Top 5 biggest Team USA victories in the Olympics history (2024)

Team USA aims to make a statement at the 2024 Paris Olympics after finishing fourth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

"When we go out there, I just want to really make a statement about how dominant our players are," Team USA star Kevin Durant said in an interview with Boardroom Cover Story. "Like 40, 50-point wins. I want to do that."

Can they achieve this in Paris 2024?

What's their track record for the biggest victories in Olympic history since the NBA players were allowed to play?

BasketNews compiled the top 5 biggest wins by Team USA in the Olympics and tracked the average margin of their victories in each Olympic tournament.

83 points vs. Nigeria (2012)

Team USA shattered records when they beat Nigeria 156-73 at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This 83-point victory surpassed their previous record, a 72-point win against Thailand in the 1956 Olympics.

Carmelo Anthony scored a team-high 37 points, making 10 of 12 three-pointers in just 14 minutes and 29 seconds, setting the single-game scoring record for Team USA in the Olympics. The team finished 29 of 46 from three and 59 of 83 from the field (71.1% FG).

Team USA went on to win the gold medal with an average victory margin of 32.1 points over eight games. Despite close wins against Lithuania and Spain (in the gold medal game), their dominant performance against Nigeria contributed to one of the most commanding Olympic runs in Team USA history.

Nine years later, Nigeria got their revenge by causing a huge upset and defeating Team USA 90-87 in an exhibition game.

68 points vs. Angola (1992)

"I don't know anything about Angola, but Angola is in trouble," quipped Charles Barkley before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics opener for the Team USA Dream Team.

Angola's head coach, Victorino Cunha, aimed to stay within 45 points, and the 7-7 start looked promising. However, Team USA went on a 46-1 run with 31 unanswered points, crushing Angola 116-48.

The run could have been 46-0, but Angola's single point came after Barkley elbowed Herlander Coimbra and received an unsportsmanlike foul. This incident sparked controversy, impacting the image of Team USA basketball.

Despite the tension, Coimbra approached Barkley for a photo after the game. Barkley finished with a team-high 24 points on 10 of 13 shooting, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, leading Team USA in scoring at the 1992 Olympics with 18 points per game.

Team USA could have won by an even larger margin if not for their 3-point shooting, as they were only 2 of 9 in the game. In contrast, Angola attempted 38 threes, making 9. Most of Team USA's points came from the 2-point area (41/57, 71.9%) and the free throw line (28/39, 71.8%).

At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Team USA averaged 117.2 points per game and defeated their opponents by an average margin of 43.8 points. Croatia came the closest, losing by 32 points in the gold medal game and 33 points in the group stage.

63 points vs. China (1996)

In 1996, Team USA achieved two victories over China, with margins exceeding 60 points. They first defeated China by 61 points in an exhibition game, followed by a 63-point win in the Olympic Games group stage in Atlanta.

Scottie Pippen led the team with 24 points, while Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal each recorded double-doubles—Hardaway with 15 points and 10 assists, and O'Neal with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Team USA forced China into 33 turnovers, made 21 steals, and dished out 41 assists, shooting 64.2% from the field (52 of 81) and 50% from three (12 of 24).

Despite winning, the American fans were initially unimpressed with their performances. They led Argentina by only two points at halftime and were tied with Lithuania late in the first half.

During the game against China, Charles Barkley, who was rested by coach Lenny Wilkens, entertained the Olympic-record sellout crowd of 34,417 by dancing to "YMCA." The crowd chanted, "We Want Barkley!" as they watched him sit at the end of the bench chewing gum and blowing bubbles.

China has historically struggled against Team USA. In their four matchups, NBA players have won by an average margin of 49.5 points.

In the 1996 Olympics, Team USA's average victory margin was 31.8 points, placing them among the top three Olympic performances since NBA players were allowed to participate.

57 points vs. China (2016)

Team USA aimed to send a strong message at the 2016 Rio Olympics opener by blowing out China 119-62, a 57-point victory.

This was the third USA vs. China matchup that summer, with China losing the previous two games by 49 and 50 points.

Kevin Durant, who had just joined the Golden State Warriors, scored 25 points in 22 minutes, shooting 10 of 14 from the field.

Team USA then defeated Venezuela by 44 points in their second group-stage game. However, they faced tougher competition later, winning by only 3 points against Serbia and France and by 6 points against Spain.

54 points vs. Iran (2020)

The top 5 biggest Team USA victories were rounded by their recent performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where they secured a 54-point victory against Iran, 120-66.

Despite appearing as a typical dominant win for Team USA, this game carried significant narratives.

Following a loss in their Olympic opener against France, the team held a crucial conversation and responded with a performance reminiscent of the Dream Team era, executing fast breaks and shooting three-pointers with confidence.

Damian Lillard led the team with 21 points, shooting 7 of 13 from beyond the arc.

Overall, Team USA made 19 of 39 three-point attempts, achieving an impressive 48.7% shooting rate from deep.

Notable interactions marked the game. Following the game, two Iranian players posed for a photo with the Team USA players Damian Lillard and Devin Booker.

Despite political tensions between their respective countries, the basketball game fostered a peaceful, sports-centric atmosphere.

"I think people from different countries get along better than their governments. People appreciate each other, no matter what country you are talking about. I really believe that. And this is a time where sport transcends all that petty crap you get from governments," Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich responded after the game.

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