James jumped off the bench, punched one arm in the air, and celebrated Anthony Davis’ soaring one-handed put-back dunk with ease, even though he had a paper towel slapped to his forehead.U.S. progresses to semifinals after quarterfinal 122-87 triumph against Brazil at Bercy Arena, with Lakers players on the court. On Thursday at 12:00 PDT, the United States will play Serbia in a replay of their pool stage victory.
The U.S. is aiming for its sixth straight Olympic gold medal, and its record since 2004 reads 34-1.
Midway through the third quarter, James got a hard elbow to the face, ending his clinical performance. He had 12 points, five of six from the field, nine assists, three boards, and three steals.
A paper towel was placed over his left eye as he exited the field with three minutes left in the third quarter. He returned with three minutes left in the game to the sound of shouts yelling “Le-Bron!” Head coach Steve Kerr claimed that James got four stitches in the locker room. When shown on the big screen, James waved his hand in recognition and seemed to put a crown on his head.
James, who has scored more points than any other NBA player in history, has been a driving force for the American team. The 6-foot-9 forward, who ranks first in the US with 7.8 assists per game, is more effectively the team’s point guard, as Kerr acknowledged.
“That’s the essence of LeBron,” Kerr remarked. The fact that he is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, despite the fact that scoring is essentially his backup position, is absolutely mind-boggling. He has so much quality surrounding him, and it shows in his game. When he’s in charge, the game becomes much more logical.The United States has won all four of its Olympic matches by an average of 24.8 points, with a score of 100 points or more in each, after a string of underwhelming performances in pre-Olympic exhibition games. This includes a 101-100 victory over South Sudan, in which James scored the game-winning shot in the final seconds. Devin Booker scored a game-high 18 points on Tuesday, and the squad has used a different leading scorer in each of its games in France.
Ahead of their opening match against Serbia at the Olympics, Kerr informed reporters that he thought his team locked in.
“We just understand we’re seizing the opportunity,” James stated, adding that his eye was perfectly fine following the collision. “The next game is the only one that’s guaranteed right now.”
In a run that began with an exhibition on July 17, the US has beaten Serbia by a score of 26 points. Serbia just avoided elimination in Tuesday’s quarterfinal match against Australia, 95-90, because to three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic’s 21 points, fourteen rebounds, and nine assists.
The James family, which includes Savannah, Bryce, and Zhuri, were among the American players’ families that sat in the spectators. James has been enjoying every moment of his return to the Olympics after more than a decade away. During the opening ceremony, he carried the American flag. He caught a beach volleyball match last week between Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth while waiting for the rain to stop in the evening. Even at the tender age of nine, Zhuri felt the need to hide her face in shame whenever he danced on screen.
Engaging in James revealed to reporters that he experienced butterflies even while listening to the national anthem prior to the team’s first game at the Olympics, which was his first appearance since 2012. As James makes his first appearance on the international scene since 2012, his teammates are crossing their fingers that his opponents experience the same anxiety.
“He puts fear in the other team,” Kevin Durant told reporters following the USMNT’s opening-round win against Serbia after the group round. “The mentality of the game is crucial.”
Fans in the sold-out Bercy Arena arena could be seen donning the Lakers superstar’s yellow jerseys, numbers 23 and 6. A group proudly displayed a sign reading “LeBron LeGoat.”
With 4 minutes and seven seconds left before halftime, Brazil’s modest contingent of fans made their voices heard by reducing the lead to eight points in the second quarter. After forward Lucas Dias made a three-pointer, the yellow-and-green fans began yelling “Bra-zil!” after him.
A 21-2 surge by the US team at the close of the first half put an end to their concerns. On an out-of-bounds play, James capped the scoring run with an alley-oop throw to Jayson Tatum. Tatum, a standout for the Boston Celtics, smashed the ball with both hands as the ball zipped toward the hoop. At the halftime buzzer, James sprung for one last steal just to be safe.