Top 10 clutch moments by team USA at the Olympics

For a long period, Team USA routinely outperformed its opponents all around the world. However, there were rare occasions when Team USA had to hustle for points when the game was close.

While it is becoming increasingly usual for Team USA to face close games, it is reasonable to state that they have won on several occasions. Let's rate Team USA's ten most pivotal moments at the Olympics.

Let's look at the top 10 moments in the Olympics

10. Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant's important free throws win the USA gold medal

Following a setback to France in the Group Phase, Team USA was determined to exact revenge in their gold-medal rematch. With the stakes considerably higher, Team USA held on while France tried a comeback. Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard's clutch free throws helped Team USA escape with a tight five-point advantage, keeping their gold-medal streak alive.

9. Paul George saves in the final minute

 



Serbia fought valiantly to stay up with Team USA throughout the 2016 Rio Olympics' Group Phase. Fortunately for Team USA, the tenacious defence of Draymond Green and Paul George held Nikola Jokic and the Serbians at bay, allowing them to escape with a slender three-point advantage. Although Green and George's defence would not appear on the stat sheet, they were the intangibles that secured Team USA's triumph.

8. Lamar Odom blocked against Greece

Lamar Odom came up big on defence when Greece threatened to hand Team USA another setback following an upset over Puerto Rico. With only four points in the final 20 seconds, Greece's Dimitris Pipanikoulaou tried a shot to narrow the deficit to two, but Odom stopped it. The play clinched Team USA's nail-biting win in Athens.

7. DeMarcus and Carmelo Anthony fight for France

Everyone during the 2016 Rio Olympics believed that the rest of the world was closing the gap on Team USA. After escaping a scare from Serbia, they had to face a formidable Les Bleus squad. Team USA could not break away from France until the final minutes, owing to Carmelo Anthony's two 3-pointers and DeMarcus Cousins' key putbacks.

6. Lithuania wins bronze

While many people blamed Allen Iverson for Team USA's collapse in 2004, there's no denying that he was a hero in the team's bronze-medal game. Iverson delivered a critical dagger to put Lithuania away for good and avenge their setback in the first round. Although it was the first time Team USA had lost out on gold since NBA players were fielded, a bronze medal was preferable to coming home without one.

5. Antonio McDyess and Vince Carter help Lithuania

 



Vince Carter's thunderous dunk against France's Frederic Weis at the 2000 Olympics is well remembered. When things became tough against Lithuania, Carter was able to keep Team USA's record intact. When Lithuania took the lead with less than a minute remaining, the former Slam Dunk Champion got to work, sinking a game-winning shot. Shortly after, Antonio McDyess hit critical buckets down low to secure a spot in the gold medal game.

4. Kyrie Irving performs against Australia

In 2016, Australia was one of the teams that challenged Team USA about the world closing the gap. The Boomers have always wanted to go up against Team USA. Regretfully, Kyrie Irving's game-winning 3-pointer against Cavaliers colleague Matthew Dellavedova stunned the Boomers. Irving was reminded by the shot of the dagger he had made only a few months before in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

3. LeBron James scores 9 points in last four minutes

Without question, the Team USA roster sent to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London was loaded. They encountered strong opposition from Lithuania, though, who even managed to seize the lead in the fourth quarter. LeBron James, the world's finest basketball player, demonstrated why he was the MVP of the 2012 NBA Finals and did not panic. James led the Redeem Team to a 99-94 victory over Lithuania by scoring nine points in a row in the last four minutes of play. 

2. LeBron James guide Team USA to gold

LeBron James, by the way, was crucial for Team USA in the gold-medal match. In their gold-medal rematch, the Americans encountered strong opposition from Spain in addition to Lithuania. During the game's final quarter, James produced a critical slam dunk, followed by a pull-up 3-pointer, to secure Team USA's gold medal. 

1. Kobe Bryant save Team USA

It's simple to see why many basketball fans believe Kobe Bryant rescued Team USA. The Black Mamba lifted the country on his shoulders as the Americans competed for gold against Spain, which included Lakers colleague Pau Gasol. Although Spain remained in step, Bryant used his clutch gene, which we frequently see in the NBA, to win the gold medal in Beijing.