Justin Bieber challenges Carmelo Anthony to a basketball game: Anyone wanna place a bet?

Mystery solved.

The secret meaning of Justin Bieber’s cryptic tweet to Carmelo Anthony yesterday? The floppy-haired teen idol simply wanted to play the NBA All-Star in basketball — not convince him to become Canadian or sing backup vocals or get down on one knee and propose to him, as we hypothesized.

How did we finally crack the case, you ask? The same way we discovered it: via Twitter.

The whole thing started with a tweet from Justin Bieber to Melo’s very-soon-to-be wife, Lala Vazquez.

Yo @lalavazquez tell @carmeloanthony I’m in Denver and I wanna cross him over.. Tweet me if u guys r in townless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Justin Bieberjustinbieber

Despite her busy pre-wedding schedule, Lala tweeted back.

Lol!U don’t want it!Dm me ur info ill have him hit u up! RT @justinbieber: Yo @lalavazquez tell MELO I’m in Denver &I wanna cross him overless than a minute ago via UberTwitterLA LA VAZQUEZlalavazquez

Lala must have come through, because then Melo sent this ominous tweet.

Someone tell @justinbieber I’m looking for him. The one on one challenge is on. Lolless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Carmelo Anthonycarmeloanthony

Justin Bieber got the message.

So @carmeloanthony and @justinbieber just talked on the phone. Twitter is amazing. They r setting that bball game up! Who’s gonna win? LOLless than a minute ago via UberTwitterLA LA VAZQUEZlalavazquez

And then he started practicing.

Been hoopin all day…ball players in denver must be in incredible shape because the air is thinner up hereless than a minute ago via UberTwitterJustin Bieberjustinbieber

Of course, the sixteen-year-old from Ontario probably doesn’t stand much of a chance against the six-foot-eight pro… although he did okay against his mentor, Usher, as you can see below. But Usher is no Melo.

As an aside, we wonder if Bieber Fever is contagious. Circle, circle, dot, dot!