LeBron has been doing whatever it takes to ensure Team USA's dominance and he was deep in his bag this weekend. After hitting the game-winner over South Sudan on Saturday, he admitted that he preferred to be tested on the court over a blowout by 30, 40, or 50 points.
"Imma be honest, I like those ones better than the blowouts," said James on his way to the locker room. At least we get tested. I like getting tested baby. I like being tested... those are the best ones!"
Team USA was favored by 43.5 points on Saturday but after entering the second half with a double-digit deficit, the danger of an upset was at an all-time high for James and the crew. Fortunately, LeBron stepped up as the hero of the night to drop a team-high 23 points, including the game-winning layup.
LeBron, at 39, has been the star of the show for Team USA this year. As the most seasoned and accomplished player on the team, he was already coming in as the de facto leader. But between his performance tonight and his USA teammates declaring him the best player on the team , it seems King James is still living up to his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
This is the type of stuff he's been doing for over 20 years now and he was doing it for the Lakers last season with averages of 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54% shooting. Somehow, even on a team of the best players in the world (several of which are over 10 years younger), James is still the one who has to lead them to victory and he's the guy they turn to when the game is on the line.
Fortunately, LeBron delivered the game-winning play and it's a testament to his sheer brilliance and fearlessness on the court.
Of course, it was hardly the performance that Team USA was expecting. For a team stacked to the brim with NBA superstars, they expected to roll South Sudan and get through the exhibition stage without any hiccups. While they did manage to win, it was only by a single point and it suggests that this group still has some work to do before they reach their full potential on the court.
With so much fuss being made recently about the decline of USA basketball, a loss today would have caused some panic among Americans -- but with the US still undefeated so far, their image as the best in the world can stay intact.
With the exhibition games out of the way, Team USA will have the next eight days to prepare for the actual tournament, which begins with a game against Serbia on the 28th. While Nikola Jokic could pose a major threat to the USA's frontcourt, the inclusion of Joel Embiid should help to give them an answer to his skillset as a post scorer, passer, and playmaker.
Of course, With LeBron James , Team USA has the ultimate weapon and it seems that even now, after 21 years, nobody can guard the man when he's truly feeling it. Today was just another example of how incredible his game is and how he always knows how to make the right play under any circumstances.
Related: Stephen Curry On Playing Alongside LeBron James And A Stacked Team USA: "It's A Lot Of Fun"
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