MADRID — Kevin Durant scored
25 points and made two crucial late blocks to help the United States
beat Spain 86-85 on Sunday in a warmup game for the world championship.
Durant blocked shots by Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernandez after Derrick Rose put the Americans ahead with two free throws.
The United States rallied after
Spain — 13 points behind after three quarters — took a one-point lead on
Juan Carlos Navarro's three-point play with 27 seconds left.
Navarro scored 20 points in the
first game between the teams since the Americans won the 2008 Olympic
final. It was the first loss in nine games for Spain, the defending
world champion. The world championship begin Saturday in Turkey.