Team USA holds off a scrappy Lithuanian team 99-94. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony contribute 20 points each as the U.S. improves to 4-0 in London.
LONDON (AP) — Once was enough. Carmelo Anthony doesn’t want to mess around against Argentina.
Not after a close call with Lithuania.
Anthony, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the star-studded U.S. basketball team have now been tested at the London Olympics — and admittedly they weren’t quite prepared for it.
The NBA’s best players face another challenge Monday night when they wrap up pool play against the Argentines, who at 3-1 are not to be overlooked. Anthony acknowledged the Americans might have been caught slightly off guard by Lithuania’s fight in a five-point victory Saturday.
“It was a little bit tighter than what we expected,” Anthony said before practice Sunday. “Lithuania was focused, and it kind of caught us on our heels. We won’t get caught on our heels again.”
For the U.S. basketball team, James is carrying the load and his country’s hopes of a dominant run like the one by the 1992 Dream Team that featured Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.
James says the U.S. needs to get back to the basics against Argentina, which features NBA players Luis Scola and Manu Ginobili.
“We have to defend and we have to rebound,” James said. “It’s a very good team and we look forward to the challenge. They play as a team and that’s what it’s all about.”
James’ teammates and coach Mike Krzyzewski hope his performance against Lithuania will provide some momentum going into their next game.
With the U.S. leading by one late against Lithuania, James hit a 3-pointer, then followed with a dunk off of a turnover to put his team ahead 92-86 with 3:41 to play. The NBA MVP from the champion Miami Heat also scored two more baskets over the final 2:10 and wound up with nine of the Americans’ final 12 points and 20 in all.
Krzyzewski is also counting on more from Bryant as the stakes become higher. He went 1-for-7 for six points, and had two rebounds, an assist and three fouls in 20 minutes against Lithuania.
The Americans’ priority is to lock up a No. 1 seed from their pool heading into the quarterfinal rounds, which will be played at the bigger, and soon-to-be-vacated, gymnastics venue, not at the basketball arena at Olympic Park.
Argentina, meanwhile, is coming off Saturday’s 93-79 victory against Nigeria, a team the U.S. beat by 83. France handed the Argentines their lone blemish with a 71-64 upset last Tuesday in the second game of Olympic preliminary play. Otherwise, Argentina has looked like a contender.
“First of all, we respect them guys, most importantly,” Anthony said. “But then again, we go out there trying to win by any means necessary. They’re trying to do the same things.”
James put it more simply.
“We don’t come here to lose,” he said.
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