LeBron drops 31 as U.S. beats Argentina to win FIBA gold

LAS VEGAS -- LeBron James scored a team-record 31 points, and the United States beat Argentina 118-81 on Sunday to win the FIBA Americas basketball championship.

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Dwight Howard made all seven of his shots and scored 20 points, and Carmelo Anthony added 16 points for the Americans, who were never challenged while winning 10 games in 12 days and will head to Beijing next summer as one of the gold medal favorites.

The Americans averaged 116.7 points in the tournament.

The game was largely meaningless, because both teams had already clinched spots in the Beijing field by winning semifinal games Saturday. But the Americans didn't let up, remaining perfect in four Olympic qualifiers, including 7-0 against Argentina.

Puerto Rico beat Brazil 111-107 earlier Sunday in the third-place game.

James and Anthony played on teams that finished third in the 2004 Olympics and '06 world championships. The latter disappointment forced the Americans to play in the qualifying tournament this summer, but it proved to be just a minor roadblock.

"I learned that players can throw their egos and personal accolades out the window," James said. "We came here for one reason and that was to get the gold medal."

James finished the tournament shooting 76 percent from the field -- his percentage actually dropped from 76.5 after he made 11 of 15 shots. He was 8-of-11 from 3-point range and also led the tournament in that category, hitting 62 percent.

"You don't like to single guys out, but LeBron's performance today was one of the best ones in an international game that a U.S. player has had," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He was big-time today."

The game was close for six minutes before the United States blew it open with an 18-0 run. The Americans scored the final 15 points of the first quarter, then Chauncey Billups opened the second with a 3-pointer for a 38-14 lead.

At one point in the second, the Americans scored five consecutive baskets on dunks -- three by Howard and two by James, with each having one set up by Kobe Bryant, who had a quiet scoring night but had eight assists. When Howard dunked with 4:58 remaining to push the lead to 51-21, the United States had 16 assists on 18 field goals.

The Americans led 59-34 at halftime after shooting 57 percent. They averaged 59.7 points in the first half during the tournament, and their closest lead at the break was 14 points.

"We have the depth, we have the talent to be able to keep that foot on the gas the entire game and just not turn it on and off," Bryant said.

LeBron James finishes the tournament shooting 76 percent from the field. (AP)

Luis Scola had 23 points for Argentina (8-2), which lost twice to the Americans. He led a team lacking its normal firepower to a spot in the Olympics, and now turns his attention to making his NBA debut next month for the Houston Rockets.

"This team for the USA is one of the best USA teams," Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez said. "Of course nobody forgets the first Dream Team with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, but I like this USA team so much.

Without Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Andres Nocioni and Walter Herrmann, the defending Olympic champions didn't have nearly enough to keep up with the Americans here. The United States won 91-76 on Thursday in a second-round game that was never close after the opening minutes.

Larry Ayuso scored a tournament-best 39 points and Carlos Arroyo added 30 points and 10 assists to lead Puerto Rico over Brazil in the third-place game.

Ayuso was 8-for-12 from 3-point range and Arroyo, who plays for the Orlando Magic, was 3-for-7 as Puerto Rico went 15-for-28 from beyond the arc.

Puerto Rico, which lost 135-91 to the United States in the semifinals, Brazil, which was beaten by Argentina 91-80 in the semifinals, and Canada, the fifth-place finished in this event, all advanced to a 12-team qualifying tournament next July which will decide the final three berths in the Beijing Olympics.

Marcelo Machado had 21 points for Brazil, including hitting three of his six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Brazil played without starting center Nene, who plays for the Denver Nuggets. He injured his right leg in the first quarter of the semifinal loss and didn't return to that game.

Brazil's Leandro Barbosa, who entered the game as the tournament's leading scorer at 22.7, finished with 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting.