LeBron James has been tipped to play in London before heading to the Olympics with the United States as two warm-up games have been scheduled for the reigning gold medallists.
Los Angeles Lakers star James has hinted he wants to be part of the squad that heads to Paris looking to win a fifth successive men’s basketball gold – having not featured at an Olympics since London 2012.
The United States will face South Sudan on July 20 and Germany two days later with both games taking place at the O2 Arena as preparations ramp up for the Olympics.
Speaking to the PA news agency, seven-time NBA All-Star and 1996 gold medallist Grant Hill believes there is every chance James could make the trip to Europe despite missing the previous two Games.
“That’s definitely a possibility and we’re grateful with this programme that LeBron and Kevin Durant and plenty others have expressed a willingness and a desire to be a part of it,” he said.
“I think it speaks to the culture of USA Basketball. Many of these guys who have talked publicly had been a part of it in years past and are wanting to be a part of it again.
“Then you have some great players who haven’t been a part of USA basketball, haven’t played on the FIBA stage, who want to be a part of this. So that’s a really good thing.
“It’s a really positive thing – we’ve got the instruments, we got all these guys, so let’s put the pieces together.”
The US could win an unparalleled 17th men’s basketball gold having dominated the sport since it joined the Olympic programme in 1936.
Hill, though, believes there is added pressure with the expectation of being perennial champions.
“There are so many incredibly talented international teams,” he said.
“We have to respect our opponents. We have to respect how difficult this is but the heat is on in this pressure and that’s a good thing.
“You want that and the best of the best have become comfortable in those pressure situations because they know it means something and it’s something of value.”
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South Sudan have qualified for the men’s basketball for the first time and are the lowest-ranked nation to do so since 2004, while Germany are the reigning World Cup champions.
“These are not friendly matches, this is serious,” Hill said of the fixtures in London.
“When we play here in London next summer it is the start your preparation. Then the next thing you know you’re in Paris and so it’s just a small window to get yourself ready.
“So you need quality opponents, which we have, and there’s a sense of urgency every time we step on the court.”
:: Tickets to see USA Basketball play Germany and South Sudan at London’s O2 arena go on sale Friday December 15, 1pm at ticketek.com
'Whatever we need, he'll provide' – Brunson continues stunning playoff run for Knicks
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau hailed Jalen Brunson after he became just the fourth player to score 40 points in four straight playoff games, saying: "Whatever it is we need, he'll provide."
Brunson continued his incredible postseason form with 43 points in the Knicks' 121-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday.
He is just the fourth player to achieve that feat in NBA history and the first since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in 1993. Jerry West and Bernard King are the other players to do so.
Brunson also added six rebounds and six assists, while Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart supported him with 25 and 24 points respectively.
Speaking after the game, Thibodeau credited Brunson for his single-minded approach as he said: "You could go on and on every night, and the thing I love about him is he's all about the team.
"All he cares about is winning, and he cares about his team-mates, and he's like, in the end, what do we need? Do we need a big bucket? Whatever it is we need, he'll provide."
Brunson has averaged 12.4 fourth-quarter points in his last five games, and he came up clutch again on Monday by making six of 10 shots and all eight of his free throws in the final period.
The All-Star guard, however, chose to give credit to his team-mates, saying: "The little things can go a long way. The 40 points are cool and all, but it's the little things that help us win games like that.
"So I'm just happy I have the group of guys that I do. I just know that we're going to fight every single day. That's all I'm thinking about."
There was a hint of controversy about the Knicks' win as Indiana center Myles Turner was called for a moving screen on DiVincenzo with just 12.7 seconds left.
The Pacers challenged the call but failed to overturn it, having earlier seen Aaron Nesmith contentiously pulled up for a kicked ball – a decision the referees admitted to getting wrong after the game.
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said: "We're not expecting to get calls in here. It would have been nice if they laid off that one, but they didn't. So that's just the way it goes."
Towns pledges Timberwolves will not waste Nuggets chance at 2-0 up
Karl-Anthony Towns has pledged the Minnesota Timberwolves will not waste a golden opportunity in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets, having seized a 2-0 lead.
Towns joined Anthony Edwards in putting up 27 points as the third-seeded Timberwolves claimed a comfortable 106-80 win on Monday, two days on from a 106-99 Game 1 victory.
