LeBron James orchestrated a dramatic fourth-quarter surge that propelled Team USA past Germany in their final exhibition before the 2024 Olympics.
With Friday’s flag-bearing honor on the horizon, LeBron first led the charge for the U.S. men’s basketball squad once again.
In a gripping showdown in London on Monday night, James poured in the game’s last 11 points, clinching a hard-fought 92-88 victory over reigning World Cup champions Germany. This victory served as a crucial tune-up ahead of the Paris Games later this week. Earlier in the day, he had been named the U.S. male flagbearer for the upcoming opening ceremony along the Seine, with the female counterpart set to be revealed on Tuesday. His heroics mirrored those from the weekend, where his last-second layup secured a 101-100 triumph against South Sudan.
James led all scorers with 20 points, while Joel Embiid contributed 15, Stephen Curry added 13, and Anthony Edwards chipped in 11.
“It was a real test for us, and I’m proud that we were able to maintain our poise and persevere, much like we did against South Sudan,” remarked James. “This win means a lot to us.”
Franz Wagner paced Germany with 18 points, followed by Andreas Obst, pivotal in Germany’s World Cup semifinal win over the U.S. last year, who tallied 14 points. Dennis Schroder contributed 13 points and 10 assists, with Daniel Theis and Moritz Wagner adding 13 and 12 points, respectively.
While the U.S. finished their exhibition slate unbeaten at 5-0, only one game proved straightforward, against Serbia, who they’ll meet in their Olympic opener on Sunday.
Canada and Australia posed challenges, South Sudan nearly caused a monumental upset as 43.5-point underdogs, and Germany even held a lead over the U.S. with just four minutes remaining on Monday.
But in those final moments, it was LeBron’s time to shine, outscoring Germany 11-6 single-handedly in the last 3:57 of play.
Now, all sights are set on Paris, where the true test begins this weekend.
“We’ve encountered every scenario possible,” Curry reflected. “Now it’s about stepping up when the lights shine brightest next week. We’re prepared. Now it’s time to execute.”
