Bryant’s three spree lets U.S. break free

LONDON — As the shot fell through the net, Kobe Bryant held up three fingers on each hand. It was his third consecutive three-pointer in the fourth quarter, enough for the U.S. men’s Olympic team to finally put away stubborn Australia.

Yes, all’s fine with Bryant, and the Americans’ gold medal hopes, as well.

Bryant silenced his critics and broke open a tight game with six three- pointers in the second half Wednesday night as the U.S. advanced to the semifinals of the London Games with a 119-86 victory over Australia.

“Somebody made him mad. I could see it in his eyes,” American Kevin Durant said. “I wanted him to kind of turn it on and that’s what he did.”

On a night when LeBron James had 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, the story was Bryant’s awakening from his Olympic slumber. The five- time NBA champion has even said this team could have beaten the Dream Team, and on the 20th anniversary of that squad’s gold medal win, he put on the kind of show that makes his claim hard to dismiss.

Bryant scored all of his 20 points after halftime, finally delivering the kind of game expected of him in London.

He had insisted his time would come, and none of his teammates ever doubted it.

“I kind of knew what button to push with him. I was talking to him at halftime and in the third quarter and I guess I pushed the button. He woke up and to see that, I’ve been on the other side of the ball and had that situation before,” teammate Carmelo Anthony said.

Bryant, a top-five scorer in NBA history, brushed away Anthony’s attempts to take credit as easily as the questions he’s been hearing in London.

“He was just saying, ‘Let’s see what we see during the season.’ But by that point, I was already revved up,” Bryant said.

Deron Williams added 18 points, Anthony had 17 and Durant 14.