How Tatum helped Team USA earn Olympic semifinal win vs. Australia originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jayson Tatum has guaranteed himself a medal at his first Olympic Games.
The United States men's basketball team rallied after a slow start to blow past Australia 97-78 in Thursday morning's semifinal and advance to the gold medal game at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
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Kevin Durant led all scorers with 23 points, as Team USA went on a massive 48-14 run starting midway through the second quarter that had erased a 15-point deficit by the third quarter.
Tatum played a key role in that run, hitting three 3-pointers to finish with nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. The Boston Celtics star also added three rebounds, two assists, one steal and a pair of blocks while finishing as a plus-10.
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Patty Mills, who was on the Celtics' radar as a free agent but is joining the Brooklyn Nets, dropped 15 points for Australia while aiding the Boomers' hot start. But Team USA held a commanding 19-point lead by the end of the third quarter and never looked back.
The Americans will face the winner of Thursday's France vs. Slovenia semifinal matchup in the gold medal game Saturday as they aim to win their fourth consecutive Olympic gold.
Check out more highlights from Team USA's win over Australia on NBC Sports' YouTube channel.