2008 United States vs. Spain
Re-watch #15 - The Duke Basketball Project
For the best experience, I recommend reading articles in a web browser or via the Substack app. Descriptions of the game clips come before each video (i.e. Clip A description is followed by Clip A video). The full game is linked in the additional resources at the bottom.
United States vs. Spain
Gold Medal Match
Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium - Beijing, China
August 24, 2008
Why this game
The 2008 US Men’s Olympic Basketball team, most often referred to as The Redeem Team, was recently inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame so I wanted to revisit their gold medal match with Spain. I love the Olympics and the summer games in Beijing were must-see-TV, with tons of great performances including Michael Phelps (8 gold medals) and Usain Bolt (2 world records). And there was no chance I was going to let the 12-hour time difference keep me from watching this game live. I couldn’t find the tip-off time during the research, but my memory is that the game tipped at 3 pm in Beijing. So I set a 2:45 am alarm and woke up to watch the U.S. try to reclaim the gold medal.1
Background
From 1936-2000 (14 Olympics), the United States men posted a 107-2 record en route to 12 gold medals.2 Both losses were to the Soviet Union - the controversial 1972 gold medal game and the 1988 semifinal. The United States would send professionals for the first time in 1992, winning gold as The Dream Team altered the global trajectory of basketball forever. Team USA captured gold again in Atlanta in 1996, and in Sydney in 2000.
It is easy for some folks to look back and say things like “of course we won the gold in 2008” or “no way we could lose with that team” - but that is revisionist history. The United States lost three games in a row and finished sixth at the 2002 World Championships. Three more losses followed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, including 89-81 to Argentina in the semifinals, which led to a bronze medal for Team USA. Greece took down the United States 101-95 at the 2006 World Championships in Coach K’s first tournament as head coach - another bronze finish for the U.S. If you’re counting, that’s seven losses in the past three major international competitions, so anyone that thought the United States “couldn’t lose” hadn’t been paying attention.
Meanwhile, Spain had gradually become one of the top international basketball teams. After failing to advance to the knockout round at the 2000 Olympics, Spain fell to eventual bronze medalist Germany (70-62) at the 2002 World Championships. The Spaniards won their group (5-0) in Athens before losing by eight points to the U.S. in the knockout round (102-94). Spain broke through and won gold at the 2006 World Championships, defeating Greece (70-47).
Spain and the United States were in the same pool for the round-robin portion of the 2008 Olympics, which meant they would face one another prior to the knockout round. Team USA won in a rout (119-82), but do not let the score fool you. Despite the 37-point margin, it was widely assumed Spain had not shown their full arsenal on either end of the floor, electing to save their best game plan for the United States when it would matter most.
The Teams
Spain
Ricky Rubio; Juan Carlos Navarro; Felipe Reyes; Carlos Jimenez; Pau Gasol; Rudy Fernandez; Marc Gasol; Alex Mumbru; Berni Rodriguez; Jorge Garbajosa; Raul Lopez
United States
Jason Kidd; Kobe Bryant; LeBron James; Carmelo Anthony; Dwight Howard; Dwyane Wade; Chris Paul; Chris Bosh; Deron Williams; Tayshaun Prince; Carlos Boozer; Michael Redd
1st Quarter
Fast-paced. That’s my one word to describe the first quarter and, for the most part, it is descriptive of the entire game. As expected, Spain came out ready to play from the start after their blowout loss in group play.
Clip A Description: 1) Pau Gasol finishes a dunk on the break, assisted by Rick Rubio. 2) Kobe draws a crowd in the lane and finds Carmelo Anthony for a three-pointer before Pau hits Carlos Jimenez for three on the other end. 3) Spain was also known for their precise offensive execution in the half court. As Chris Bosh fronts Pau in the low post, Reyes immediately flashes to the high post and lobs a pass to Gasol for the lay-in. 4) Using a brush-screen from Carmelo, Dwyane Wade attacks the paint and completes an acrobatic finish. Ricky Rubio responds with a behind-the-back finger roll. 5) The pace is incredible here. Spain pushes it up after a tough contest and rebound. Rubio hits it ahead to Juan Carlos Navarro, who catches it on the left wing, shot fakes, and buries a floater. Kobe immediately rifles an one-hand outlet pass to Chris Paul at mid-court. Paul only needs two dribbles from there as he steps through Rubio and Navarro for the and-one. 6) Team USA utilizes some full-court pressure on Spain, accelerating the pace even more. Watch as both teams fly up and down the floor.
