LeBron James dunks on Tunisian forward Mohamed Hadidane during a preliminary round basketball game at the London Olympics (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The United States men’s basketball team took the night off against Tunisia yet the Americans still won by a whopping 47 points. The 110-63 final score masked Team USA’s slow start, leading by just 13 points at halftime despite having a distinct advantage in size, speed, quickness, skill, and anything you can think of.
The game didn’t become a complete rout until the third quarter when a lineup of Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Andre Iguodala, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Love took control and powered Team USA to a 39-14 edge in the third quarter against the overwhelmed Tunisians. Love and Anthony led the U.S. with 16 points each. Davis was five-for-five from the field (all dunks) and finished with 12 points, while Westbrook netted 11 points. Kevin Durant was the only starter in double figures, as he finished with 13 points.
The game turned into a dunk contest as Westbrook, Iguodala, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James took turns throwing down some serious slams. LeBron’s dunk in the first half over Tunisian forward Mohamed Hadidane was easily the best of all of them, as he cocked his right hand on a break and rattled the rim with a Jordanesque pose. In case you were too busy watching the tape-delayed swimming and gymnastics events on NBC, LeBron’s highlight-reel dunk was one his finest as well as one of him most powerful dunks. I had the video up on YouTube, but NBC and IOC have blocked it. Sorry.