LeBron James stats today: How did 3x Olympic medalist fare against Serbia?
LeBron James is playing in his final stint at the Olympics with Team USA, and he is continuing to inch closer to winning a third gold medal. He has played a point-forward role for USA Basketball, controlling the offensive tempo while making the right reads at the half-court.
How did the three-time Olympic medalist fare against Serbia? The Lakers star put up a triple-double stat line of 16 points (6-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc), 12 rebounds and 10 assists. His team needed a big game from him and he delivered in several moments of the 95-91 victory.
James got his team going from the jump with a quick pass to a moving Steph Curry for the easy two-point jumper, getting the USA on the board. It was a three-point battle led by Curry and Serbia's Aleksa Avramovic. LeBron joined the action with his three-point make at the 4:42 mark.
The 20-time NBA All-Star showcased some of his old-school strength at the post against the defense of Bogdan Bogdanovic for the bucket and a foul.
James looked aggressive to start the third quarter as he drove strong near the baseline to get to the cup for a trip at the charity stripe where he went 1-of-2. However, he would go silent after that stretch as Serbia carried an incredible momentum leading into the final quarter of the ball game.
To get his team going, LeBron James got deep near the free-throw line to score a tough fadeaway jumper. USA Basketball needed some big shots and a LeBron James’ dime to a made Devin Booker shot came at just the right time. Another big play came from the Lakers star's excellent read for the high pass to Joel Embiid, who made a bucket and a foul.
With just 3:41 minutes remaining to go, James took it strong to the cup to tie the ball game at 84 apiece. After Curry's massive three-pointer to give the team the lead, James followed up the momentum with a coast-to-coast layup to a three-point lead.
Team USA coach praised LeBron James' leadership and his ability to dictate the pace of the game to his squad's benefit
Not many players are capable of putting up the kind of production and impact that LeBron James is doing on a nightly basis. USA Basketball coach Steve Kerr highlighted the advantage that his team has with the Lakers forward available on their roster.
"He's kind of our point guard, really, with this team and he's playing at such a high level and obviously he's got so much talent around him, so the game makes a lot of sense when he's controlling it,” Kerr said (via NBA writer Gary Washburn). “Every day at practice, he's so locked in. He's so vocal. Every film session, every walkthrough. The way he talks, the way he leads. He's clearly the leader of the group and he brings the best out of everybody.”
Team USA continues to take advantage of what James provides for them as they work towards bringing home the gold medal.