Sam Harris, BBC Sport
Despite winning both exhibition games in London, Team USA have work to do.
World champions Germany made a statement by forcing the US into unnecessary turnovers, regaining possession and punishing them for it.
This lack of focus will undoubtedly frustrate the coaches, despite some defensive improvements in other coverages seen from the game against South Sudan.
But does any of that matter if you have LeBron James on your team?
He’ll be carrying the US flag on Friday, but against Germany he carried the entire team when needed.
At 39, James lit up the O2 Arena, igniting the crowd with an opening dunk that set the tone for the night.
Down the stretch, as he did against South Sudan, James took over.
Team USA’s final 11 points were all courtesy of the four-time gold medallist, who ended the night with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Powering past German defenders to score in the paint and showcasing his finesse with a three-pointer as the clock hit two minutes, the British crowd erupted in applause for ‘the King.’
James has aged like the finest of wines, growing even more valuable with time.
Source Agencies
