Germany HC: Team Played Well Until 'Somebody Named LeBron James Made Some Plays'

German men's basketball head coach Gordie Herbert was proud of his team's effort during an exhibition loss to Team USA on Monday, even though it wasn't enough to stop LeBron James' heroics.

"I thought we played our best basketball in the third quarter, played with great tempo, and then somebody named LeBron James made some pretty good plays at the end," Herbert said, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

James finished with a game-high 20 points as the United States defeated Germany by the final score of 92-88, finishing exhibition play with a perfect 5-0 record. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar came up with several clutch buckets to defeat a German team that featured fellow NBA players such as Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder.

Germany held its own against the United States, taking a 71-68 lead after three quarters of play. Herbert's team didn't have an answer for James down the stretch, though. The 39-year-old scored 11 points over the final four minutes in regulation, putting the contest away.

James has routinely showed up in late-game situations for the U.S. throughout exhibition play, recording a game-winning layup against South Sudan on Saturday.

As he attempts to earn the third gold medal of his career in Paris, the NBA's all-time leading scorer was also selected as the United States' flag-bearer during Friday's opening ceremony. He became the first men's basketball player to receive the honor.

James and his U.S. teammates will begin their quest for a gold medal against Serbia in the group stage on July 28.