1st Quarter 4:18 - United States 17 Spain 21
Clip B Description: 1) In an almost carbon copy from the previous clip, Chris Paul rebounds a missed three throw and explodes up the floor for his second three-point play. 2) Chris Bosh ties the game at 22 with a free throw before the U.S. forces a shot-clock violation on the other end, the result of multiple deflections and loose balls, with both teams diving all over the floor. 3) It is more full-court pressure as DWade shoots the passing lane at half court and finishes with an uncontested reverse dunk. Jorge Garbajosa ghosts a screen and answers with a three-pointer. 4) Marc Gasol finishes strong over a good challenge from Bosh, assisted by Alex Mumbru off a baseline drive. 5) With the U.S. now up by six (33-27), Marc Gasol shows off a pass-fake, drop-step, reverse layup from the left block. 6) With the first quarter winding down, DWade uses a Tayshaun Prince screen to bury a three. Wade almost scored again to beat the buzzer, but lost control of the ball after making a steal at half court.
End of the 1st Quarter - United States 38 Spain 31
2nd Quarter
I simply wrote down Kobe/Rudy/DWade in my notes for the second quarter, which is not descriptive at all except to say that those three guys really stood out.
Clip A Description: 1) Kobe starts the second quarter with a three-pointer off a skip pass from LeBron. 2) Rubio’s long miss is deflected, leading to a run out dunk for Kobe. 3) Bryant’s 5-0 spurt gave Team USA a 12-point lead and, now leading by 10, Kobe assists on another Carmelo Anthony triple.
2nd Quarter 7:58 - United States 46 Spain 33
After trailing by five midway through the first quarter, the U.S. had now outscored Spain 29-11 since then. Enter Rudy Fernandez. Clip B Description: 1) After a missed three from LeBron, Rubio throws a hit-ahead pass up the right sideline to Rudy - he immediately hoists a deep three that touches all net. 2) Kobe lays-in a long alley-oop pass from Chris Paul. 3) Just watch this sequence - multiple steals and deflections, ending with LeBron finishing as he’s fouled. 4) LBJ’s free throw is short, but as Spain brings the ball up now trailing by eight, Dwyane Wade streaks through the passing lane for a dunk the other way - it’s easy to see why he was nicknamed “Flash.”
2nd Quarter 5:11 - United States 52 Spain 42
Clip C Description: 1) DWade’s pull-up three pushes the margin back to 13 for the U.S. 2) This high screen-and-roll pass from Rudy Fernandez is incredible. 3) Wade leaves his feet in the middle of Spain’s zone and flings a wild pass out to LeBron - he still drills the three. Rudy answers with a bank shot in the lane. 4) Rudy Fernandez then buries a deep isolation three from the right wing. 5) Wade answers with a catch-and-shoot three off ball reversal from Chris Paul. Rudy responds with an even more impressive isolation three, this time from the top of the key.
I couldn’t believe the shot making when I re-watched this quarter. Those last two three-pointers from Rudy Fernandez are unbelievable, and he was hitting those shots just to keep it around a 10-point deficit. Team USA threw some haymakers during this stretch, but Spain refused to go down.
2nd Quarter 1:56 - United States 63 Spain 54
Along with a couple of buckets inside by Felipe Reyes for Spain, both teams would convert on free throws to close the quarter (Bosh, Paul, Navarro), giving the United States an eight point lead at the break.
Halftime - United States 69 Spain 61
The offensive efficiency was off the charts in the first half, with both teams shooting over 60% from the field and 85% from the line, while attempting 41 total free throws and combining for 130 points. For context, the 2024-2025 NBA average for combined scoring in the first half was 114 points. And remember, FIBA quarters are 10-minutes compared to the 12-minute NBA quarters. Fast-paced indeed.
3rd Quarter
The third quarter can best be described as physical. Intense also comes to mind. Both teams seemed to up their level of physicality, even after all the first half free throws, and the officials seemed to loosen their whistles.