Nikola Jokic was held to just 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting as Minnesota produced another outstanding defensive performance, while Jamal Murray only managed eight points in 36 minutes.
Minnesota return home for the first of back-to-back games at Target Center on Friday, knowing they have the chance to finish the series off on their own turf.
It is not an opportunity Towns intends to see pass them by.
"We're extremely honoured and blessed that we have this opportunity to go home up 2-0," Towns said.
"But we're humble in this approach. We understand that we've put ourselves in a great position, but as great as the position we are in is, it could be very bad if we don't win our homestand.
"So, we've just got to go out there, take care of business, do what we do, play defense at a high level, and execute even at a higher level because the defending champions, you can't give them a minute of slippage at all in the game."
Minnesota should be further boosted by Friday with Rudy Gobert set to return after missing Monday's game to attend the birth of his first child.
Given the Timberwolves were without the Defensive Player of the Year favourite, coach Chris Finch believes shutting down the reigning NBA champions ranked among their best defensive efforts this season.
"We've had some really, really good defensive efforts this year but that has to be right up there with the best of them," Finch said.
"On the ball, off the ball, the physicality, the execution of the gameplan… we just really locked in on defense."
Timberwolves rout Nuggets for 2-0 series lead
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 27 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves frustrated the Denver Nuggets once again to take a stunning 2-0 series lead on the reigning NBA champions.
Monday's 106-80 rout put the third-seeded Timberwolves in firm control of this Western Conference semifinal series, as they'll host the next two games after taking the first two matchups in Denver. Game 3 is set for Friday in Minneapolis.
Minnesota improved to 6-0 this post-season by shutting down Nikola Jokić and the second-seeded Nuggets' potent offence, and did so even with three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert unavailable as he attended the birth of his child.
The Timberwolves held Denver to 32.6 per cent shooting in the first half while taking a commanding 61-35 lead into the break, and the Nuggets finished the night shooting 34.9 per cent while committing 16 turnovers.
Jokic was held in check as the two-time league MVP was held to 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, while Jamal Murray ended 3 of 18 from the field while managing just eight points in 36 minutes.
Aaron Gordon paced Denver, which entered the series 14-1 in its last 15 play-off games dating back to 2022, with 20 points. Jokic did record 16 rebounds and eight assists and Murray amassed 13 rebounds.
Towns added 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which led by as many as 32 points in the third quarter and finished with its largest margin of victory in a road play-off game in franchise history.
Brunson joins exclusive club, leads Knicks past Pacers in Game 1
Jalen Brunson extended his streak of 40-point performances and led a fourth-quarter rally that propelled the New York Knicks to a 121-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Brunson netted 21 fourth-quarter points and 43 overall for his fourth consecutive post-season game with 40 or more. The All-Star guard is just the fourth player in NBA history to achieve the feat and first since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan did so in 1993.
Donte DiVincenzo added 25 points and put New York ahead for good on a 3-pointer with 40.4 seconds left that snapped a 115-115 tie.
The second-seeded Knicks trailed No. 6 seed Indiana 94-85 early in the fourth quarter before closing the gap with an 8-0 run. Brunson scored the first three points of the spurt, which DiVincenzo capped with a 3-pointer that brought New York within one with 8:56 remaining.
The Knicks later scored nine straight points - seven coming from Brunson - to take a 113-109 lead with 2:42 left, but two New York turnovers led to six consecutive Indiana points as the Pacers moved ahead by a 115-113 count with 1:33 to go.
Brunson buried a short jumper on the ensuing possession, however, and DiVincenzo knocked down a 28-footer after Indiana's Andrew Nembhard missed a 3-point try to send the Knicks back in front.
Pascal Siakam's layup with 26.6 seconds left to play brought Indiana within 118-117, but the Pacers went scoreless the rest of the way and Brunson sealed the outcome with three late free throws.
Siakam finished with 19 points and Myles Turner had 23 for Indiana, though Pacers' All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was held to six points in 36 minutes after being listed as questionable for Game 1 due to back spasms.
Josh Hart also had a big night for New York, which will host Game 2 on Wednesday, by compiling 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
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