Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Final Stat Leaders

United States

Points: Kevin Durant (22), Kevin Love (14)

Rebounds: Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony (9)

Assists: LeBron James (8), Deron Williams (4)

Steals: Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kevin Love (2)

Blocks: Kevin Durant (2), Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis and Andre Iguodala (1)

France

Points: Ali Traore (12), Tony Parker (10)

Rebounds: Ronny Turiaf (9), Boris Diaw (6)

Assists: Nando de Colo (3), Ronny Turiaf (2)

Steals: Nando de Colo (3), Mickael Gelabale (1)

Blocks: Nicolas Batum, Florent Pietrus and Kevin Seraphin (1)

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Team USA opens the group stage of the London Olympics in strong fashion as they have officially closed out the French team. 

LeBron James and Kevin Durant were the clear stars for the American squad, while Tony Parker failed to make a huge impact, recording just one assist to five turnovers. 

The USA must get away from the isolation tendencies they displayed in the first half, and they did that remarkably well in the second while turning up the defensive pressure. 

As for France, they'll use this game as experience and motivation to compete well against the remaining competition. 

Final Score: 98-71 USA

It looks like the San Antonio Spurs may have found another nice piece in the draft as Nando de Colo has shown a lot against the superior American competition. 

The French backup point guard has driven into the lane, finished at the paint and found open teammates capably while he's been on the court. Sure, he's had turnover issues with four cough-ups, but the aggression has been nice to see. 

95-69 USA with 47 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. 

The referees really love blowing their whistles tonight. Team USA has been called for 25 fouls and France for another 22. 

Andre Iguodala takes partial advantage of the latest call and makes one of his two free throws. Somewhere, the Chicago Bulls are gritting their collective teeth. 

90-65 USA with 2:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

David Ramos/Getty Images

James Harden throws down a huge fast-break dunk with his natural left hand!

89-62 USA with 4:00 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Apparently Andre Iguodala thinks that Anthony Davis has a 10-foot vertical jump as he lobs the ball up WAY too high for The Unibrow. 

France continues to hang with the American second unit but the play has become quite sloppy on both ends. 

Another lob to Davis is just behind him and he throws it off the rim. On the other end Nando de Colo hits an open three to cut the lead to 23 points, but it's followed up with another lob to Davis. 

This one is completed with some force. 

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

The Unibrow is on the court. 

82-57 USA with 7:00 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

It's highly unlikely that LeBron James or Kobe Bryant will re-enter the game for Team USA now that the Americans have a sizable fourth-quarter lead. 

If that's the case, LeBron will finish with nine points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals in just 24 minutes. He was absolutely sensational throughout the game and made passes that no one else in the world can make. 

82-55 USA with 7:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

A beautiful pass from Nando de Colo to Ali Traore gives the French their first basket of the fourth quarter as the Americans continue to extend the lead with a relentless offensive performance. 

82-53 USA with 8:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Here's another highlight from earlier in the game: the Deron Williams to LeBron James lob. 

Deron Williams Throws the Alley-Oop to LeBron James

Stu Forster/Getty Images

The Americans hold for the last shot of the quarter. 

Deron Williams rattles out the three-pointer, but Kevin Love hauls in the offensive rebound and beats the buzzer with the easy shot to extend Team USA's lead to 27 points. 

78-51 USA at the end of the third quarter. 

Russell Westbrook hits a cutting Kevin Love with an absolutely beautiful bounce pass into the paint and his former UCLA teammate throws down the easy dunk. 

The Americans have their biggest lead of the game at 25. 

76-51 USA with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter. 

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

France has to be glad that LeBron James is finally taking a rest. Maybe they can use this opportunity to work back into the game a little bit. 

Just like he was during the 2012 NBA Finals, LeBron has just been absolutely sensational in every facet of the game. 

Lebron can do every single thing involved with the game of basketball. Ridiculously complete player.

— netw3rk (@netw3rk) July 29, 2012

70-51 USA with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter. 

Nicolas Batum answers a lob to LeBron with a running dunk of his own, but LeBron answers right back with an assist to Carmelo Anthony, pushing his dime total to eight in the game. 

66-48 with 3:55 remaining in the third quarter. 

Kobe Bryant gambles on a perimeter pass, and the USA defense pays. Parker easily hits the interior pass and the French swing it into the paint for an easy two points. 

