Carmelo Anthony was the NBA's leading scorer during the 2012-13 season (28.7 PPG) for good reason: he has the moves to get by practically any defender.

All Anthony needs is a brief look at the basket to get himself into a scoring position. He has a go-to move for every situation, whether he's in the paint or behind the three-point line.

Here is a look at the five moves Anthony uses most effectively to score.

5. Spot-Up Jump Shot

Not surprisingly for the guy who led the league in field goal attempts (22.2 per game), sometimes his best move is to just shoot.

It's also no surprise that these spot-up jumpers are often threes, considering the Knicks led the NBA in attempts per game with 28.9.

In the video above, you can see plenty of occasions in which Anthony merely waits behind the three-point line for the ball to swing over to him, where his quick release allows him to get a shot off before the defender can close in on him.

In that game, a win against the Atlanta Hawks in January, Anthony hit nine three-pointers and went off for 42 points, many of which came without him even dribbling.

4. Pull-Up Jump Shot

A spot-up jumper is good for getting into a rhythm, but Anthony's jumpers are more often of the pull-up variety.

This clip shows two clutch pull-up jumpers Anthony hit against the Chicago Bulls in the 2011-12 season. The first one ties the game near the end of regulation to force overtime. Chicago's Taj Gibson is guarding Anthony, but appears wary of Carmelo blowing by him, so he stays slightly too far back. Anthony takes advantage of the small opening and nails the three-point shot.

Then, in overtime, the Bulls have Luol Deng, one of the league's best wing defenders, on Anthony. It doesn't matter; different defender, same result. Anthony takes the ball on the right wing and pulls up, hitting the game-winner with Deng's hand in his face.

When Anthony's really feeling it, you can see him taking plenty of "heat checks" in the form of pull-up jumpers. 

3. Fadeaway

At 6'9", 230 pounds, Anthony has the size to bang with opposing bigs in the post. When he does, his fadeaway is a great move.

Above you see him backing down Indiana's Paul George. Anthony uses a step back move to gain separation, and then creates even more space between him and the defender with a Dirk Nowitzki-style leg kick, before sinking the shot.

Anthony also has an effective turnaround fadeaway, which you can see here. On that play, he backs down Orlando's Quentin Richardson before spinning baseline and nailing the jumper.

2. Jab Step

Like the fadeaway, Anthony uses the jab step to create separation between him and his defender. What makes this move more effective is that it gives him more options, allowing him to set up either a jump shot or a drive to the basket.

Above, Anthony combines the jab step with a step back to hit a jumper over Atlanta's Josh Smith. While Smith does a good job of not biting on the initial move, the jab step freezes him for a split second. This sets up the step back, giving Carmelo the space he needs to take the shot.

Using a jab step to set up other perimeter moves is nothing new for Anthony. This highlight from his Denver days shows him using a jab step and a quick dribble before hitting yet another step back jumper. He can also use it as a change of direction move, leaving a helpless defender going in the wrong direction.

1. Spin Move

Gambling while guarding a good, versatile player is rarely a good idea. But if you ever find yourself defending Carmelo Anthony, you'd be best served to anticipate his spin move.

Against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, Anthony made a fool of Brandon Bass thanks to the move shown in the above clip. First, he got Bass reeling after a couple of crossovers. The knockout blow, though, was the killer spin. Anthony lifts his shoulders slightly before beginning the spin, drawing Bass into the air to block a shot that isn't coming. He then spins towards the baseline, hitting the mid-range shot over the now disoriented Bass.

A while back, the NBA made a short feature on Anthony's spin, which he says is his favorite move. According to The Denver Post's Benjamin Hochman, Anthony affectionately refers to the move as "the washing machine."

In the NBA video, Memphis' Marc Gasol explains why Anthony's spin is so effective, saying, "he's looking at the whole defense before spinning to the baseline, so he knows what the right time is to attack."

When Anthony properly reads the defense and times his spin correctly, he can leave the best defenders spinning in circles. Kind of like a washing machine.