USA 92 - 88 Germany summary scores, stats and highlights | USA Basketball Showcase
With the game on the line, we know who the ball is going to. LeBron James had 20, 6 and 4 assists in the win over Germany to finish the tour a perfect five of five. They may have been undefeated but this tour won't go unquestioned. They struggled in games against Australia, South Sudan and Germany and could have easily lost either or both of the last two games. They head into the Olympics as favorites, but less so than at the start of the month.
Schroder would not let this team go down without a fight. He came up with this block on Curry and the lob on the other end. He was genius, but even his genius and Germany's three point shooting weren't enough to contend with LeBron.
We saw it against South Sudan from LeBron James and we saw it again today from London. He was dominated down the stretch and took over the game at 39 years old. There is no question he is still the best player on the court at any given time, in any competition, in any country.
When all of the focus is on LeBron, that's when one of the other future Hall of Famers steps up and makes a big play. This time is was a four time champion and Finals MVP Steph Curry taking Germany off the dribble and the foul.
Shroder is a good player in the NBA but when he puts this jersey on his is a magician. He was the MVP of the World Cup and showed us he is ready to lead this team to fight for a gold in the Olympics.
Even with the Big Three of Embiid, Davis and Adebayo, the German big men weren't intimidated and they attacked the rim like Daniel Theis on this put back.
Germany would not back down. They had an answer to everything that LeBron was doing and they hung tight until the end. Franz Wagner had 18, Andreas Obst had 17 and Dennis Schroder had 12 and 10 assists in the narrow defeat.
LeBron caught fire and there was no one that could stop him on Germany. There's really no one in the world that can stop him when he's playing like he did in the final two quarters from London.
Germany took the lead into the halftime break, but this was around the time LeBron decided he was going to start heating up for the rest of the game.
This was the play of the game in a game full of highlights. Embiid with the big block on one end which set up Anthony Edwards going coast to coast on the other end. Embiid looked like he was finally back to his best against Germany. We hadn't seen him play like he did today on the defensive end. Offensively there are still some kinks to work out, but when he's playing with this kind of passion, he can still make a big difference.
How unfair must it seem for other teams, seeing LeBron James with a block on the defensive end and Curry splash a three on the other end. Despite Team USA's highlight plays, Germany was staying neck and neck with the No. 1 ranked team in the world.
Crunch time is showing us that maybe Anthony Edwards isn't the No. 1 option on this team like he claimed a few weeks ago. But what he does do is provide energy on both ends, and that is invaluable for Steve Kerr's guys.
This three headed monster the US have inside is almost impossible to keep quiet. Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo can do it on both ends of the floor and give opposing big men so much to do on offense and defense.
Germany was not going to be intimidated by the star studded roster. They are the defending World Cup Champions and showed they are ready to go toe to toe with the best teams in the world.
Jrue Holiday has been setting the tone at the point guard position for this team, that is packed full of scoring talent, but he's the one that brings the grit to this team. He had 8 quick points in the first quarter and this lob to LeBron early on.
Team USA finished their pre-Olympic exhibition tour undefeated, but that's not necessarily the story line as the USA Basketball Showcase comes to an end. The rest of the world is catching up, and if it wasn't for LeBron James coming up big in the clutch the US might have lost their last two game.
LeBron got started off just like he did against South Sudan with a couple of big slams to set the tone for his team, but Germany was ready for a scrap in London.
IT'S ALL OVER FROM LONDON!!! TEAM USA SURVIVE ANOTHER SCARE TO FINISH THEIR EXHIBITION TOUR UNDEFEATED.
Schroder over the top for Voightman but that's not going to be enough as the shot clock winds down.
LeBron bullies his way back to the basket and goes through three defenders for the lay up!
Timeout Germany with 45.5 to go.
James was left open for three and he burys it again!
Shroder with the block on Curry on one end and then he lobs it up for Theis for the alley oop jam!
Wagner going to the line after the foul on James and he hits both FTs with 2:10 to go.
James back to the line after the defensive rebound but he misses both!
James to the FT line and he hits both FTs. He's got 6 straight points and a handful of rebounds. He's taking over this game much like he did against South Sudan.
