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          Team USA vs. Germany: LeBron James draws praise for fourth quarter surge

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          LeBron puts Team USA on his back in close finish vs. Germany (0:45)

          LeBron James takes over down the stretch as the U.S. outlasts Germany in final tuneup before the Olympics. (0:45)

          • J.J. Post, ESPNJul 22, 2024, 10:06 PM

          Even at age 39, LeBron James continues to deliver in the biggest moments.

          On Monday afternoon, Team USA was backed up against the wall once again in an Olympic tuneup game, this time dueling with Germany. And once again, the team turned to James to close out the contest and secure victory.

          Recently named the first U.S. men's basketball player to carry the American flag at the Games' opening ceremony, James hit top gear as he powered Team USA to the finish line -- scoring the squad's final 11 points en route to a 92-88 victory. He finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals.

          James also came up big for the U.S. in the team's previous tuneup game against South Sudan. His go-ahead layup with eight seconds left on Saturday proved the game winner, and helped the U.S. avoid a colossal upset. James did not miss a single fourth-quarter shot across Team USA's past two games (3-3 from the field on Saturday, 4-4 on Monday).

          James' heroics didn't go unnoticed, with a number of notable names in the sports world taking to social media to react: