SWEET MELO-DY: Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James (center) share a laugh after Anthony scored an American Olympic record 37 points in yesterday’s 83-point rout over Nigeria. (EPA (2))
LONDON –Carmelo Anthony staged a wild East London party at the Olympics late last night and it made all sorts of history.
The party took place at the basketball venue at Olympic Park before 10,000 fans. Anthony set the all-time record for most points by an U.S. player at the Olympics, erupting for 37 points in 14:29 — a Wilt Chamberlain 100-point pace.
Anthony drained a U.S. Olympic record 10 3-pointers on 12 attempts in Team USA’s record-setting 156-73 destruction of Nigeria. It was an 83-point massacre — largest margin of victory for a U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team and set the record for most points ever scored by a country at the Olympics.
Anthony broke Stephon Marbury’s record for most 3-pointers and points. Marbury scored 31 points vs. Spain during the 2004 debacle, making five 3-pointers. Anthony doubled the trey total as the Americans poured in another Olympic record with 29 3-pointers.
Each time Anthony got the ball in the third quarter, his teammates on the bench stood up in anticipation.
“The support system that we have, you can’t explain that, telling me to shoot the ball, encouraging me to make shots, to take shots,’’ Anthony said. “But then just to feel that touch, it’s kind of hard to explain it. If you have never done it then you wouldn’t really understand what I’m talking about.”
With 4:30 left, the Olympic point record fell when Andre Iguodala made a 3-pointer to give the Americans a 139-68 lead with 4:30 left. That topped Brazil’s 1988 record of 138.
Team USA was up 49-25 after one quarter and 78-45 at halftime — the most points ever scored by intermission. After the Americans struggled early vs. Tunisia, Mike Krzyzewski’s club was out for blood.
“Tonight was just one of them nights, as a unit we had it going,’’ Anthony said. “It could’ve been anyone on the court playing against us. When we shoot that well, it was incredible. Everyone played off each other.”
On Wednesday, their off day, Anthony attended the midnight U.S. beach volleyball match that lasted until 1 a.m. The late night didn’t affect his 3-point touch, however.
He hit his 10th 3-pointer with 4:55 left in the third quarter, rocked his head back, laughed and put his hands up in Jordanesque fashion — as if to say he couldn’t explain it either.
Talking about all the marks set, Anthony said, “It’s a great accomplishment to get that record. We did it in a high, classy way. We went out and played basketball. When we were on the bench, we were aware of the [team scoring] record. We talked about it.’’
After the scoring record was set, several players walked up to Krzyzewski to slap his hand in congratulations.
Anthony hit five straight 3-pointers without a miss in the third before Krzyzewski had no choice but to pull him with 4:48 left in the third so as not to further humiliate Nigeria.
“I was coming out of the game,’’ Anthony said. “There were other guys who needed to play. I wasn’t worried about staying in the game. The substitution took place and I was cheering the other guys.’’
Anthony’s 3-point shot was never his strength but he feasted on the shorter international distance. After the Tunisia game in which Anthony made all six of his 3-point attempts, Krzyzewski mentioned him as one of the best international players he has ever coached.
Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and Kobe Bryant had 14 of his 16 points in the first quarter. “You have all these guys on one team and then all get hot on the same night, it’s a big problem,’’ Bryant said.
“We just shot better than any team in a game that I ever coached,’’ Krzyzewski said.
In the understatement of the Olympics, Nigeria coach Ayodele Bakare said, “I thought we made some mistakes on defense. We left the 3-point line unguarded.’’