LeBron off the dribble and he bullies the defenders to the bucket for the lay up.
James cuts to the basket down the middle of the lane and he lays it up and in.
Edwards to the line after the foul on Theis and he hits one of two FTs.
Schorder to the line after the foul and he hits both FTs to chants of MVP at the O2 Arena.
Wagner into the paint and he hits the floater over Embiid.
Embiid catches and hits the fader at the FT line.
Schroder with the drive and dish to Obst in the corner for three!
Booker at the line and he hits the FT.
Booker with a spectacular shot, reaching for a loose ball, took the contact and got the falling jumper to go AND 1!!!
Timeout GER midway through the fourth quarter.
Curry goes behind the back, drives to the cup and he gets the lay up AND 1! FT is no good.
Holiday off the dribble and he goes back with the floater on the left side.
Mo Wagner with the put back slam after the missed lay up by Bongo.
Bongo fouled hard by Adebayo on the dunk attempt and he gets back up, goes to the FT line and hits both FTs.
Davis fighting underneath for the offensive rebound and he puts it back AND 1! FT is good and we are tied up.
WE ARE HEADED TO THE 4TH QUARTER WITH GERMANY LEADING BY 3!!!
Edwards to the line after the foul on Weiler-Babb and he hits both FTs.
Wagner to the line after the foul and he hits both FTs.
Wagner jacks it up from long range again, and Germany are back in the lead!
Davis down low and he gets a tough lay up to fall.
Thiemann down low and he puts Davis on his back for the lay up.
Edwards off the screen and he hits the FT line jumper.
Obst with a quick trigger three ball and he gets fouled by Tatum and he hits the bucket!!! FT no good!
Schroder with the no look dish to Mo Wagner and he slams it home!
Obst missed the pull up three and Theis was there underneath for the tip slam.
Schroder drives, draws and dishes to Theis for the two handed jam.
James opens up space on the dribble and he drills the three ball from the top of the key! 8-0 run from Team USA. Timeout Germany mid way through the third quarter.
Embiid was left open from downtown and he makes him pay with a three ball!
Wagner back down the land and he gets the finger roll to fall.
Jamees with a tough fader on the baseline and he gets the roll.
Wagner kicks it out to Theis and he drills the three ball from the top of the key to give GER the lead!
Theis battling down low for the offensive rebound and he kicks it out to Schroder for three! 8-2 run for Germany and the US needs a timeout early in the third.
Embiid puts up a jump hook in traffic from the lane and he hits it.
Back to back triple from Germany as Voightman drills the three ball on the wing!
Wagner answers back with a three ball from the wing to start Germany's half.
Curl from Curry at the top of the key and LeBron hits him for the lay up.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FROM LONDON FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!
This is the play of the exhibition Tour and it might be the play of this Team USA era once it's all said and done.
Edwards thrives when he gets a chance to run the break, and usually it's him who is initiating it with his defense.
Adebayo is no slouch on defense either. He's got a couple big plays on both ends of the floor, following in AD's lead.
For my money, Anthony Davis has been the most dominant player on the floor in the USA Basketball Showcase. He's shuts it down on D and can light it up on the other end.
The German stars are keeping their team hanging around despite a 21-6 run from Team USA to end the first quarter. They led them last year in the World Cup and they will lead them tonight against Team USA.
We need no more convincing that LeBron is the leader of this team, but the last couple games have proven that even more.
LeBron got the game against South Sudan off in a similar fashion. It hasn't been easy for Team USA so far, but they have led for most of the way.
WE ARE HEADING TO HALFTIME WITH TEAM USA UP 7 POINTS ON GERMANY!
Edwards to the line after the foul but he misses both FTs.
Thiemann to the line after the foul on Booker and he hits both FTs.
Embiid with a huge rejection on one end, and then Edwards crossed up a defender on the break before throwing it down with a tomahawk slam!
Timeout Germany with under 2:00 to go in the half.
Edwards tipped out the rebound to keep the possession alive and he ends up getting the ball back for an open jam down low.
Embiid to the line after the foul on Theis and he hits both FTs.
