Redemption: U.S. hoops back on top at Olympics

BEIJING -- Arm-in-arm, they climbed onto the middle of the medals platform, the spot that for so long was U.S. private property.

Some players flashed their medals to the crowd. One pretended to take a bite, just to make sure it was real.

Yep, it was gold -- the color the Americans used to win, and the ones they had to take home from Beijing.

Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. Olympic team survived a huge challenge from Spain, winning 118-107 Sunday in the gold-medal game.

Order is restored in international basketball. The United States is back on top, but not by that much anymore.

"Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again," LeBron James said at a news conference attended by the entire team.

After overwhelming everyone for seven games, the Americans led by only four points with under 2ˆ½ minutes to play. Then the U.S. proved it could handle a close game that seemed would never come in Beijing.

Their prize: the first U.S. gold medal since the 2000 Olympics.

Dwyane Wade scored 27 points for the Americans, who found a much gamer Spanish team than the one they humiliated by 37 points earlier in the tournament. Kobe Bryant added 20 points.

In a game so devoid of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch. Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket.

They began to celebrate during a break after some technical fouls on Spain with 26 seconds left, then partied at midcourt when it was over with "Born in the USA" blaring over the arena's speakers.

"We played with great character in one of the great games in international basketball history, I think," United States coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Nobody else had been close to the Americans in Beijing. This team's only Olympic competition had been history, in a Dream matchup with guys named Jordan, Magic, Bird and the rest of the U.S. team that dominated the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Forget comparisons to those guys. The Americans were lucky to be better than Spain on Sunday.

U.S. players appreciated the game Spain gave them. After the contest they hugged the Spanish players. Bryant had an especially long embrace for Pau Gasol, patting his Los Angeles Lakers teammate on the back.

"They did what they were supposed to do," Gasol said. "We fought hard all the way."

Seeming to appreciate the moment, after congratulating Spain, the team joined in a circle, jumping up and down at center court and waving triumphantly to the crowd as Krzyzewski applauded on the sidelines.

"I know that we had a tough road ahead of us, we knew that these guys weren't going to roll over and give up that easily," United States forward Chris Bosh said. "So we had to be men, and that's what it takes to win."

The Americans had won their first seven games by 30.3 points, including a 119-82 rout of Spain. But they never had control of this game, giving up open looks from the perimeter and plenty of points in the paint against a Spain team that played without injured point guard Jose Calderon.

The U.S. started planning for this game after that first event, the low point in its hoops history, following a sixth-place flop two years earlier in the world championships. Jerry Colangelo was given control of USA Basketball and constructed a national team program in 2006, requiring those who wanted to play to commit to three years.

He got Bryant and James quickly on board and landed almost everyone else he asked for, finding a group of NBA stars eager to give up their summer to get back what they felt belonged to their country.

And he needed all of them against a Spain team that on this day would have likely beaten any other recent U.S. squad.

"Being a part of the '04 team, we really didn't get the opportunity to showcase our talent," said Wade, one of four holdovers from Athens. "We really wanted to come in and help lead this team."

Jason Kidd ran his record to 56-0 in senior international play and collected another gold to place alongside the one he earned in 2000, becoming the 13th U.S. player with multiple golds.

That elite list, which includes Michael Jordan and seven other Dream Teamers, could grow in 2012. Paul and Dwight Howard said they would be in London if asked, and perhaps half this team could join them.