Thursday, August 9th, 2012 at 12:08 pm  |  198 responses

LeBron James Records First Triple-Double in Team USA History


by Eldon Khorshidi | @eldonadam

LeBron James has been on fire throughout the 2012 Olympics. Although not a point guard, King James has undoubtedly quarterbacked Team USA each and every game, and that was no different in last night’s 119-86 victory against Austrailia.

Well, it was a little different. James finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, marking the first triple-double in U.S. Olympic history. LeBron is simply a monster, and is now within two games of becoming just the second player ever to win the NBA championship, NBA MVP trophy and a gold medal in the same calendar year, something only Michael Jordan can relate to.

After Team USA’s game last night, head coach Mike Krzyzewski put it bluntly: “He’s the best basketball player in the world right now.”

Per SportsPageMagazine.com:

James finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists for the first triple-double in U.S. Olympic history (since assists were kept as an official statistic in 1976), and his 12 assists tied the U.S. Olympic single-game high. Additionally, shooting 19-of-46 from 3-point, the USA tied its U.S. Olympic record of 46 3-point attempts, which it set on Aug. 2 against Nigeria.

While the final score was a 35-point blowout, Australia was down by just 14 points at the start of the fourth quarter. Three of Bryant’s four 3-pointers came off of assists from James.

“I’m proud of the win, that’s all that matters to me,” James said. “I don’t really care about me statistically. The win is more important; I’m happy to be able to move on.”

Team USA will face Argentina (4-2), which topped Brazil (4-2) 82-77 to advance, in the semifinals at 9 p.m. (4 p.m EDT) on Aug. 10. The USA previously beat Argentina 126-97 in its final preliminary round game on Aug. 6, as well as in exhibition play, 86-80, on July 22 in Barcelona, Spain.

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  • Basketball_iQ

    No One cares about kobe scoring 20pts in the 2nd half,,, kd35 went ham & carmelo before him… Coach k alerting the world lbj is the best basketball player on the planet is the story.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    PS: We really don’t care.

  • http://bulls.com airs

    Omg my posts won’t show up.
    This one will though.

  • http://www.nba.com/knicks danpowers

    ps: respect the game, son!

  • the king

    to all lebron is the best scorer in the nba becuz no one can stop him from doing what he wants like i said what he wants if lbj shoots a jumper it becuz he wnats 2 no one person in the game can say that it like 2k but 4 real now a no some of ya’ll play 2k are ya’ll jackin jumper with lebron

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Who plays with LeBron on 2K? Only losers use the Heat or Lakers.

  • http://Slamonline.com Datkid

    I mean I hear you j.Taylor but at the same time, very people EVER have been better all around than Lebron all around. I think if he can indisputably become a superior scorer and at least be decent as well as a better rebounder he can make an argument IMO

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    It doesn’t make sense that you have to be better at everything to be better than LeBron.
    I mean, Jordan is better than LeBron and he wasn’t better at everything.
    Magic is better, so far. Bird is better, so far.
    Hell, based on career, Kobe is better too.
    What I’m saying is that you rank players based on their total score, at least I do. If Durant improves certain things, which I do think is possible with effort and attention, then his total score goes up.
    I mean, if LeBron and Wade could become good defenders why can’t Durant?

  • riggs

    Rondo > Rose.

  • http://Slamonline.com Datkid

    Rose can’t guard bigger players, than Dwill or cp3. That’s another area in which he’s lacking. He’s mediocre defensively. Although he has a lot of defensive potential bc his long arms. But yes deron and Paul have always been better than rose when healthy

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    We are talking about right now. Those cats are better than LeBron (career wise) because they won multiple championships/Final MVP trophies. Durant hasn’t done that (yet). So they only thing I can go by when comparing him and Lebron are the things they excel in on the court.
    AllenP, so what “score” would KD have at if he improves on all those things you pointed out and would it be higher than LeBron’s?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Lakeshow, so Magic was never the best player in NBA?

