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London Olympics 2012: Team USA, LeBron Pushed To Limit By Lithuania, 99-94

Presswire

The United States men's basketball team faced a stiff test against Lithuania on Saturday morning, pulling out a late 99-94 victory.

The Lithuanians were led by Linas Kleiza, a 27-year old small forward that plays for the Toronto Raptors. Kleiza scored 25 points on 10 for 20 shooting.

Lithuania showed outstanding resolve, shooting a very high percentage all game. They were well-coached, ran potent offensive schemes, and played hard until the final whistle. With little over six minutes left in the game, Lithuania led 82-80. That lead was not meant to last.

LeBron James put together an MVP performance in the fourth quarter, scoring ten points within the last four minutes of the game to put Lithuania away. LeBron and Carmelo Anthony led the Americans with 20 points each.

Deron Williams and Kobe Bryant of Team USA both struggled from the field, making only 5 of 19 shots combined. James Harden did not factor much into the final decision, scoring only three points with one rebound and one steal.

The Americans were pushed to the limit by Lithuania, who shot 58.5% from the field. The Lithuanians struggled to control the ball, finishing with 23 turnovers.

With the win, Team USA continues its quest for gold. Their next game is on Monday, August 6, against Argentina. It will be the final game in group play before the quarterfinals.