Gasol slammed it home—what a play! A change in rhythm, a nice feed to Gasol, and he tied the game. The crowd erupted, chanting “Gasol! Gasol!” as he worked hard on offense. Anthony Davis (not Abaka Grant—likely a misstatement) wanted the ball, but it was Gasol who delivered when it mattered most.

Ten seconds left in the quarter—Williams tried to take it himself. With three seconds remaining, he passed to Blatche—but the shot missed. All eyes now turn to the fourth quarter: Team USA leads by one.

James dominates the final frame. Then, from beyond the arc—Chris Paul launches a three-pointer from near the top of the key. He gets fouled hard on the release, crashes to the floor… but sinks the shot. Next possession, Paul drives right past his defender for an easy two. He’s on fire—five quick points in under two minutes.

The U.S. team turns up the defensive intensity and forces a turnover. There’s incidental contact on the play—neither player intended a hard foul; both were simply trying to make a play. Gasol got caught in the eye while reaching—not where the ball was, but into space. It wasn’t a “Larry, Moe, and Curly”-style comical moment—it was a serious, high-stakes collision. Trainers rushed in to check on him.

Meanwhile, Marc Gasol battles inside—working the post, drawing attention, and converting a tough mid-range jumper. Two points. Kevin Durant has now reached 30 points—but no one’s talking about that yet. Then comes the defining sequence: Kobe Bryant rises for a three, draws a shooting foul, converts the basket—and the free throw. Huge momentum swing.

Rudy Fernandez is called for a reach-in foul on Bryant—another costly mistake. Kobe finishes the and-one, extending the lead. Later, a crisp give-and-go with Gasol sets up another three-point attempt late in the quarter. In the paint, Anthony Davis grabs an offensive rebound and puts it back in—clean, decisive, and clutch—for Team USA.