Melo has 45...

[Gabjon]

I wish I knew how to only quote a certain section of your text but anyway, you talk about buying in which Carmelo is doing this year and what he hasn't done in the past. This is in my opinion the biggest change and sign of maturity and why the Knicks are doing so well and why people are saying Melo is a better player. Also a couple of those Denver teams that he was on had pretty decent talent but as you said played horrid defense.

His defensive is better because he takes less plays off (he still does it too much for my taste) but buying into a system requires:

A) A defensive system Woodson has put a great system in from day one ( the Knicks finished 20-6 under Woodson last year) and him system his far better what was run under Karl and D'Antonio

B) Every player must buy in not just the stars and the coach must demand it from the players. Melo as the star of his teams took the brute of the blame, but it's a team game Dwight Howard hasn't forgotten how to play defense neither has Kobe but in basketball you need all 5 guys on defense or you have no defense. Kobe went for 42 tonight but the Lakers lost to Cleveland!

 

[Melancer46]

LeBron taking the regular season off and looking content = putting up better numbers than Melo across the board...

The only reason Melo would stand a chance of winning the MVP right now is because people don't like to see the same guy win year after year and the Knicks have a better record. LeBron is still easily the best player in the world, and this is coming from a guy that absolutely hates LeBron.

 

[kjb120]

His defensive is better because he takes less plays off (he still does it too much for my taste) but buying into a system requires:

A) A defensive system Woodson has put a great system in from day one ( the Knicks finished 20-6 under Woodson last year) and him system his far better what was run under Karl and D'Antonio

B) Every player must buy in not just the stars and the coach must demand it from the players. Melo as the star of his teams took the brute of the blame, but it's a team game Dwight Howard hasn't forgotten how to play defense neither has Kobe but in basketball you need all 5 guys on defense or you have no defense. Kobe went for 42 tonight but the Lakers lost to Cleveland!

Clearly to be a good defensive team you need all the players to buy in, as you have stated, and my point is that Melo is doing that under Woodson, so you can give credit to Woodson as much as Carmelo but the fact of the matter is that there has been a change in his game.

 

[CorduroyG]

Lebeon is the best player on the planet, come on. Melo will win mvp though if he and the knicks keep this up all year.

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[pfister1]

Playing a ton of minutes, much better defense and still scoring a ton. Driven like I haven't seen before.

He didn't bother to defend anyone on Brooklyn's last possession. He left Gerald Wallace entirely and allowed him to get an open look at a 3 (maybe that was by design, but I doubt they would have him hang out in the lane at the Free Throw line when a 2 couldn't hurt them only a three could).

Had a great offensive game, but I still am not impressed by his defensive effort.

 

[longislandcuse]

Iman Shumpert goin innnn. Aint nobody messin wit my Knicks, Knicks, Knicks, Knicks.

 

[Knicks411]

He didn't bother to defend anyone on Brooklyn's last possession. He left Gerald Wallace entirely and allowed him to get an open look at a 3 (maybe that was by design, but I doubt they would have him hang out in the lane at the Free Throw line when a 2 couldn't hurt them only a three could).

YTeah I doubt it was by design; especially since the Nets didn't call a TO so the Knicks didn't have a chance to set their defense.

45 points on 15-24 from the field is just absurd.

I guess Lebron must be pretty good if he can take the regular season off and average 25-9-7 with a 60% true shooting. Lebron is the best player but if the Knicks finish first in the East and Melo continues to play at a level close to the level he's at right now he would probably iwn the MVP

 

[longislandcuse]

Anyone who knocks Melo's defense this year is clearly not paying attention. Melo always could play defense when he wanted to but now its all mental and he finally grew up. Melo is killin it and has put himself in the LBJ/Durant category. He is absolutely a well-rounded player now. He plays defense and good defense at that, he rebounds, hes a leader, hes vocal, he passes the ball (see the term "hockey assist") and he is unguardable. The scary thing is that Melo is having trouble finishing around the hoop so far, if he cleans that up, watch out.

Yes alot of this is due to the coach, the team philosophy, talent surrounding him and veterans in the locker room, but dont try to knock down Melo because so far, dude is MVP and for the first team since he entered the league is CLEARLY a top 5 player and in the discussion with LBJ and Durant as top 3 players in the league.

 

[Gabjon]

Clearly to be a good defensive team you need all the players to buy in, as you have stated, and my point is that Melo is doing that under Woodson, so you can give credit to Woodson as much as Carmelo but the fact of the matter is that there has been a change in his game.

