RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil– Kevin Durant is the most gifted offensive player on Team USA’s Olympic basketball team.

But there has been times during the early stages of this tournament when he looked like a missing superstar who was holding his scoring ego in check.

The Golden State Warriors’ versatile 6-10 All Star forward only took a combined 10 shots in the United State’s closer than expected pool round victories over Serbia and France. But now that Team USA has entered the medal round, he has resurfaced in a dramatic way, scoring 27 points as the United States rushed to a 105-78 victory over aging Argentina in the quarterfinals of the men’s tournament Wednesday night at the Carioca Arena I in the Olympic Park. Durant shot 9-for-13, making 7 of 9 threes and contributing seven rebounds and six assists as Team USA advanced to a semifinal match up against dangerous Spain Friday. Serbia will play Australia in the other semi-final.

“I just didn’t care about the outcome of the game,” Durant claimed. “I was telling myself before I left my room today that I’m at my best when I don’t care if we win or lose. It might be different for other players but for me, I’m more free and more aggressive in games and more fun for me if I don’t care about the outcome. I know if I go out there and be who I am, the outcome will dictate itself. I just tried to play and be free out there and not worry about anything and tonight Coach put me in great positions all night and my teammates were supporting me and I just tried to be aggressive for them and play my game.”

Durant has been a dominant force for Team USA ever since he was selected the Outstanding Player in the 2010 World Championships in Istanbul. Durant led Team USA in scoring during the 2012 Olympics in London, but he had help. With all the defections from the national team this spring, this is supposed his team.

He needs to take ownership. Now.

Durant gave us a taste of what he is capable of against Argentina, scoring 13 of his points in the first quarter when the Americans, who were criticized for uninspired, uneven performances in pool play, rediscovered their rhythm, rallying from an early 19-9 deficit to take a commanding 56-40 lead at half and re-affirm their status as gold medal favorites. In the process, they silenced the flag waving, pro Argentine crowd, who eventually turned their attention to a group of taunting Brazilian fans, who reveled in the misery of their chief South American soccer rival.

“The only thing that we changed was our passion and our energy,” Durant said. “We were all one unit tonight and we need that going forward. We always felt we had another level to go to especially after the last three games in the pool play. I think one of the reasons we came out and played with such energy is because all we worried about was today, which was a Game 7 for us. We couldn’t get to the semifinals unless we took care of today.”

The sense of urgency showed in the way the Americans played defense for prolonged stretches, using constant ball pressure to force Argentina into an ugly shooting night, limiting them to 8-for-32 from the three and turning 16 turnovers into 22 points. The second unit was particularly effective, especially point guard Kyle Lowry, guard Jimmy Butler, center DeMarcus Cousins and forward Paul George, who finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots in just 20 minutes. .

“We got our swagger back, offensively and defensively,” George told reporters in the mix zone after the United States ran its Olympic winning streak to 23 games.

It’s amazing what one day in the gym can do. Since the Americans arrived here, they have held limited practices and it showed when they were out shot and at times outplayed by Australia, Serbia and France. This time, Team USA took its game to another level with a 15-2 run to end the first quarter, then continued to roll in the second with an 11-0 burst.

“I wouldn’t call it relief, I just think we are evolving,” said U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, who got personally involved in the teaching during Tuesday’s much needed and overdue practice. “The last three games in the pool play were very beneficial to us because we played three outstanding teams. They showed some weaknesses that we have and we tried to get better and the only way you get better is by playing these tough games.”

“I don’t want to say the team was different, I just think the magnitude of what was at stake was a lot higher,” U.S. point guard Kyrie Irving said. “We understood that, and we understand that we have to play our best games now. The past is the past. Our moment right now is the only thing that matters, and we took care of that tonight.”

This has been a surprisingly wide open tournament and the Americans are not in position to hold anything back against Spain, which has been a revelation in the past three games after getting off to a slow start. The Spanish blew away rival France– the same team that pushed the Americans during a three point loss in pool play– 92-67 in their quarterfinal.

Spain, which won the 2006 FIBA World Cup and the European championship in 2009, 2011 and 2015, has never won gold at the Olympics.
They fell to the United States in the championship game of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

“I haven’t watched them on tape yet,” Krzyzewski admitted. “We know who they are.”

As for Argentina, this was the final curtain call for two of the last remaining stars from Argentina’s golden generation, which dominated South American basketball for close to two decades and won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Manu Ginobili, a 39-year old All Star wing guard with the San Antonio Spurs; and 37-year old forward Andres Nocioni both announced their retirement after the game. Ginobili finished with 14 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds. Nicioni had 12 points and 5 rebounds..

“This is my 20th year since my first game with the national team,” Ginobili told FIBA.com. “I’m very proud. And at the same time, I’m happy – sad and happy because having the opportunity to play this game at 39, it’s not something that happens often. How many athletes are my age, especially basketball players? I’m so incredibly lucky to have stayed healthy, to have played with some of the same guys for so long and having done so well with my team – it’s been an amazing run. I’m very proud of it.”

Nocioni waved good bye after a strong tournament. He had a career-high 37 points in the team’s 111-107 double-overtime triumph over Brazil in Olympic pool play.

“Today is a dream come true,” Nicioni said. “I come from a small town, to be here, next to these giants is unthinkable. I hope the next generation looks up and believes they can dream. We dreamed that we could beat the best teams in the world, and we did.”