MORALE BOOSTER

Team USA swingman Andre Iguodala
tries to out maneuver Spain defender
Rudy Fernandez.

Kevin Durant excelled on both ends as Team USA scored a thrilling 86-85 exhibition win over the 2009 Euro Champions Spain in La Caja Magica in Madrid. Durant, who scored 25 points, rejected the game winning attempts of Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernandez in the dying seconds to preserve the hard-earned victory. USA Basketball team director Jerry Colangelo said the win was a big morale and confidence booster for the Americans as they look forward of winning it all in the FIBA World Championships in Turkey set to start this coming Saturday, according to ESPN. With back-to-back victories over Lithuania and Spain in tune-up games, Team USA is slowly but surely starting to jell as a unit.  

“I think we led for all but about 10 seconds. There was a little adversity, some interesting calls, but we got by all that. To beat a very good team like Spain on their home court is a great confidence builder, and you have to keep that in perspective. But a lot of things were positive today -- the energy, the athleticism, the veterans were leaders, and Durant was Durant, the guy we've been waiting to see.”