PORTLAND (Olympics) - Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan were on the bench and celebrating with everyone else in the USA Basketball set-up at the Beijing Games when the Americans beat Spain in a thrilling Final to capture the gold medal.

The two are still assistants to head coach Mike Krzyzewski and that means a return trip for both to the Olympics when the Games are staged in London this summer.

The Team USA assistant coaches have had a very difficult week, however, and are now no longer at the helm of NBA teams.

D'Antoni stepped down from his position as coach of the New York Knicks on Wednesday while on Thursday, Portland decided to fire McMillan.

The Knicks got a shot in the arm from Jeremy Lin and went on a winning streak but the team has been losing games lately, and that’s with Carmelo Anthony having returned from injury, so D'Antoni decided it was time to go.

Portland, who are 20-23 and in 12th place in the West, were the ones to decide that McMillan's time in charge had run its course.

Among those saddened by McMillan's departure was USA Olympic hopeful LaMarcus Aldridge.

"Hard to see coach Nate go," he tweeted.

"He was my coach since day one and I've grown a lot under his coaching."

Nicolas Batum, who will play for France at the Olympics, also offered kind words in a tweet.

"Want to thank coach Nate, my first NBA coach and the one who gave me my chance at 19. Wish him all the best," he said.

Paul Allen, who owns the Blazers, also went on Twitter.

"Some tough trades today & letting Nate go but had to face reality of how the season was going," Allen said.

"Now (the Blazers are) focusing on future."

Among the players to go for Portland was Greg Oden, a player who has been injured for most of his career and hasn't been able to justify his lofty status as the first overall pick in the 2007 draft.

Portland could have selected Kevin Durant but instead opted for Oden, and it's a decision they no doubt regret with Durant having blossomed into one of the best players in the league.

Jim Boeheim, another USA assistant, almost saw his Thursday end in disappointment as well in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament but his top-seeded Syracuse Orangemen won a thrilling opening round game against 16th seed UNC-Asheville.

Duke coach Krzyzewski will lead the second-seeded Blue Devils on Friday when they go up against 15th seed Lehigh in Greensboro, North Carolina, in the South Regional.

FIBA