The U.S. team had scored 100 points by the middle of the third quarter. It was that kind of night for the Americans.
They broke a few records, shattered others. They hardly missed.
Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points, making 10 of 12 3-pointers, and the Americans rewrote the Olympic record book with a scintillating shooting performance and 156-73 win Thursday night, an epic blowout that seemed to send a message to the rest of the men's tournament field.
Anthony
set the U.S. Olympic mark for points in a game — in less than three
quarters. The U.S. also set the Olympic record for points in a game and
points in a half (78). The Americans bettered the U.S. records as well
for 3-pointers (26), field goals (59) and field-goal percentage (71).
Incredibly,
they eclipsed the 100-point mark with 5 minutes left in the third.
And when Andre Iguodala hit a 3-pointer
with 4:37 left, the Americans had surpassed the previous Olympic record
of 138 points set by Brazil against Egypt in 1988. When the record was
announced to the mesmerized crowd, all the players seated on the U.S.
bench got up and slapped hands with coach Mike Krzyzewski and his
coaching staff.
The last group in England with this many records
was The Beatles.
"When we get
hot, it's a big problem," Kobe Bryant said. "So you have all these
guys on one team and then all get hot on the same night, it's tough."
Bryant scored 16 points — 14 in the
first quarter — for the Americans, who scored 49 points in the first
and didn't let up after scoring 78 in the first 20 minutes.
Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points
and Kevin Durant
had 14 for the U.S., which will play Lithuania on Saturday.
Ike Diogu scored 27 to lead Nigeria (1-2).
Bryant was mostly a non-factor in
wins over France
and Tunisia,
playing just 21 minutes and getting into early foul trouble. But from
the outset against Nigeria, the two-time Olympian nicknamed the Black
Mamba was as deadly as ever. He set the tone by scoring seven quick
points as the U.S. (3-0) raced to a 13-0 lead, a haymaker that stunned
the Nigerians, some of whom had promised they wouldn't be intimidated by
the Americans.
But the U.S.
was scary indeed.
Durant
buried three 3-pointers, Bryant and Anthony added two from long-range
and when Kevin Love came off the bench and knocked down his first 3, the
U.S. team's shooting gallery of stars had opened a 41-15 lead and made
the p.a. announcer's pregame comment that "anything is possible" seem
prophetic.
He was talking
about a possible upset. The only surprise in the first quarter was when
the U.S. missed.
"We were
looking forward to this game, playing against the U.S.," Diogu said.
"You know we wanted to use this to show the world what type of team we
are. We just came out flat, turned the ball over too many times and they
made us pay every time."
After
starting so sluggsishly in blowout wins over France and Tunisia, the
U.S. came flying out of the gates, led by Bryant.
The Americans seemed intent on breaking
Nigeria's spirit, and when that was accomplished with ease, they set
their sights on making history.
Anthony, who made five 3-pointers in
the first half, put on a shooting clinic in the third quarter. With the
U.S. bench standing in anticipation every time he touched the ball on
the perimeter, Anthony made all five of his attempts, punctuating one
that made it 97-54 by turning and walking toward the other end of the
floor, shrugging his shoulders.
He was in a zone unlike any seen
before.
And, he wasn't alone
as the Americans made 29 of 46 3-pointers (63 percent), numbers that
could stand for several more Olympiads.
Although an Olympic rookie, Nigeria,
with 10 players who played college ball in the U.S., also has its share
of pro experience.
Diogu, who
was born in Buffalo, N.Y., after his parents emigrated from Africa, has
played for eight NBA teams and Al-Farouq, the No. 8 overall pick in the
2010 draft, was traded last year by the Los Angeles Clippers to New
Orleans in the deal for U.S. guard Chris Paul.
But there isn't a team in the
Olympics that can match the American's celebrated roster with a combined
43 All-Star appearances, seven NBA titles and four league MVPs.
Krzyzewski gave his players the day
off on Wednesday, a chance to relax and enjoy the games. Anthony and
James Harden went to see boxing. Durant watched beach volleyball.
They came back rested.
And on target.
Source:Yahoo