Team USA basketball star LeBron James assured American fans after taking an elbow to the face in the third quarter against Brazil that all is well for the four-time NBA MVP .
“I’m ok. I just got hit with an inadvertent elbow,” James said , per ESPN reporter Marc J. Spears. James headed to the locker room following the accident and received four stitches just above his left eye, according to US head coach Steve Kerr.
James would return to the bench in the fourth quarter but wouldn't play. The Americans wouldn't need him: they easily dispatched Brazil in their quarterfinal showdown 122-87. Prior to the elbow, James was cruising. The 39-year-old scored 12 points in 17 minutes, going 5-9 from the field and chipping in with a further nine assists.
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James, playing in his fourth Olympics , is certainly making his case for being Team USA's best player at the tournament. He's averaging 13.8 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.8 rebounds.
The top American scorer on the day was Devin Booker , who contributed 18 points in 15 minutes after being moved to the starting lineup. The Phoenix Suns guard is the team's fourth leading scorer and is shooting a scalding 62 percent from three.
When James returned to the bench, he was greeted by what he thought was a flurry of applause. Never one to shy from flattery, the Lakers forward saluted the French crowd.
However, the cheers were not for anyone on the court. Fans were applauding Leon Marchard, the French swimmer who has already captured five gold medals at the Paris Olympics .
James and the Americans are a perfect 4-0 at the Olympics. They have defeated each of their opponents by 17 or more points, though Puerto Rico led Team USA by seven points in the second quarter during the preliminary round.
Next up is a rematch with reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Serbians. When the two teams met back in the preliminary round, Jokic was held to 20 points as the Americans prevailed 110-84.
Jokic led his Serbian squad to a narrow 95-90 overtime victory over Australia in their quarterfinal, falling an assist shy of a triple-double to help fend off 26 points from Patty Mills.
The Americans will face the Serbians in the semifinals on Thursday. The winners will face the victors of the other semifinal, France vs. Germany, in the final on Saturday.
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