Carmelo Anthony helps U.S. squeak past Australia

Throughout its preparation for the Olympics and its first two games in Rio de Janeiro, Team USA pointed to four-time Olympian Carmelo Anthony as the unquestioned leader on a team filled with NBA All-Stars.

It’s easy to be a leader when your team is throttling the likes of China and Venezuela without much interference.

But when a nervous U.S. needed someone to take the reins in its first challenge of the Rio Games, Anthony was happy to oblige.

Anthony saved his team in a 98-88 victory over Australia and its “Boomers” lineup of NBA players Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Andrew Bogut by scoring 31 points, including nine three-pointers. Anthony, who made 11 of 21 shots, set the U.S. Olympic career scoring record in the process.

“I was in my zone,” Anthony said. “My teammates found me when I was open. I didn’t try to go get it, everything happened in the flow of the basketball game.”

With the U.S. trailing 72-70 early in the fourth, Anthony scored 14 of the next 18 points for the U.S., which grabbed an 88-80 lead with 3:43 remaining. His mastery behind the three-point line (nine for 15) caused an audible reaction from the pro-Australian crowd inside Carioca Arena 1.

“We expected a game like this,” said Anthony, who was on the team in 2004 the last time the U.S. lost a game in the Olympics. “It was a physical game, a grind-out game. We knew it was going to come down to the end of the game where we’d have to buckle down and make plays down the stretch.”

But it was mostly Anthony doing so. He had help from Kyrie Irving (19 points), but when Anthony wanted the ball, he got the ball.

“If he doesn’t make the shots he make we lose tonight,” forward Paul George said. “His shots were big. He took it upon himself to lead us and he’s been doing this for many years. He’s special. We don’t get this without him.”

The Australians gave the U.S. plenty to think about in its next practice session. Its motion offense filled with off-ball screens and back cuts shredded the U.S. defense, especially in the first half when Australia shot 68% on its way to a 54-49 lead at the break. Mills was a problem for the U.S. on the outside. He led Australia with 30 points.

But the U.S. improved its defense and contained Bogut, who scored only four of his 17 points in the second half, enough to allow Anthony to take over. Crisis averted.

“That’s the first real international game we had…” Coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “This is the real world now.”

One that Anthony can help them navigate.

chine@chicagotribune.com

chine@tribune.com