Pau Gasol leads Spain over China

Spain 97, China 81: Pau Gasol had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Spain to victory over China Sunday in the Olympic men's basketball opener for both teams. Spain got off to a slow start and held just a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter 19-17. However, they went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter to give themselves a cushion and were never seriously challenged the rest of the game.

Spain was silver medalist at the Beijing Games four years ago and is the two-time European champion. They are expected to challenge for a gold medal here with their imposing front line of the 7-foot Gasol (Los Angeles Lakers), his 7-1 brother Marc (Memphis Grizzlies) and 6-10 Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) -- who finished with 17 points.

Yi Jianlian of the Washington Wizards had a double-double for China, scoring a game-high 30 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. But China had no answer to the depth of Spain, which had four players score in double digits -- Juan Carlos Navarro had scored 14 points and Jose Calderon (Toronto Raptors) added 12.

Russia 95, Britain 75: Andrei Kirilenko, heading back to the NBA, scored 35 points to help Russia spoil Britain's return to Olympic men's basketball. Kirilenko, who played last season in Russia after spending 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Alexey Shved, also Minnesota bound, added 16 points and 13 assists for the Russians, who wore down the hosts with their physical defensive pressure. Luol Deng scored 26 for Britain, making its first appearance in the field since hosting the Olympics in 1948.

Argentina 102, Lithuania 79: Luis Scola scored 32 points, Manu Ginobili flirted with a triple-double to help Argentina get started on its quest for a third straight Olympic men's basketball medal. Carlos Delfino finished with 20 points for the Argentines.

Brazil 75, Australia 71: Leandro Barbosa scored 16 points and Brazil held on. Brazil had a one-point lead at halftime, but opened the third quarter with a 10-2 run and extend its lead to 11. The Spurs' Patty Mills finished with a game-high 20 points for Australia. -- AP