United States's Jrue Holiday (12), right, knocks the ball away from Australia's Patty Mills (5), front, during men's basketball semifinal game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — The U.S. has owned gold for three straight Olympics, making the middle of the medals platform property of the Americans.

The Australians tried everything they could to shove them off.

“They hit us with a nice punch,” Kevin Durant said after their men’s Olympic semifinals matchup. “We knew that team was going to get us down early and see how we’d respond.”

The response was not what Australia had hoped.

Durant scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 20 and the U.S. blew past and eventually blew away the Aussies 97-78 on Thursday after falling into a 15-point hole.

With their gold-medal streak looking in jeopardy midway through the second quarter, the Americans overwhelmed the Australians with a 48-14 stretch that gave them a 74-55 lead after three periods.

The U.S. missed its first 10 3-point attempts and didn’t hit one until late in the second quarter. Then it felt as if the Americans hardly missed again, with Booker making three 3-pointers.

Patty Mills scored 15 points for Australia, which still needs a win for its first Olympic basketball medal.

Jrue Holiday had 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the U.S., which will play France for a fourth straight gold medal.

The French beat the Americans 83-76 in their Olympic opener.

No nation has ever defeated the U.S. men twice in the same Olympics. The only nation to do it twice, ever, was the Soviet Union. The game will be aired live on NBC at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time today.