LONDON — Flag bearer by morning, game changer by evening. Monday belonged to LeBron James.
For the second time in as many games, James put Team USA on his back in a hard-fought Olympic exhibition contest, this time propelling the Americans to a 92-88 win over Germany. James — who will carry the American flag for the United States delegation during the Paris Games’ Opening Ceremony on Friday — scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the final 3:57 of the fourth quarter in a game the Americans trailed when the period started.
With the Germans, who won the 2023 FIBA World Cup and looked Monday like they could be the biggest threat to the Americans at the Olympics, charging late, James drained an open 3 with 1:26 left to put the U.S. up 90-86. He added a layup for good measure on the next possession.
James learned Monday morning he would be one of two flag bearers for the entire USA Olympic delegation at the Opening Ceremony along the River Seine. He will be the first U.S. men’s basketball player to ever carry the stars and stripes.
Ball game.
🇺🇸 #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/gH1QQ8aLeH
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 22, 2024
Joel Embiid continues to look better with each outing and contributed 15 points and eight rebounds. He looked quicker and played more fluidly at both ends, showing off incredible athleticism with a block on a would-be dunk attempt in the second quarter. Steph Curry added 13 points but was 1 of 7 on 3s. Anthony Edwards added 11 points off the bench.
Franz Wagner, one of four NBA players on Germany’s roster, led them with 18 points. Andreas Obst, who burned the Americans in the World Cup semifinal last year, nearly did it again with 14 points and four more 3s. Dennis Schroder scored 13 points but shot 3 of 15. Daniel Theis added 13 points and Mo Wagner contributed 12 points and seven boards off the bench.
The World Cup championship was no fluke for Germany, regardless of who the U.S. had in uniform.
Kevin Durant (calf strain) was out again. He did not play in any of Team USA’s five preseason games and is considered day to day, a team source said.
The next game counts. Team USA opens Olympic play Sunday against Serbia in Lille, France, at 11:15 a.m. ET.
James scored 25 points and took the game over late in another narrow win over South Sudan on Saturday. He shot 6 of 11 with six rebounds and four assists against Germany.
For the third time in five games, Steve Kerr started with James, Curry, Embiid, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday, who contributed 10 points. Kerr also used Derrick White exclusively as the backup point guard, bumping Tyrese Haliburton out of the rotation.
Required reading
(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)