Clip A Description: 1) Pau Gasol executes a beautiful post-up on the left block - he faces the basket and rips the ball across his shins, eyeing cutters and taking two dribbles before passing it back out. Pau re-posts immediately, takes two more dribbles and spins back toward the baseline, swishing a lefty hook shot. 2) Carmelo is fouled as he tips home a free-throw miss by Dwight Howard. 3) Spain demonstrates excellent ball and player movement, ending with a floater from Juan Carlos Navarro - the U.S. lead is back down to four. The first quarter pace is also back with the United States running off Navarro’s make, but LeBron’s lay-up stays out. Ricky Rubio pushes it back the other way and drops a pass to a trailing Marc Gasol, but his lay-up spins out too. Dwight Howard slips a ball screen for a dunk to slow the action back down slightly. Navarro closes the back and forth sequence with one more floater in the lane.
3rd Quarter 6:04 - United States 75 Spain 71
Clip B Description: 1) The U.S. responds with the lead again down to four, getting a deflection and run-out for Carmelo. 2) Kobe erases an offensive rebound with an incredible block, but it goes right to Carlos Jimenez for the lay-up. 3) After Marc Gasol converts at the rim, LeBron wastes no time getting the outlet pass and scoring on the other end. 4) Here’s another sequence of maximum effort and physicality - multiple deflections, guys diving on the floor, steals, and blocks - ending with free throws for Spain.
3rd Quarter 3:43 - United States 81 Spain 76
Clip C Description: 1) Spain pushes it up off a missed free throw from Wade, but cannot convert on the break. The U.S. sprints back the other way - DWade drives baseline, executes a half spin back toward the middle causing the Spain defender to slip, before swishing a fade-away jumper. The move reminded me of a cross between Olajuwon’s “Dream Shake” and Jordan’s patented turnaround. 2) Pau Gasol takes one step up the lane, as Marc Gasol screens Pau’s defender. With Bosh screened, Pau cuts backdoor for the alley-oop slam. 3) With U.S. up by eight, Chris Paul uses a ball screen from Chris Bosh to penetrate the Spain zone and find Carmelo on the opposite wing for another three-pointer. 4) Spain has one more chance with 12.2 seconds on the clock. Juan Carlos Navarro brings it up, hesitates momentarily, and drives the lane before tossing in a left-handed scoop shot on the run as time expires.
End of the 3rd Quarter - United States 91 Spain 82
4th Quarter
The play in the final quarter was elite. Or, better yet, let’s call it golden. After the U.S. managed a seven-point margin to end the first, the two teams had played evenly over the next two quarters (United States 53 Spain 51), and the fourth quarter delivered moments worthy of the gold medal from both sides.
Clip A Description: 1) Spain goes to a horns set early in the fourth, and Rudy Fernandez finds Pau Gasol on the roll for a lob dunk. After a missed three from Carmelo, Ricky Rubio pushes the pace and throws a filthy cross-court spinning bounce pass in transition to Rudy on the left wing - his three-pointer rips the net, Spain’s bench erupts, Coach K calls timeout, and the U.S. lead is down to just two points.
4th Quarter 8:13 - United States 91 Spain 89
At the Hall of Fame induction, LeBron called Kobe Bryant the “missing link” Team USA needed to regain dominance. While every single guy made key plays, Kobe’s fingerprints are all over these final few clips. Here we go, eight minutes for the gold medal. Clip B Description: 1) Kobe asserted himself out of the timeout, forcing his way into the paint to knockdown a contested jumper. 2) Rudy Fernandez misses a three (finally), and Dwyane Wade tips the rebound to start the fast break. Kobe drives, draws the defense, and hits Deron Williams for three.
4th Quarter 7:24 - United States 96 Spain 89
Clip C Description: 1) The back and forth here is awesome. It begins with more deflections and physicality before the sequence ends with a two-hand dunk from Dwight Howard. Rudy Fernandez misses a three from the left corner, but immediately tees up another triple from the exact same spot after Spain keeps possession. His second attempt rips the net, only to see Kobe respond by drilling an open three from the left corner on the other end. Spain misses two chances inside and LeBron saves the loose ball while flying into the opposing bench. King James gets it back, drives baseline and also misses inside, but is able to grab his own miss and lay it back in. With the lead back to 11 points, the U.S. is now seemingly on the cusp of the gold medal - but, using a ball screen, Rudy Fernandez gets an angle on Dwight Howard and throws down a dunk as he’s fouled for a three-point play.
