Kobe’s defense was superb. Great ball movement and chemistry aids USA to their third straight exhibition win.
ESPN: Kobe Bryant harassed longtime nemesis Sarunas Jasikevicius into a miserable night and helped the U.S. Olympic basketball team roll to a 120-84 exhibition victory over Lithuania on Friday night.
Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, Dwight Howard had 17 and LeBron James 15 for the Americans, who raced to a big early lead, then pulled away again after Lithuania got within single digits early in the second half. Bryant finished with 13 points, nine during the big U.S. first quarter.
The Americans, who shot 64 percent, swept two games here and leave Saturday for Shanghai, where they will play European champion Russia and Australia.
Michael Redd finished with 16 points and Carmelo Anthony added 11 in a rematch of the bronze-medal game from four years ago.
Jasikevicius was just 2-of-8 for nine points, with three turnovers. Rimantas Kaukenas led Lithuania with 17 points.
The United States needed a quarter to warm up in its first two games, but was sharp right from the start this time. Howard had three consecutive baskets, James dunked twice, and the Americans were already up by double digits barely 2½ minutes into the game. Minutes later, Bryant had two jumpers and a 3-pointer in a quick flurry that made it 24-5.
Howard had 10 points and Bryant nine in the first 10 minutes, with the Americans opening a 31-15 lead.
Lithuania kept the deficit in the teens from there, then opened the second half with a flurry of 3-pointers to make it a game. Jasikevicius had a rare open look and hit the final one to cut the U.S. lead to 61-52 with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter, but the Americans immediately blew it open again.
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