But the improvement is only in help defense he is not a better on the ball defender than he was before and help defensive 75% scheme and 25% player effort. So yes I agree he is playing better defense but it is mostly because he is receiving better coaching. I think it is important to highlight Woodson's coaching because the media would have to believe that Melo d*cked around in the league for 8 years never trying to play defense and now he is finally trying which is not the case IMO.

It is the same issue with Amare by the way but with Amare it is worse. He went from high school to Mike D' Antonio so of course he doesn't know to play defense or have a back to the basket basketball. Let's hope Woodson and the guys can help him learn how to play help defense. It is not as easy as most people think because you need to be able to react to a play before it happens or you're going to be too late and may get embarrassed.

 

[Knicks411]

Anyone who knocks Melo's defense this year is clearly not paying attention. Melo always could play defense when he wanted to but now its all mental and he finally grew up. Melo is killin it and has put himself in the LBJ/Durant category. He is absolutely a well-rounded player now. He plays defense and good defense at that, he rebounds, hes a leader, hes vocal, he passes the ball (see the term "hockey assist") and he is unguardable. The scary thing is that Melo is having trouble finishing around the hoop so far, if he cleans that up, watch out.

Yes alot of this is due to the coach, the team philosophy, talent surrounding him and veterans in the locker room, but dont try to knock down Melo because so far, dude is MVP and for the first team since he entered the league is CLEARLY a top 5 player and in the discussion with LBJ and Durant as top 3 players in the league.

I think 20 games is too early to say he has become one of the top 3 players in the league. He's been really great this year though. But if (when?) that 3 point shooting falls back to earth, then his efficiency numbers are going to drop. But he's played awesome this year, and has a career high in true shooting% and a career high usage rate, which is pretty impressive.

It's funny on the passing thing; because my gut feeling was he is moving the ball very well this year, but his assist rate is at a career low. But I do believe you are right with the hockey assist thing; the Knicks as a team are moving the ball extremely well this year, which is a large part of the reason they are killing it from 3 and since Melo has the ball in his hands a lot he is clearly contributing to that.

Melo is playing awesome and the Knicks are playing awesome, which is mainly what I care about more than where he ranks in the NBA. Before the season I thought Miami would be the favorite to come out of the east, and I still think that, but I'm giving the Knicks a much better shot than I was 3 months ago, which is pretty exciting.

 

[longislandcuse]

I think 20 games is too early to say he has become one of the top 3 players in the league. He's been really great this year though. But if (when?) that 3 point shooting falls back to earth, then his efficiency numbers are going to drop. But he's played awesome this year, and has a career high in true shooting% and a career high usage rate, which is pretty impressive.

It's funny on the passing thing; because my gut feeling was he is moving the ball very well this year, but his assist rate is at a career low. But I do believe you are right with the hockey assist thing; the Knicks as a team are moving the ball extremely well this year, which is a large part of the reason they are killing it from 3 and since Melo has the ball in his hands a lot he is clearly contributing to that.

Melo is playing awesome and the Knicks are playing awesome, which is mainly what I care about more than where he ranks in the NBA. Before the season I thought Miami would be the favorite to come out of the east, and I still think that, but I'm giving the Knicks a much better shot than I was 3 months ago, which is pretty exciting.

Yea, 20 games is definately too early, but thats all we have to go on right now. His 3 point shooting may fall but aside from the occasional heat check, his 3-point shots come in rhythm so maybe he's done chucking and if so, his looks should have a good chance of going in. Also even if his 3 point % does drop, im assuming at some point he will start finishing better. Hes always been good at that until this year so that should even things out.

 

[Deano]

The thing I noticed last night while watching some of it was that the fans were cheering louder for the Knicks rather than the Nets. So much for a home court advantage.

 

[Gabjon]

Anyone who knocks Melo's defense this year is clearly not paying attention. Melo always could play defense when he wanted to but now its all mental and he finally grew up. Melo is killin it and has put himself in the LBJ/Durant category. He is absolutely a well-rounded player now. He plays defense and good defense at that, he rebounds, hes a leader, hes vocal, he passes the ball (see the term "hockey assist") and he is unguardable. The scary thing is that Melo is having trouble finishing around the hoop so far, if he cleans that up, watch out.

Yes alot of this is due to the coach, the team philosophy, talent surrounding him and veterans in the locker room, but dont try to knock down Melo because so far, dude is MVP and for the first team since he entered the league is CLEARLY a top 5 player and in the discussion with LBJ and Durant as top 3 players in the league.

