U.S. Basketball Tops Spain to Finish With 5-0 Pre-Olympic Record

Carmelo Anthony had 27 points and the U.S. men’s basketball team defeated host Spain 100-78 to finish five pre-Olympic exhibitions with a perfect record.

Anthony, of the National Basketball Association’s New York Knicks, scored 23 of his points in the first half as the defending Olympic champions won a rematch of the 2008 gold medal game in Beijing.

LeBron James of the Miami Heat added 25 points for Team USA at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers, playing in his hometown, led Spain with 19 points.

“It was a good test for us tonight, but the exhibition games are over, the friendlies are over and we look forward to the real challenge of going to London,” James told reporters.

The U.S. opens preliminary round play at the London Olympics on July 29 against France before facing Tunisia, Nigeria, Lithuania and Argentina.

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net