The greatest individual Miami Heat performances in Team USA History
By Azam Masood
6-7. LeBron James, 2012
The Game: 2012 Olympics in London. Fourth match vs Lithuania. Team USA wins 99-94
The Player & The Line: LeBron James, 20 points (9-14 FG,1-4 3FG, 1-2 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 steals
The Context: Upon securing his first NBA title with Miami, LeBron James was very much at his apex. The 2012 squad was still ripe with talent, featuring an ascendant Kevin Durant and an older Kobe who leaned closer into veteran mentor role for the Americans (8.8 shots per game, down from 13.0 in 2008). But with a ring on his finger and his game further honed from his many playoff battles, LeBron was the current face of USA basketball and played with a newfound ease throughout the tournament.
Credit to the Lithuanians; few other nations can boast a reputation of giving the Americans a consistent challenge over these last few decades. USA led by just one point with about 4:00 in play before LeBron would score 9 of USA’s last 12 points to give them enough of a cushion to escape with the victory.
The Game: 2012 Olympics in London. Sixth match vs Australia. Team USA wins 119-86
The Player & The Line: LeBron James, 11 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists*
The Context: With the depth of international rosters, it’s difficult for any individual player to rack up the same sorts of gaudy stats they do in their home league. That’s why this LeBron James triple-double sticks out. LeBron didn’t look for his shot much here, letting Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant get hot from beyond the arc (10-19 3FG between the two) as the Americans blitzed Australia. It would be the first triple-double in Team USA history and remains a feat no other American has since accomplished.
(*Originally, LeBron was credited with 11 assists before a stat correction granted him 12, hence the disparity between the above video and current box score. )