I'm not trying to knock Melo at all . What I'm saying is this is 90% media driven the idea that he has finally grew up is BS. He has been grown, if you would have given him the same coaching and players around him 5 years ago in Denver you would have gotten the same or extremely similar results. When you are winning you are celebrated when you are the best player on a losing team you are criticized plain and simple.

 

[longislandcuse]

I'm not trying to knock Melo at all . What I'm saying is this is 90% media driven the idea that he has finally grew up is BS. He has been grown, if you would have given him the same coaching and players around him 5 years ago in Denver you would have gotten the same or extremely similar results. When you are winning you are celebrated when you are the best player on a losing team you are criticized plain and simple.

I see what you're saying, I never thought he was as bad defensively as people would say. I think once he came here with D'Antoni he got lumped in with Amare who is truly terrible defensively thus far in his career.

Btw, if Amare comes back and doesnt play defense people are going to flipppppp out.

 

[Knicks411]

I just looked him up, he's shooting 51% at the rim this year. His lowest prior to this year was about 57%, so you'd definitely expect him to improve on that.

Basically from 9 feet and in, he's doing much worse than normal, and from outside 10 feet, much better than normal.

http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Carmelo Anthony

 

[longislandcuse]

The thing I noticed last night while watching some of it was that the fans were cheering louder for the Knicks rather than the Nets. So much for a home court advantage.

Aside from the Broooooklynnnn chant it definately didn't seem like much of a home court advantage. Melo got the MVP chant when he went to the line late in the game and went Kidd hit that three it looked like most of the arena was jumping up and down.

It must SUCK to be both a St Johns and BK fan. When Cuse and NYK come to town they must have some serious inferiority issues.

 

[Gabjon]

I see what you're saying, I never thought he was as bad defensively as people would say. I think once he came here with D'Antoni he got lumped in with Amare who is truly terrible defensively thus far in his career.

Btw, if Amare comes back and doesnt play defense people are going to flipppppp out.

And I don't think Amare will because I don't believe that he can. Melo played here, he played for Karl who is not great but he is better than D'Antoni and Melo as played with USA basketball since he was a teenage including coach K who is a very good defensive coach. Amare has only really played for D'Antoni so he is going from the kiddy pool to the deep end.

 

[br801]

I think 20 games is too early to say he has become one of the top 3 players in the league. He's been really great this year though. But if (when?) that 3 point shooting falls back to earth, then his efficiency numbers are going to drop. But he's played awesome this year, and has a career high in true shooting% and a career high usage rate, which is pretty impressive.

To me, the most remarkable change in his game is his 3-point shooting. I'm not sure if he can continue hitting 45%, but if he winds up at 40% with the volume of shots he is taking from there, that is some weapon. As for his overall shooting percentage, it's interesting to note that historically he's been a much better shooter in the second half of the season; hopefully that trend continues.

 

[HakAttack]

This is starting to turn into a special year for Knicks fans.

If the team can keep up their defensive intensity, and make adjustments when their 3 point shooting starts to fall off (the %s are unsustainable), they're just as much of a title contender as anyone.

 

[igor]

this is thge first time he;s had teammates worthy of his olay/ hes been the best player in bball since 2003. he does the right play every time. remember jerrys six threes first half kansas., they all were melos creation. they'll win it all easily. they';ll beat nj fot the east. then beat the west in a sweep

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Best adjustment Carmelo has made is been to defer more to Kidd and let him have the ball at key moments.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

this is thge first time he;s had teammates worthy of his olay/ hes been the best player in bball since 2003. he does the right play every time. remember jerrys six threes first half kansas., they all were melos creation. they'll win it all easily. they';ll beat nj fot the east. then beat the west in a sweep

Agree Igor..I can't even see them losing more than 3 or 4 games in the playoffs, total. It's going to be a bloodbath. No one can stop that inside/outside attack.

 

[baggerbob]

I really don't see Amare being a problem he went on his own to work with Hakeem. He also had a preseason with Woodson getting used to the defense, and he respects all the older guys as much as Melo. Putting Wallace in the starting lineup, with Amare coming off the bench with the 2nd team, would give you 2 strong units. J R is playing defense, so Amare will figure out a way to fit in with everyone else.

 

[Gabjon]

Here is a stat for you! The knicks are 34-11 with Woodson as head coach with only 1 home lose!