The NBA Dribbled Out

Earlier today I spoke on the phone with one of my buddies from back home. He’s one of just two close personal friends that know anything about the NBA, and he was putting some loots down on the USA-Nigeria game, which had a spread of 42 points (down from their 54 point spread against Tunisia). I told him to take the points and the under.* Boy was I wrong.**

The USA won 156-73 and Carmelo Anthony set a single game USA Olympic scoring record with 38 points (connecting on 10/12 3-point attempts). Here are a few more records set—by way of PBT’s Kurt Helin—during the USA’s historic victory over Nigeria.

• Carmelo Anthony scored 37 points by himself, that is more points than any American ever in a single Olympic game, besting Stephon Marbury’s old record of 31. Part of the reason for this is that Nigeria just did not close out on ‘Melo at the three point line, they let him get good look after good look and he hit 10 of 12 from beyond the arc.

• This was the largest American margin of victory ever, at 83. The old record had been 68.

• The USA made 29 threes (on 46 shots), the old record had been 13 threes in a game. The 46 attempts is also a record.

• The USA shot 71.1 percent for the game, besting the old best ever of 68 percent by team USA.

Some other US scoring totals included Russell Westbrook with 21, Kobe Bryant with 16 (scoring 14 in the first quarter to start the annihilation early), Kevin Love with 15 and Deron Williams with 13. Aside from the knowledge that Stephon Marbury had the old single-game scoring record for USA Men’s Basketball, this lopsided win wasn’t that surprising.

This team is really good, but I just didn’t think they were 42 points better than Nigeria. Turns out I was right; they were better by almost double that total, out-scoring Nigeria by 83 points and obliterating the margin-of-victory record.

*Never ask for gambling advice from someone that only bets on the Super Bowl National Anthem length every year, and is so poor they sometimes go an entire day without eating and only purchases lucys from the local bodega because they can’t afford a full pack. 

**I don’t know yet if my buddy followed my advice. Let’s hope he didn’t. 

[Photos: Getty Via]