USA get past Germany as LeBron plays closer

The USA Showcase wrapped up for the USA Men’s National Team with a 92-88 win over FIBA Basketball World Cup champions Germany on Tuesday night at the O2 Arena.

In front of an O2 arena basketball record crowd of 19,177 – potentially the largest basketball crowd the UK has ever seen – the game went back and forth throughout with USA and Germany tied four times and trading the lead three times in the fourth never leading by more than 5.

The U.S. took its final lead on a James dunk with 3:57 left to play as he put together another stellar performance and came up in the clutch once again. James finished with a game-high 20 points (8-11 FG, 2-2 3FG, 2-4 FT) accompanied with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 19 minutes.

He carried the USA over Germany with the team’s final 11 points.

Six US players reached double digits, while Franz Wagner led Germany with 18 points, while Andreas Obst added 17, including five 3-pointers.

Joel Embiid had 15 points and five assists, Anthony Edwards 11 points, Jrue Holiday 10 points, six rebounds and four assists and Anthony Davis 10 points and seven rebounds for the U.S.

Monday’s win not only avenged a 113-111 loss in the World Cup semifinals, but concluded a two-game bookend sweep of last summer’s losses after opening the USA Basketball Showcase with an 86-72 victory over seventh-ranked Canada, which denied the U.S. a medal in that same World Cup with a 127-118 overtime decision.

The USA, who finished with a 5-0 exhibition record, now move to France for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Box score.

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