Wagner picks up a near steal from the US and e finds Obst in the corner for the three ball!
Curry into traffic and he skies it off the top of the backboard from the left side of the lane.
Wagner cuts backdoor and Voightmann found him on the bounce pass for the lay up.
LeBron on the drive and he drew the defense for the Embiid put back down low.
Turnover from USA and that turns into a three ball from Ost in the corner!
Theis to the line after the foul on Embiid and he hits both FTs.
Embiid to the line after the foul on Voightmann and he hits both FTs.
TV timeout with under 5:00 to go in the 2nd quarter.
Schroder to the line and he hits both FTs to cut the lead to 7.
Steph with a spot up three from the wing after the kick out from Embiid.
Theimann down low and he goes to the line where he hits one of two FTs.
Edwards with the steal on Lo and the two handed slam!
Pick and roll from Lo to Mo Wagner and he lays it up and in.
Lo drills the three ball from the wing!
Tatum drives baseline and he eurosteps to the rack for the lay up.
Mo Wagner slashing down the lane and he soars for the slam after the dish from Bonga.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!! THE US HAD A 21-6 RUN TO END THE QUARTER.
Mo Wagner to the FT line and he hits both FTs after the foul on Davis.
Tatum running the break and he slashes right down main street for the finger roll!
Davis to the line after the foul on Lo and he hits both FTs.
Adebayo takes a dribble on the block, puts up a hook shot up after contact gets the bucket to go and a foul. FT is no good.
Theimann with the finger roll down the lane after the dish from Wagner.
Davis goes to the line after getting the lay up to go down low, and he hits the FT after the foul on Wagner.
White fouled by Schroder and he hits both FTs.
Tatum fades away from a step inside the line and he's on the board for the first time.
Wagner cutting down the lane and he slices through the defense for a lay up.
Edwards off the bench and on the board with the mid range jumper from the baseline.
TV timeout from London and Germany are hanging in there with the Americans.
Holiday with back to back triples and he's got 8 early points to lead Team USA.
LeBron with the kick out and he found an open Holiday for three on the wing!
Wagner slashes the the lane on the inbound and puts it up before the defense could adjust.
Curry getting involved for the first time and he goes to the line where he hits both FTs.
Schorder pulls the trigger from wayyyyy downtown and he drills another one!
Theis seals off Embiid and slams it down with two hands after as the clock hits 0.
Holiday running the break and he finds LeBron for a second dunk in the first few minutes of the game!
Schroder drills a three ball and the US have to get off to a better start defending the perimeter.
Holiday with the drive down the lane and he finishes off the glass with the right hand.
Obst pulls the trigger from long range, and Team USA need to be careful from him from outside.
LeBron start the game with a reverse jam on the break after the outlet from Embiid!
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM LONDON!!!
USA Starting five
Steve Kerr has spent the first four games tinkering with his first five, and today he will be no different. He seems to have his first four pretty clear in Curry, Holiday, James and Embiid but today he is going with Devin Booker in as a starter. Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum have got starts in previous game. KD
LeFlagbearer
It's one of the highest honors for an American or any athlete in any part of the world. Representing your country is a high enough honor, but being the flag bearer takes that honor to a whole other level. No one is more deserving than LeBron who has done and won just about everything there is to win. It's not every day that LeBron does something he has never done before, but on July 26th he will lead his 592 USA teammates in Paris.
Team USA Olympic schedule
Germany is going to use today’s game from London as a chance to measure up to the best teams in the world. They have already proven they can beat France after splitting a two game series with the hosts and they crushed Japan in their last game. Germany will see both of those teams in a matter of days as France, Japan and Brazil make up Group B at the Paris Olympics. France and Germany will be the favorites to move out of the group, with the winner of that head to head match up most likely to win the group. It appears Team USA is in a much tougher group than we thought a few days ago considering the emergence of South Sudan. They have Puerto Rico, Serbia and South Sudan in Group C, and while all of those teams are talented, Team USA is the obvious favorite to finish top of the table.
