SAITAMA, Japan - Shaking off a disappointing semi-final loss, the US National Basketball Association stars have claimed third place at the World Basketball Championship by defeating Argentina 96-81.

Dwyane Wade scored 32 points and LeBron James added 20 to lead the US team past the 2004 Olympic champions just 24 hours after the NBA stars were beaten by Greece 101-95 in a semi-final and Greece ousted Argentina 75-74.

"It was very exciting. Everybody was pumped up be as if we were going to be in the final. I have a lot of respect for them guys to be coming out and playing at high level," Wade said.

After winning an NBA title with Miami in June, training through July and playing for the US team into September, Wade has barely a month before NBA training camps open. But he feels more excited than exhausted.

"This was the best and most fun to have been around a great group of guys. We've built our relationships. This summer was not a waste for us," Wade said.

"We've learned a lot of things and we'll move forward. This is a step in the right direction."

Argentina became a nemesis for elite US talent with an 87-80 triumph in the second round of the 2002 worlds to snap a 58-0 US win streak with NBA players as the Americans sank to sixth.

At the Athens Olympic semi-finals, Argentina beat the US men 89-81 to break their streak of three consecutive Olympic gold medals. Americans settled for bronze while Argentina captured gold.

"This was an important game for the guys in the locker room," US forward Shane Battier said. "We haven't done well against Argentina. It was a validation of the work we've done."

US coach Mike Krzyzewski was pleased at his team's performance in a consolation game where they could have been flat.

"For these guys to show their character to come back the next day from a tough loss was terrific. That means we've accomplished quite a bit as far as building the unity of our team," he said.

"We've handled the adversity very well."

The US squad claimed bragging rights over Argentina heading into next year's Tournament of the Americas in Venezuela, where each team will try to take one of two available spots for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Hopefully we will use it as motivation," US guard Kirk Hinrich said.

US players refused to term the finish a failure.

"The bronze medal feels good after all we have been through," Battier said. "We have to take the momentum we have and hold onto it. We can do everything better on and off the court."

Carmelo Anthony's 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining in the second quarter gave the NBA stars a 50-49 half-time advantage, their first lead of the game.

LeBron James and Elton Brand each scored five points in a 10-2 US run midway into the third quarter that gave the US men a 67-57 edge and Argentina never came closer than seven points after that.

"The last quarter was NBA showtime," Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez said.

"They were just too hot," added Argentine NBA star Emanuel Ginobili.

Luis Scola's 19 points led an Argentina team that boasted several NBA stars, including San Antonio's Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto, Chicago's Andres Nocioni and Detroit's Carlos Delfino.

"We were disappointed but we tried to win anyway," Scola said. "They played a lot better."