4th Quarter 5:10 - United States 103 Spain 95
Clip D Description: 1) Kobe shows off his defense, chasing Rudy around a hand-off from Pau Gasol, before immediately peeling off and going back to Pau, deflecting the lob from Fernandez. 2) The game’s physicality reaches its pinnacle as Marc Gasol shoves Chris Bosh to the floor without a whistle, leaving brother Pau open for a mid-range jumper. Spain has cut the deficit back down to five points (104-99) with 3:25 left to go. DWade gets into the lane and dishes it back out to Kobe on the left wing. Bryant’s right foot jab gives him enough space to hoist a three over Rudy Fernandez - it swishes through and Rudy gets him on the arm for a four-point play. It was Rudy’s fifth foul, disqualifying him in FIBA competition, and gave us the image of Kobe with his finger at his mouth to silence the Spain supporters. That had to be the final nail in the coffin, right? Of course not. Juan Carlos Navarro curls into the lane off a screen and hits a floater before Spain rushes it back it up after a disjointed possession from the United States. Carlos Jimenez finds himself open for three in the right corner, and he buries it. The U.S. leads 108-104 with 2:20 remaining, and now it’s LeBron in the lane finding DWade for a three-pointer. Any momentum from either team seems to get an immediate response from the other. I’d wake up at 2:45 am every day if I could watch a basketball game played at this level. 3) Juan Carlos Navarro is fouled on the floor with Spain in the bonus - he makes the first and misses the second, but Ricky Rubio is able to chase down the miss and knock it off Chris Paul to retain possession (the free throws and save are not shown in the clip). And what happens next is a great example of the thin line between winning and losing, the thin line between a one-possession game or having to foul at the end. Navarro finds Pau Gasol on the short roll off a ball screen - with the U.S. collapsing on Pau in the paint, he finds Jimenez open again for three. After making one moments ago to keep Spain alive, he can cut it to a three-point game. Instead, Dwyane Wade is able to get a late contest, the three by Jimenez hits the front rim, and LeBron James secures the rebound with two hands. Kobe catches on the right wing, takes one dribble into the lane and tries a one-hand floater - he also hits the front rim but his bounces in. The United Stats leads 113-105 as the clock approaches the one-minute mark. Juan Carlos Navarro misses a floater for once, Chris Paul secures the rebound, and Spain must foul a couple of times to get in the bonus. Chants of “USA, USA” come from the crowd, and Kobe pops his jersey in celebration while flashing his infectious smile.
Final Score - United States 118 Spain 107
Postgame
The U.S. won the fourth quarter 27-25, making it 80-76 over the final 30:00 - what a game. I can’t imagine playing as well as Spain, with that level of pace, execution, and shooting - and taking home the silver medal.3 It was a performance worthy of the gold, but so was Team USA’s. The United States was excellent, and needed every timely response to regain the top spot on the Olympic podium. Argentina, the 2004 gold medalists, took home the bronze with an 87-75 win over Lithuania.
Stats
Spain had six guys score in double-figures, led by Rudy Fernandez with 22 points including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc in just 18 minutes. Pau Gasol had 21 points and 6 rebounds, Juan Carlos Navarro added 18 points, and 17-year old Ricky Rubio posted 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Dwyane Wade scored 27 points off the bench for the United States, Kobe Bryant added 20 points and a game-high 6 assists, while LeBron James posted 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
Big Picture
Spain and the U.S. would meet for the Olympic gold medal again in 2012. The rematch in London was every bit as good as Beijing, with the United States coming out on top 107-100 (I watched that one with my dad). In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Mike Krzyzewski led Team USA to a third consecutive gold, becoming the only coach to lead the U.S. to three Olympic gold medals in men’s basketball.4 The United States finished 88-1 with Coach K at the helm from 2006-2016. During the Hall of Fame induction, Krzyzewski remarked “…and when our national anthem was played and our flag is being raised above all the others, it’s the best moment in my coaching career. I want to thank you guys for giving me that moment."
Here is the Hall of Fame induction:
Thanks for reading, Go USA!
Let’s be honest, I woke well before my alarm. I couldn’t wait to watch this game.
The United States boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
Another thing I’ve always found fascinating in Olympic basketball is that you earn the silver medal by losing your final game. Emotional conflict at it’s finest.
Coach Henry Iba should be on the list as well. Iba led the United States to gold medals in 1964 and 1968, and was also the coach in 1972. As mentioned earlier, the U.S. was robbed of the gold in the controversial finish against the Soviet Union, and that U.S. team has still never accepted their silver medals.
Additional Resources
Full Game - USA v Spain | Beijing 2008 Replay