US NBA stars take revenge in routing Greece

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

BEIJING (AFP) — Revenge-minded United States overwhelmed Greece 92-69 Thursday at the Olympics, routing the only team that had beaten the US National Basketball Association stars since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Kobe Bryant and Chris Bosh each scored 18 points to lead the US squad, which also got 17 points from Dwyane Wade and 13 from LeBron James in an impressive display in a Group B preliminary round contest long awaited by the Americans.

"This was a big game for us. We had this one circled for a long time," US guard Chris Paul said. "A few of us felt we really needed this game to prove to ourselves we do mean business and we're ready to win the gold medal."

The Greeks upset a US NBA squad 101-95 in the semi-finals of the 2006 worlds and in the first...