Carmelo Anthony: Five Ways ‘Melo Made Olympic History

2. 30+ Points In Two Olympic Games

If there’s one thing that Carmelo Anthony does well, it’s put points on the board in a hurry. When he gets hot, there aren’t many players in NBA or Olympic history who can take over a game in the way he’s capable.

In 2016, Anthony re-established his greatness as a scorer by becoming the first American player to record at least 30 points in two different Olympic games.

Anthony’s first 30-point eruption is the single most iconic scoring performance in Team USA history. He set a team record by going off for 37 points against Nigeria at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

To this day, that performance is considered to be the best that any USA Basketball player has put forth at the Olympics.

In 2016, Anthony saved Team USA from disaster by scoring 31 points in a 98-88 escape of Australia. It appeared as though the lethargic Americans would lose, but Anthony wouldn’t let that happen.

Though the former may have been the more explosive of the two outings, it was the latter that embodied how much Anthony means to USA Basketball.

Next: Raising The Bar