Barcelona, Spain – Kevin Durant had 27 points and six assists on Sunday and Team USA managed an 86-80 win over Argentina in exhibition play.
Team USA never trailed and led by as many as 20, but faced a tough test down the stretch from an Argentina squad which features NBA veterans Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola.
Kobe Bryant scored 18 in the win while LeBron James finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Ginobili paced Argentina with 23 points on an efficient 13 shots and Scola had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists. Carlos Delfino added 15 points.
The Americans started the game on a 19-3 run and were up by 20 before the end of the first quarter. They cooled off in the second, however, going 0-for-7 from three-point range and Argentina cut its deficit to 47-40 by halftime.
The advantage never fully dissipated, but Argentina made a late push and in the fourth quarter pulled within four, 78-74, on a three-point play by Ginobili, who drained a running eight-footer and the subsequent free throw.
Durant answered on the other end with one of his seven threes and Scola missed a pair of free throws with 53 seconds left, allowing James to seal the win from the line.
Team USA faces another tough exhibition test on Tuesday when it takes on Spain and its imposing frontcourt of Pau and Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
Since the Dream Team debuted in 1992 with legendary NBA stars, the U.S. has gone 41-1 in exhibition games.
Team USA's first game at the Olympics is July 29 vs. France.
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