Team USA Hammers Nigeria, Sets Scoring Record In 156-73 Win

There were many impressive numbers from Team USA’s record-breaking, 83-point win over Nigeria on Thursday, including, uh, the fact that Team USA won by 83 points. In this post, we attempt to rank the statistics in order of impressiveness.

No. 2: 83. That was the final margin. That’s pretty outrageous. In case you’re curious, the NBA record for biggest margin in a game is 68. Surely Nigeria would have made up 15 points with another eight minutes ... right? (Nigeria was on pace to score 87 points in a 48-minute game, so Team USA would have been expected to win by a full 100. Amazing.)

From Yahoo!‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, via Pro Basketball Talk:

That’s right: Coach K did everything he could to make the score respectable. He benched two of his best players, and limited Carmelo Anthony, who was beyond hot, to 14 minutes. He told his players not to take fast breaks. He played zone in the fourth. And his team still won by 83.

Team USA put on a record-breaking performance against Nigeria on Thursday night, remaining undefeated in Group A play with a 156-73 win. USA obliterated the all-time single-game Olympic scoring record of 138 points, previously held by the 1988 Brazilian national team. After a sluggish start against Tunisia on Tuesday, America’s starters came out from the opening tip and absolutely blitzed the overmatched Nigerian club. Team USA took a 13-0 lead less than three minutes into the game and was quickly on their way to a 49-point quarter that included 11 3-pointers.

It was a shooting display for the ages that included an insane 29 made 3three-pointers -- a record for any Team USA game. As a team, USA hit 71.1 percent from the floor and 63 percent from behind the arc. USA made more 3-pointers than Nigeria made total field goals en route to the 83-point win.

There are few feelings more humiliating than being a professional athlete who just got clowned during a game in which your team was well on its way to a blowout victory. For one thing, your failure will stick out like a sore thumb. For another, because your team just won, everyone is going to be in the mood to make fun of you. Your only choice is to laugh with them, all while hiding your embarrassment.

If Harden’s teammates don’t make fun of him for that every day for the rest of the Olympics, they are derelict in their duty to society.

While it wasn’t quite as remarkable as their incredible 49-point first quarter, Team USA kept up the pressure in the second 10 minutes against Nigeria on Thursday to take a 78-45 lead into halftime. In just 20 minutes, Team USA has already tied their record for 3-pointers made in an Olympic game (14). As a team, they are shooting 58.3 percent from behind the arc and 67.4 percent from the floor.

Brazil holds the record for points scored in Olympic play with a 138-point performance against Egypt in 1988. Even if coach Mike Krzyzewski tries to put the brakes on the blowout, that could be in jeopardy if Team USA continues to shoot it as well as they have.

What does Team USA do when they’re up big in the first half against Nigeria? (I mean, other than putting on their own dunk contest with lobs from all over the court.) They spend their time messing with the rookie, of course.

“Hey, Anthony. You’re in, bud. Get on over to the scorer’s table.”

After a sluggish start against Tunisia on Tuesday, Team USA’s starters made a concerted effort to blitz Nigeria in the first quarter on Thursday. USA overwhelmed the Nigerians to begin the game, jumping out to a 13-0 run and moving the ball quickly around the floor. But that was just the beginning of an incredible 10-minute stretch that featured 11 three-pointers and 49 points. Team USA holds a 24-point lead after the statement quarter.

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