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    LONG… LIVE… THE KING.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    With all the nonsense comments coming in here I might as well add a few:
    —-
    * Everyone knows that Manute Bol played on the perimeter in the NBA (only reason he lasted as long as he did)
    * If only someone on the AUSTRALIAN team hit Kobe in the “family jewels”, they would have beat the U.S. Team the other night.
    * Rose will come back better (if by better you mean 20 pounds heavier, a lower centre of gravity and move to the SF position then yes…better)
    * I wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin Durant just one day, snaps literally in half….?!!? Probably some time in winter playing in Milwaukee??
    * LBJ must be considered a new kind of “ball hog”.. he wants the ball to pad his ASSIST TOTALS…!?!?? Outrageous….. Not unlike Steve Nash and John Stockton before him.
    —-
    O_o Wake the flip up.

  • the king

    @ allenp u a lame calling me or people loser but if u saw me in real life u be on mute

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    Word to Big Bird Allenp

  • Conoro

    The best player in the world, unfortunately.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    THE first triple double of all time.
    I mean…

  • Conoro

    Having said that, James’s passing is – in Clyde Frazier terminology – majestic.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    Great little debate today, People are trying to write off Rose like his athleticism cant be what it once was. Baron Davis tore his acl in college and is still one of the most athletic PG’s ever, he even entered in a few dunk contest, so Rose regaining his athleticism is not a stretch whatsoever. Jamal crawford even tore his acl while in the league and still had his quickness afterwords. All this talk about who’s better than Rose but I’ve never heard any of it when these very same players were getting outplayed by this guy they are suppose to be more skilled, intelligent and just flat out better than. Surely athleticism alone cant account for the success against these guys.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    JTaylor, Why would you say I didn’t think Magic was the best at one point?

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    ^^Respect.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    *@Slick Ric*

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Oh my god with these one on one matchups in the regular season. They are irrelevant.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    Lol @my brethren…
    Magic Johnson is the best ever.
    You all did not know?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    “Play making/passing is great, but it’s not needed to be the best.” Straight from the horse’s mouth.
    That is basically what Magic is known for.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    Durantula, as much as he will try, will NEVER get on lebrons level. Its just not going to happen. Lebrons completeness is very easy to downplay and take for granted. As it is right now, I have him as fourth best player ever, behind mj, hakeem, and tim.

  • Reaper1

    All kobe does is shoot.shoot.shoot .very rare that he get’s more than 8 assits.
    King James making history .suck on that.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Your point? That doesn’t prove anything… Magic was the best just like LeBron is. They could do it all. Kobe was the best, MJ was the best, Shaq was the best. They couldn’t do it all.
    I have no idea what your trying to convey. Try and use more words so I can figure out what your talking about.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    That’s a cool OPINION Frozen Caveman.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    What should we go by then NBK…..and its not just one-on-one. I’m looking at the success against each individual collectively, get it. You cant just go off of stats either, nor can you just say one player is more well-rounded so therefore he’s better, you can make that argument with plenty players like KG and a PF like Malone for example. I look at how a guy performs against the field and his competition and NO PG does better than Rose Consistently.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    The King is top 15 all time.
    Players who are in his class, with no particular order;
    1. Magic
    2. Kareem
    3. Jeffrey
    4. Larry Legend
    5. Oscar
    6. Wilt
    7. Russel
    8. Pistol
    9. Havlicek
    10. Hakeem
    11. Baylor
    12. Julius
    13. Cornelius Hawkins
    14. Shaq
    Everyone else, it is debatable that after that list, The King is peerless.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    I will add Duncan and Garnett.
    Thanks, Slick Ric.

  • ThaWindy

    Same guys have be hating on Rose since he came into the league.
    Same guys said he COULDN’T avg 16 pts a game. But how the hell could they have known he would be the youngest MVP. But that’s not that great of an accomplishment.
    DWill Is not better Rose. Maybe the early Utah DWill but not the one avg 16 pts.

