SAPPORO, JAPAN, August 23, 2006 -- The Americans said all week that Italy would be the toughest opponent they will face in group play of the FIBA 2006 World Championship.

They were right. Tonight, Italy was very good. But Carmelo Anthony was better.

With the U.S. clinging to a lead headed for the final period, Anthony caught fire, scoring 10 points over the final 2:45 of the third to give his team its first bit of breathing room on the night, and propel it to a 94-85 win to remain unbeaten.

"Carmelo got hot," USA assistant coach Nate McMillan said after the game. "When a guy like that is shooting the ball, or feels like he did, it's really tough to stop him."

Italy had no answer for Anthony on Wednesday. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

The only thing that could stop Anthony tonight was the final buzzer, by which time 'Melo had rang up 29 second-half points in a variety of ways: A drive and contact. A 20-foot jumper. A tip in off a missed free throw. A triple with a man in his face. A wide-open three from the corner. A slashing lay-in. You get the idea; He was scoring any way he wanted and there wasn't anybody on the court who could do anything about it.

When asked if he'd ever seen Anthony go off as he did tonight, Dwyane Wade could only respond, "Maybe on TV when I watch him play, but never in his presence. I'm glad he's my teammate tonight."

So, just what was it that fired up Anthony? Based on what his teammate Elton Brand said, it could have been the trash talk of the Italians, who were telling the American players they were no Michael Jordan.

"That helped pump Carmelo Anthony up for 15 straight points," Brand said with a laugh.

Maybe the Italians didn't realize one USA member, Wade, is the player most often compared to His Airness. And he's this team's sixth man.

In the second half, Wade played like the Dream Teamer, combining with Anthony to score 51 second-half points. Slashing to the basket time and again, Wade hit the deck more often in the fourth quarter alone than he does in a certain shoe commercial. But he kept picking himself up, kept attacking Italy's defense, and helped keep the U.S. ahead on the scoreboard.

Wade and Anthony, however, were not alone tonight, when we really, for the first time, saw the three captains stay on the floor together for extended minutes. Playing the 2003 draftees at the same time was just one of the necessary adjustments made by head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

"We didn’t use our platoon system," Coach K said, "and the guys adjusted to it. One of the benefits of doing the platoon system is that I know our guys now. I was impressed with the (conditioning) of our guys, because Carmelo, Dwyane and Elton played extended minutes. It just shows they are winners."

For the first 20 minutes winning looked to be a difficult proposition.

Italy came out of the gates firing, knocking down three triples and two more long twos, taking an early 15-10 lead. The U.S. would recover, though, as it tightened up its defense and didn't allow another three-point basket the rest of the period.

Still, Italy took a nine-point advantage into the locker room at the half, marking the first time in this tournament the Americans were behind at the break. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that room when such a well-known motivational speaker also happens to be the man in charge.

But, James told us there was no speech, nothing special said.

"For the most part," he said, "we knew we had good shots in the first half. We knew, sometimes we gamble and that can hurt us, especially against a good team like this. But we never lost focus. We never started pointing fingers. We just said, 'Hey, let's come out in the second half, let's play well, let's get the lead and let's win the ball game."

The win assured the U.S. the top seed in Group D and will face the fourth-place team in Group C Sunday when the tournament shifts to Saitama, Japan.

NOTES:

-- There was a scary moment for Team USA when Dwight Howard crashed to the hardwood in the first minute of the second period. As Italy inbounded the ball to Richard Mason Rocca in the post, Howard jumped for the block. But Rocca pulled it back down and undercut the youngster, who remained on his back for a moment or two while trainer Casey Smith attended to him. The crowd here applauded as Howard walked off under his own power and again when he returned to the game later in the quarter.

Howard didn't play in the second half, but that was a coaching decision and not because of any effects from the fall.

"It wasn't really a game for a big guy," Howard said, "so coach put a small lineup in and we did good."

-- Italy matched up with the U.S. in a man-to-man defense for the entire game and found a good deal of success.

"It was working for them," assistant coach Mike D'Antoni said after the game. "Most European teams, they want to play man. But if it doesn't work, obviously, they've got to go to a zone, which we have had trouble (with in recent history). But, we're not going to have any trouble with the zone so we're going to have to solve some good man-to-man defense. They did it tonight. They played great defense."