I guess when you're up by 20 points, you can afford to gamble a little bit. 

62-43 USA with 5:08 remaining in the third quarter 

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

France somehow ended up with Tony Parker guarding Carmelo Anthony, but the New York Knicks scorer can't capitalize. 

Parker misses a shot on the other end, but gets his own rebound and finishes the play in the paint. 

60-41 USA with 6:04 remaining in the third quarter. 

Kevin Durant picks up right where he left off as he drills a three-pointer off a Kobe Bryant miss. 

Tony Parker answers for France, but the French fall one more point behind as that was only a two-pointer. 

The next shot falls for Kobe Bryant as he says, "Nicolas Batum, your defense is overrated" before nailing a three in Batum's face (he didn't actually say that, but I'm imagining he did because it's true). 

60-38 USA with 8:00 remaining in the third quarter. 

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

James Harden misses a three-pointer to end the first half, but the Americans still have a big lead after stepping up the defensive pressure and jumping plenty of passing lanes. 

With the exception of Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams (and Harden at times), everyone on Team USA had a solid first half. 

Halftime Leaders

United States

Points: Kevin Durant (15)

Rebounds: Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony (7)

Assists: LeBron James (6)

Steals: LeBron James (2)

Blocks: Kevin Durant (2)

Doc RIvers: "LeBron dominated the game without scoring." Has five points, but has six assists, four rebounds & two steals

— Mark Medina (@MarkGMedina) July 29, 2012

France

Points: Florent Pietrus (8)

Rebounds: Ronny Turiaf (4)

Assists: Tony Parker, Nando de Colo and Mickael Gelabale (1)

Steals: Nando de Colo (1)

Blocks: Nicolas Batum and Kevin Seraphin (1)

Beautiful, beautiful passing by Team USA. 

LeBron James drops in a lobbed outlet pass perfectly, then Deron Williams whips it behind his back to Kevin Durant. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder star can't finish the play with a field goal, but he does knock down a pair of free throws to push the American lead to 16 points. 

52-36 USA with 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter. 

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

There's a nice play by James Harden. He drives in and hits LeBron James right in the chest, allowing the NBA MVP to throw down an easy two-handed dunk. 

50-36 USA with 1:10 remaining in the second quarter. 

James Harden has been absolutely awful for Team USA as his NBA Finals performance isn't exactly in the distant past. He's made one of his three shots from the field and failed to make much of a defensive impact. 

There are plenty of options on the American team, and it would be nice to see Mike Krzyzewski use his other options. 

Would like to see more of Andre Iguodala and less of James Harden for Team USA. Just my opinion.

— Ethan Norof (@Mr_Norof) July 29, 2012

45-33 USA with 2:50 remaining in the second quarter. 

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

It was the French who were in foul trouble earlier in the game, but it's the Americans who must deal with the whistles now. 

Team USA has been called for 15 fouls, with Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook getting called for three apiece in the second quarter. 

Kevin Durant hits a three-pointer to put an end to France's mini-run. 

I love that Durant doesn't need the ball to score. I mean, before he catches and shoots. You know what I mean.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) July 29, 2012

40-28 USA with 4:02 remaining in the second quarter. 

Russell Westbrook commits an absolutely egregious foul after Kevin Durant swats away Boris Diaw's shot. 

Nicolas Batum throws up a desperation heave from 35 feet with one second left on the shot clock, but Westbrook fouls him and sends the French forward to the line, where he makes the Americans pay by hitting two of his three shots. 

35-26 USA with 5:20 remaining in the second quarter. 

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Florent Pietrus has an aggressive drive to the bask set and finishes the lefty layup around LeBron James. That was one of the more impressive plays by the French thus far. 

Boris Diaw attempts to back down Carmelo Anthony on the next possession and draws the foul. His versatility has been on display lately as the French are trying to let him establish himself and then run the show from the block. 

The San Antonio Spurs forward makes one of his two charity shots. 

33-24 USA with 6:05 remaining in the second quarter. 

Team USA has caught fire from downtown as the Americans are firing on all cylinders. Actually, they're only making it on one cylinder, but you get what I mean. 

Tony Parker re-enters the game now that the Americans have extended the lead to 12 points, but he's immediately blocked by Kevin Durant in the paint. 

33-21 USA with 7:19 remaining in the second quarter.