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RIO DE JANEIRO -- No gold, no glory.Thats the way it is for the U.S. mens basketball team. The Americans, the standard in the sport since winning their first 63 games after it debuted 80 years ago in the Olympics, are either winners or failures.There is no celebrating silver.When they say adeus to Rio, it can be with only one thing around their necks to deem the games a success.Thats what we came here for and we dont want to leave with anything less than the gold medal, forward Carmelo Anthony said.Anthony and the Americans will be playing for their third in a row Sunday when they face Serbia, a team of heroes back home no matter what the scoreboard says after 40 minutes.They have restored the pride of a basketball-crazed country, already secured their first medal since becoming an independent nation in 2006. And as they whooped it up following their 87-61 semifinal rout of Australia on Friday, it was easy to think the Serbs work was already finished.Their coach wont let them.I know just two ways, Sasha Djordjevic said during his postgame press conference. You just play basketball or you just play basketball to win. You guys dont know me, but my answer is B.Yet the Serbs delivered a happy-to-be-here performance last time they had a crack at the mighty Americans for a championship.They teams met in 2014 in Madrid in the Basketball World Cup final and the Americans romped to a 129-92 victory, finishing a tournament where they won by 33 points per game.Two years ago in Spain we get into the game not mentally ready, Serbia captain Milos Teodosic said. We were too much happy that we reached the final and we had that experience and we cannot allow that to repeat.The U.S. isnt expecting it.These Olympics have been way too tough to believe they will end easily. This U.S. team, less talented and experienced then the last two gold medalists, has already had four games decided by 10 points or less, including its 82-76 victory over Spain in the semifinals.The close calls didnt play well back home, where winning big in basketball is the American way. But they were just what this team needed to get ready for its golden opportunity.Its made this journey a little sweeter now that were in the gold-medal game, star forward Kevin Durant said. Now we hit our stride against Argentina and then we came back defensively against Spain and played a good game. We need one more game to keep it up and well be fine.Djordjevic played for Yugoslavia back when Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoc and teammates were a basketball power, too big, strong and savvy for the college players the Americans were sending. Yugoslavia beat the U.S. -- coached by Mike Krzyzewski -- in the semifinals of the 1990 world basketball championship, the last major tournament for the Americans before NBA players arrived with the Dream Team in 1992.That ushered in an era of American dominance that seemed to be returning. The Americans rolled into Rio de Janeiro unbeaten in 10 years, such an overwhelming favorite that Djordjevic predicted early in the tournament that it would be a long way to go before somebody beat the Americans.Then his team nearly did it last week.The Serbs provided the toughest in a string of tough games for the Americans, the U.S. winning 94-91 when Bogdan Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.Serbia came within a whisker of beating us in our pool play, so we absolutely respect them, Krzyzewski said. We know how good they are.Krzyzewski will be coaching his final game for the U.S., set to be replaced by Gregg Popovich after Rio. He can break a tie with Henry Iba, who led the Americans to two gold medals but was their coach in 1972 when they lost to the Soviet Union in the gold-medal game.Coach K has led the Americans back to the top.They need one more win so he can leave with them there.When the stakes are the highest is when we all play the best and there wont be any higher than on Sunday, guard Klay Thompson said. Expect a great effort from all of us.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BriancmahoneyChina Jerseys Wholesale . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Cheap Jerseys From China . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Fake China Jerseys . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. China Jerseys Cheap . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat.HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans dealt with a fans hand-held laser pointed at quarterback Brock Osweilers eyes, questionable placement of the ball on two key plays and a would-be touchdown that was whistled dead in a loss to Oakland on Monday night.Sure, the Texans were unhappy with all of those things, but a day later they know that dwelling on what happened in Mexico City wont do them any good this week. The message for the Texans was clear on Tuesday: Its time to move on.They really have no other choice but to put the 27-20 defeat behind them with the San Diego Chargers heading to town in six days and Houston needing a win to remain in control of the AFC South. Houston (6-4) remains atop their division, but the loss put them within one game of the second-place Colts.The feeling in that locker room after that game is theres a lot of football left and we have a lot to build on from that game, coach Bill OBrien said. Being in first place is a good thing. The other teams in the division are playing pretty decent. So weve got to understand what is coming down the road here, but the first thing is San Diego, getting a good start on them on Wednesday.OBrien didnt want to discuss any of the calls from Monday night on Tuesday, but he did address the laser pointer after learning more about what happened since his postgame news conference. He said that running back Lamar Miller had it pointed in his face along with Osweiler.It doesnt even enter your mind that someone would bring a laser into a game and point it at one of your players ... I think thats terrible, OBrien said. I dont know what you can do about it.While dealing with the laser pointer and the questionable calls by the referees certainly werent ideal for the Texans, they cant blame the loss entirely on those things. Their defense played great for three quarters before a 75-yard touchdown reception by Jamize Olawale tied things up and Amari Cooper took a screen pass 35 yards for the winning touchdown.Houstons pass defense entered the game ranked third in the NFL and the Texans had a rush defense that was among the worst in the league. On Monday night, the Texans allowed just 30 yards rushing, but were hurt by the receiving of the Oaklands running backs, who combined for 199 yards receiving.ddddddddddddhere were some missed tackles. Give them credit, OBrien said. But on a positive note, we held them to 30 yards rushing. So in the last three games weve done a good job against the run, but last night their running backs did a good job about us in the passing game. No doubt about it.A positive to come out of Monday nights game was the continued strong play of defensive end Jadeveon Clowney , the top overall pick in the 2014 draft. Clowney, who was slowed by injuries in his first two seasons, had five tackles, including two for losses, to give him 12 tackles for losses this season.He was very disruptive in the game even when he didnt make a play, OBrien said. Hes having a good year for us and the key for him, like all of our players at this time of the year, is staying healthy. But I thought he really impacted the game last.Osweiler , who has been inconsistent in his first season in Houston, wasnt great on Monday, but OBrien believes that he is making progress. He threw for 243 yards on Monday after managing just 99 yards passing last week in a win over Jacksonville.I think he played one of his better games and I think if he can continue to keep getting more comfortable, better and better with our offense youre going to see improvement every week, OBrien said.Game notesOBrien was asked about a story J.J. Watt wrote published by the Players Tribune on Tuesday where he discussed his health and disclosed that he had a staph infection last season. Watt is out for the season after back surgery. J.J. is working very hard to be back here in 2017, OBrien said. I dont think hell be back here this year, although technically you could bring him back in January, but were not going to do that. Hell be back in 2017. Hes in the building today, in good spirits and working to be better than ever in 2017.As far of the list of injuries ... thats probably a better question to ask him.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '