AP, Rio De Janeiro :
The Brazilians closed out the Rio Games in style Sunday. So did the U.S. men’s basketball team.
Kevin Durant scored 30 points and helped the Americans rout Serbia 96-66 for their third straight gold medal. That capped an Olympics in which the U.S. dominated the medal tables, both the gold (46) and overall totals (121).
Their 51-medal margin over second-place China is the largest in a non-boycotted Olympics in nearly a century.
“This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me,” said U.S. gymnast and closing ceremony flagbearer Simone Biles, who won five medals, four of them gold, in her first Olympics.
After a few close calls in Rio de Janeiro, including a 94-91 win over Serbia in pool play, the U.S. sent Mike Krzyzewski out with a third gold medal. Carmelo Anthony’s third gold made him the most decorated male in Olympic basketball history.
Brazil also rallied at the end.
The country’s determined men’s volleyball team won another sensational gold right next door to where Neymar and Co. did it less than 24 hours earlier in a thrilling penalty shootout against 2014 World Cup champion Germany.
Brazil beat mighty Italy 25-22, 28-26, 26-24 for the home team’s first Olympic men’s volleyball title since Athens in 2004.
