went the other way. We are all happy for each other."

Kobe Bryant also talked about the importance of teamwork.

"Everyone wants to talk about NBA players being selfish, being arrogant, being individuals," said Bryant, who scored 20 points. "But what you saw today was a team bonding together facing adversity and coming out of here with a big win."

The Americans had completely dominated opponents entering the gold medal game, winning every contest by at least 20 points. The US hammered the Spaniards, 119-82, in preliminary action. But that was then, and the gold medal was far from a blowout as a much more confident Spain squad was ready to play.

"The major difference lied in our mental state," said Spain's Pau Gasol, who had 21 points. "In the last match we made some big mistakes . . . we didn't have adequate confidence."

Gasol's mid-range jumper with 3:32 left trimmed Spain's deficit to just 5 points, 104-99. But with the Spanish fans going wild, Bryant put his finger by his mouth to quiet the crowd after he nailed a 3-pointer while getting fouled with 3:10 left. After the 2008 NBA MVP made the free throw, the Americans were ahead, 108-99.

Spain, however, wasn't ready to give up. A 5-0 run capped by a Carlos Jimenez 3-pointer trimmed the US lead to 108-104 with 2:25 remaining. But Wade followed with a 3-pointer that gave the US some breathing room and Bryant's running layup with 1:11 to go increased the lead to 113-105 and sealed the gold.

"Give respect where respect is due," US forward LeBron James said. "Spain was unbelievable. We had a game plan, and they countered everything we did. Every possession counted for 40 minutes. You couldn't take one possession off, one second off.

"But if it wasn't for the determination and willpower that we have in each other, we wouldn't have pulled through and got this win. Much respect to Spain, but the US is back on track."

As the game clock wound down to the final buzzer, the American players were wildly jubilant as the crowd chanted "USA . . . USA." After celebrating with hugs, fist pumps, and chest bumps, each American player shook hands or hugged ex-US player and NBC analyst Doug Collins. Collins played on the US Olympic team in 1972 that lost the controversial and well-chronicled gold medal game to the Soviet Union.

The US players smiled brightly on the medal stand while waving and blowing kisses to the crowd. The Americans stared at the gold medals and kissed them. When the medal ceremony concluded, they showed appreciation to Krzyzewski and his staff by placing all 12 gold medals on their necks for a picture.

Long after the game was over, Wade said, "We're not done [celebrating]. We're going to go in the locker room and really celebrate some more. We were all going around hugging each other."

Jason Kidd was the only Team USA member who had felt such bliss, as he won a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The 35-year-old became only the 13th American men's basketball player to win two Olympic gold medals.

"For the guys who never experienced it, it's unbelievable," Kidd said. "Everybody was excited. Everybody wanted to take a deep breath. Everybody was getting their shoes signed because it's something, like I told them, that they can never take away from you."

Four US players who may have appreciated the gold even more were Wade, James, Carmelo Anthony, and Carlos Boozer. All four were members of the American team that won bronze at 2004 Athens Games.

"After 2004, we touched base with each other and said we wanted to make a commitment in being part of USA Basketball and try to accomplish something we've never done before, and that's win a gold medal," James said. "Once we came together and said we wanted to do it, we put in our time, we gave up our summers to sacrifice to play the game of basketball, which we love to do.

"To finally go and win the gold medal, not just for us as individuals but for everyone and America means a lot."

Wade echoed James's thoughts.

"The moment is special," he said. "All [four] of us took time out to just take the moment in."

Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com.