Players of the US attends the awarding ceremony of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games men's basketball event at Olympic Basketball Gymnasium in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. The US beat Spain 118-107 and won the gold medal of the event.(Xinhua Photo)

The United States lived up to the expectation to put them back on the top of the world when they edged off world champions Spain 118-107 in the final of the men's basketball competitions at the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

Kobe Bryant, the most valuable Player of the National Basketball Association, played a key role as he scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter when the whole world witnessed the redemption of the US basketball.

After finishing with a bronze at the 2004 Athens Games and failure of twice attempts at the world championships in 2002 and 2006, the US averaged 27.9-point winning margin to keep an unbeaten run of 8-0.