Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James rescued Team USA yet again and led them to a 92-88 victory over Germany in their final exhibition game before the 2024 Olympics on Monday in London. Despite this, Skip Bayless remains unimpressed.
Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless didn't hold back his criticism of The King. He fired off a series of tweets aimed at Team USA, even giving LeBron a new nickname.
Skip Bayles criticism of Team USA and LeBron James
Bayless first criticized Team USA’s lack of defense and put emphasis on the absence of Kevin Durant stating, “There is still just something missing from our Team Gold — and I don't just mean Kevin Durant. No real flow on offense. No consistent lock-down tenacity on defense.”
Team USA had trouble with dribble penetration and kick-out three-pointers in their tight game against South Sudan on Saturday.
Heading into the game, they prioritized addressing these issues, with Jrue Holiday and Anthony Edwards applying heavy pressure on Germany's guards and the team demonstrating a more intense defensive focus.
LeBron James new nickname
Bayless later gave LeBron a new nickname calling him, “LeBron, King of the Practice Games.”
James scored eight crucial points, adding steals, rebounds, and sheer determination to propel the Americans to a 4-point victory. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists, but those numbers barely capture the intensity and impact of his performance.
After the match Bayless even unleashed a hypothetical referencing Michael Jordan, “If Team USA had had Jordan in his prime today, it would've covered the 15.5-point spread.”
Team USA finishing 5-0
Team USA completed their pre-Olympic tour with a 5-0 record but still have some issues to address following two lackluster performances in London.
Steph Curry contributed 13 points for Team USA. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid continues his upward trend, scoring 15 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out five assists as he proceeds to find his form.
Germany started strong, taking a 13-8 lead early. However, USA Basketball responded with a powerful 15-2 run, ultimately finishing the first quarter ahead, 29-19.
While Team USA held the upper hand in the second quarter, Germany seized control in the second half. Starting the third quarter down by nine, Germany rallied with a 12-2 run to edge ahead 53-52.
LeBron James is HIM
Down by one point with four minutes left, LeBron James even as the oldest player in the roster proved why he is Team USA’s alpha.
James went on a personal 11-0 run for Team USA, hitting a three-point dagger that gave the USA a 90-86 lead and then pushing the advantage to 92-86. Germany couldn’t respond, and Team USA clinched a tough win in their last exhibition game.
Franz Wagner led Germany’s scoring with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, along with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Andreas Obst added 14 points, hitting 4 of 10 three-point attempts.
Kevin Durant missed the game as he continues to recover from a right calf injury. USA basketball coach Steve Kerr had hoped Durant could get some minutes in London before the team headed to France for final Olympic preparations. Although Durant practiced last week and increased his activity over the weekend, he was still not ready to play on Monday.
The opening game of Olympic pool play is set for Sunday, July 28. Team USA will go up against Serbia and Nikola Jokic. In their exhibition match, The Americans dominated Serbia by 26 points.
LeBron James aims to prove Skip Bayless wrong when he and Team USA take the court in Paris later this month.
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