  • http://www.nba.com/knicks danpowers

    @slick rick: how hard can it be to understand that cp3 and dwill do actually better. not only be subjective oppinion, even the numbers show it. maybe he looks better when flyring through the air but at the end of the day these are the better point guards.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Lake, getting defensive I see.
    It’s simple logic. Magic was the best player at a certain point and he’s probably the greatest passer of all-time. You said “Play making/passing is great, but it’s not needed to be the best”. This sh*t isn’t rocket science, you’re the one that said it not me.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    LMAO. How can one be defensive about someone not being able to put together a coherent thought? Your thinking of a different word I believe than defensive.
    Can someone help Taylor out here? He must be on some of that potent sativa or something. Dude is talking gibberish.
    What is so hard to understand about the fact that someone can be the best and be able to do it all, or they can be the best and NOT be able to do it all?
    Do a little rocket surgery.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    ^ Well, if you only want to go by numbers, the numbers are in Cp3 favor but they are not in D-will favor, so you’re partially wrong and showing bias yourself. Like I stated, its not all about stats and WTH are you talking about flying through the air? If that’s the case I would be arguing that Westbrook is the best PG.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Philo, God love ya… But that is one of the worst Top 15 lists I have ever seen brotha.

  • http://slamonline.com Datkid

    we’ve all been saying this slick. and rose’s teams are consistently better than cp3′s. I know less about his record vs. dwill. one thing i will say about rose is that he does consistently get up for good comp. and nobody says “better all around” but he is lacking in certain key skills as we’ve already said.

  • Bostonballer

    Simply put, LBJ is straight ball’n…no 2 ways about it. 1 Day I’ll put up my top 10-20. lol I’ll go on straight skill, stats, era etc etc. lol. dang, school starts next week.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    All right, Lake. There is no need for you to get your pantaloons in a bunch. Also, I don’t think you should be the one making jokes about drugs after we all learned that you’re one bad hit away from becoming a full-fledged crackhead.

  • Allenp

    How are the numbers not in Deron’s favor? Way better assists, better shooting percentages nearly equal scoring. Then look at skills. I love Rose’s game but come on.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Philosopher your an idiot if you think Kobe is not top 7 or 10, go ask all the Magazines and Publications, Sports, that put Kobe as the player of the decade over Shaq and Duncan. Go ask NBA legends and even MJ, which most people on slam acts like he never lost a game period.
    _______________________________________________________________________
    Also I am not hating on Lebron, but he was in pass and rebound mode, from the tip I stated to people he would get a triple double, the way he was looking to pass even more. Normally in the Olympics he has been jacking threes or bull dozing folks. Who cares Lebron got his ring when Rose got hurt and KD “choking fire”, is playing better in Olympics CHOKED!!

  • http://www.nba.com/knicks danpowers

    @Slick Ric: the most important numbers to me for point guards are the pure point rating, after that the player efficiency rating. deron williams and chris paul have been way better during the last 4 yrs (or longer if we talk about williams and paul) than rose in the pure point rating, more than rose topped williams at times in the player efficiency raring. (leave out pauls injury year(s). that makes not only paul but also williams a better point guard especially regarding the requierements that come with the point guard position. like westbrook, rose would be a better shooting guard than paul or williams. but they all are playing the point guard position. thats why rose comes third at the point guard position along with westbrook and rondo.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    @Ric:
    Luv ya’ as well.
    But one has to look at that list from a historical perspective.
    With those players, along with The King, the history is the main theme.

  • http://slamonline.com The Philosopher

    The Seed:
    My guy, The Seed.
    You know as well as anyone that Joe Bryant’s son is top 25 all time.
    I’m sorry.
    But that is reality, and that is what it is.
    Michael Wilbon has him top 25.
    Man, shout out @The Seed for the way he supports his guy.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Slick Ric

    I will just leave it at Rose is the better player, those two are the better pure PG along with Rondo etc… that’s indisputable and something I’m not arguing.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    In the words of the great Taylor… Ohhhh lawd.

  • http://www.nba.com/knicks danpowers

    e.g.: in 2010 / 11 when all three played most of the season rose pure pont rating ranked league wise on no 30 at 4.6 (one rank below westbrook btw who was at 4.6 while pauls ppr stood at 12.0 and williams at 8.6 both in the top 10. i would be suprised if this would change anytime soon. especially after the good squads williams and paul are on after full training camo now the gap between these two and rose should grow, even in 12/13 when rose fully (if ever) recovers from his injury.

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