KD back in action
Finally, we get to see Kevin Durant with Team USA. After a calf strain kept him out of training camp and the first four exhibitions, the former NBA MVP and four time scoring champion is ready to get some run with the rest of his team. He’s the most experienced Olympian on the roster, having played in three Olympics winning gold all three times. Should Team USA win it all this year, KD would be the first mens basketball player with four gold medals. Steve Kerr said they wanted to be extremely cautious with Durant, but with this being the final tune up, they are going to have to take a chance even though he may not be completely 100%.
Star watch: Germany
There may be a handful of players you don’t know on this squad, but Germany’s two leaders are NBA regulars and stars in their own right. Franz Wagner is the Magic’s No. 2 scoring option in Orlando while Dennis Schroder has made a name for himself on a handful of NBA teams. They seem to turn it up a notch when they put their national team jersey’s on, which is exactly what happened last year when they beat Team USA in the semifinals. This team is talented, experienced and have shown they have what it takes to win big tournaments. Now that they are over the hump, they are ready to take on Team USA who showed last game that they are far from invincible.
Star watch: USA
In each of the first four games of USA’s Basketball Showcase a different player has stepped up to lead the team to victory. It was Anthony Edwards scoring 13 points against Canada to lead his team in the first exhibition game from Las Vegas. Anthony Davis had 17 and 14 rebounds against Australia and Steph Curry went off against Serbia, dropping 24 points and hitting 6/9 threes. Last game it was LeBron coming through with a clutch bucket while positing 25, 6 and 7 assists in just 23 minutes. We though Joel Embiid might step up last game, but it looks like he might still be battling through injury. Jayson Tatum is a guy I’d like to see step up today. He has yet to find his rhythm after winning the NBA title, scoring 9 points last game, 4 points against Serbia, 7 against Australia and 8 against Canada.
Last game: Germany
The reigning World Cup Champs have been on their own pre-Olympic leading up to today’s final tune up. Earlier this month they played France twice, exchanging wins against the soon-to-be Olympic hosts before dominating the Netherlands 95-50. They played Japan on Friday night from Berlin and handed out a second straight drubbing, thanks to Franz Wagner’s 27 points and 8 rebounds and Dennis Schroder’s 12 points and 4 assists. They won the first half 56-31, before taking their foot off the gas in route to a 104-83 win.
Last game: Team USA
It was the most rattled we have seen this super squad during the USA Basketball Showcase. For most of the game, this team full of generational NBA stars were out hustled and out classed by a team from a country that has only existed for 13 years, and doesn’t even have an indoor basketball court within it’s borders. Despite stumbling at times throughout their first three exhibitions, Team USA’s superiority always rose to the top, but that wasn’t the case against South Sudan. They came out swinging but the young squad full of talented unknowns withstood the early storm and took the lead at the end of the first quarter. They would hold that lead until late in the third quarter, but LeBron James and Team USA would come storming back in the final 10 minutes. South Sudan was fearless, and resilient despite losing their lead, and came back with a three ball from JT Thor which gave South Sudan the lead with 20 seconds to go. On a team stacked with future Hall of Famers, it was LeBron James that had the ball in his hands and won the game with a tough lay up 8 seconds before the final buzzer sounded.
We are live from O2
Hello everyone and welcome to the final pre-Olympic tune up for Team USA and Germany before heading to Paris for the Opening Ceremonies. Both of these teams have high hopes for gold as they gear up for Paris. USA Basketball are obviously the out-and-out favorites to win their fifth straight gold medal, but Germany leads a field of teams that are catching up the the United States. It was Germany who beat the Americans in the semifinals of last year’s World Cup and that provoked LeBron James, Steph Curry and handful of the best players in the game to team up and form a Super Squad that is meant to restore Team USA’s dominance in international basketball.
USA vs. Germany live
It’s the final warm up for Team USA, who have won all four exhibitions on the road to the Paris Olympics, but it’s been a bumpy ride for a team many are calling one of the best squads ever assembled. They needed a late game winner from LeBron on Saturday against South Sudan and today they look to bounce back against the reigning World Cup Champions, Germany. AS English will be with you all afternoon providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis from the O2 Arena in London.