Every four years it seems like Team USA basketball gets an unexpected wakeup call against a smaller, lesser known nation. That country just happened to be Lithuania on Saturday, a scrappy and hard-nosed squad that led the U.S. for most of the first half and even had the score tied late in the third quarter.
Despite their efforts, LeBron James was simply too much to handle in the fourth as the United States rallied to win by a score of 99-94.
James led the way with 20 points, 13 of which came in the final quarter. Carmelo Anthony tied James for the team lead in scoring with 20 of his own. Kevin Durant hit four three-pointers on his way to 16 points, while Deron Williams added 12.
Linas Kleiza led Lithuania with 25 points and was a force on both ends of the court all day. Martynas Pocius added14 points on six-of-13 shooting, while Darius Songaila had 11.
Check out SI's complete medal tracker here.
Stick with this StoryStream for more coverage of local athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more on the 2012 Olympic Games, make sure that you check out SB Nation's dedicated Olympics hub.