LeBron and AD show out in Team USA win
Team USA played a showcase game against Canada Wednesday night to prepare for the upcoming Olympics in Paris this summer. This year will undoubtedly be different than years past, as many countries, including Canada, have taken massive leaps in talent.
With the game growing exponentially, other countries are bringing more to the international stage and the NBA.
Players like Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have taken their place firmly in the league’s top five. That’s not all, either. The last two drafts’ number one overall selections were French, and more international studs are coming.
Luckily, the US still put together one of, if not the most talented, top-to-bottom teams in the nation’s history.
Lakers fans will especially rejoice as two talented stars don the Purple and Gold between October and April. LeBron James (recently voted the best player on Team USA) and Anthony Davis are set to make us proud.
In Team USA’s game against Canada, LeBron and AD showed why they were selected for the squad.
Bron and AD in Team USA’s win over Canada 🇺🇸
AD:
10 PTS
11 REB
4 BLKLeBron:
7 PTS
5 REB
3 AST
3 STL pic.twitter.com/42PurQ0Oxo— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) July 11, 2024
LEBRON JAMES
Only one of the two ended up starting, with LeBron getting the nod for the starting five. It would’ve been treason to keep him out of it. Throughout the night, it was a welcoming sight to see one of the best players to play the game suit up in red, white, and blue again.
He flashed his dominance in spurts, but more importantly, he established himself as the best passer/facilitator on the team. Swiftly throwing both full-court transition passes or crisp dimes in the half-court, he was able to find everyone.
More to the point of establishing himself, LeBron also took it upon himself to break the team down at half-court after the game. Team USA was more locked into what he was saying than most players are with their own coaches.
The main storyline of this team was that LeBron and Stephen Curry finally played together in a competitive environment. We all know the All-Star Game is cut-throat, but this is different. The two wasted no time in enjoying sharing the same court.
Whether it was a fantastic off-ball screen from LeBron leading to an open Curry three or Curry’s lob to James, the two were having a blast.
ICONIC LOB https://t.co/te0N1DeAe5 pic.twitter.com/yCYWok6q4R
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) July 11, 2024
When asked post-game about their chemistry, specifically the lob, once Steph was through jumping around like a kid in a toy store, LeBron had this to say:
“Just two guys who love to play the game of basketball. Try to share to each other. I missed him in the first half on a wide-open three that I threw out of bounds – but he was able to connect with me on the lob. It’s fun, you know we play the game at a high level for four quarters and we just played the game that we love the right way. And that’s the result of it.”
LeBron James and Steph Curry might’ve just given us the best postgame interview ever pic.twitter.com/4EE9LNpeGX
— Anika 🦋 (@WardeIICurry30) July 11, 2024
Anthony Davis
Lakers’ big Anthony Davis was not placed in the starting five, but he left his imprint on the game. Davis walked away looking like not only the best big on the team but arguably the best player on the team. Embiid fouled out with five minutes remaining in the third quarter, opening the door for Davis.
Davis dropped a dime to a cutting LeBron, which led to a dunk, but his defensive prowess stole the show.
His dominance on the defensive end set the tone for the entire team in the second half. He tallied two steals, a game-high four blocks, and a +15 in his 19 minutes. He wasn’t just the best defensive player on Team USA; he was the best defensive player on the floor.
Davis matched his defensive masterclass by adding ten points and a game-high 11 rebounds, making him the only player to record a double-double on either team.
He had the only double-double, leading both teams in rebounds and blocks. That’s the best big man on the floor.
The team has work to do. Their chemistry isn’t there yet, which led to too many unforced turnovers, and the shooting could’ve also been better.
Luckily, as LeBron mentioned, as long as they defend at a high level, they’ll have a good chance to win every night. Having Anthony Davis is a good step towards that goal.
