Replace Melo with Durant..

[longislandcuse]

..and are the Knicks any better?

My answer, emphatically NO!

Durant has looked exactly like Melo and OKC exactly like the Knicks in games where Durant is without his superstar sidekick in Westbrook.

The Knicks have Amare (waste of space) Stoudemire taking up the role of Melo's could be sidekick.

I'm so sick of the Melo isn't worth a max contract because he can't carry a team by himself crowd. In that crowds opinion the only player worth a max contract is Lebron James. Not Durant, not Kobe, not Rose, not CP3 because none of those players can carry a team by themselves deep into the playoffs.

Word has come out that with JR Smith back and Hardaways play that they may trade Shump. I'm all for it if it brings back a NBA starting caliber point guard because Felton, Prigs and Udrih are not that. The pg position is why our team is awful right now. Not much you can do without anyone capable of running the offense or making a wide open clutch shot. Don't even get me started on those jokers defense. Of course the defense looks awful when ever pg is able to break down the defense at the point of attack every time down the floor.

 

[Gabjon]

Every good to great team in the NBA has an elite Forward and an elite Guard minimum.

 

[orangefan13]

I love Melo but sometimes I feel he wants to much, He wants more moeny wants to take more shots,

Leading and being do it all worked in college against texas in one game series, but at the nba level one man can't win 7 game playoff series and championships.

Wish he wasn't so hard to build a championship team around, I don't know if he just is, hasn't had the right formula, or hasn't had the opportunity. Its always like watching two different teams everytime he is in/out of the game, much different then any of JB's teams of the last 6 years.

I agree with your argument but sometimes I think Melo believes the one man can do it all thing. As good of a scorer as Dirk was I doubt he ever believed he could win his last championship on his own.

 

[bevosu]

Would Jordan and the Bulls have been able to do what they did without Pippen?

 

[OrangeDW]

..and are the Knicks any better?

My answer, emphatically NO!

Durant has looked exactly like Melo and OKC exactly like the Knicks in games where Durant is without his superstar sidekick in Westbrook.

The Knicks have Amare (waste of space) Stoudemire taking up the role of Melo's could be sidekick.

I'm so sick of the Melo isn't worth a max contract because he can't carry a team by himself crowd. In that crowds opinion the only player worth a max contract is Lebron James. Not Durant, not Kobe, not Rose, not CP3 because none of those players can carry a team by themselves deep into the playoffs.

And unlike all those guys, Melo's teams have never missed the playoffs.

 

[baggerbob]

Right now until JR gets back to full health, the Knicks have no one in the backcourt, World Peace is playing better then all the Knicks backcourt. Amare needs to retire, and go home, he is wasting everyone's time even being in uniform.

 

[doc05]

Sorry man, but Durant is simply a better player than Melo.

 

[BostonOrange]

..and are the Knicks any better?

My answer, emphatically NO!

Durant has looked exactly like Melo and OKC exactly like the Knicks in games where Durant is without his superstar sidekick in Westbrook.

The Knicks have Amare (waste of space) Stoudemire taking up the role of Melo's could be sidekick.

I'm so sick of the Melo isn't worth a max contract because he can't carry a team by himself crowd. In that crowds opinion the only player worth a max contract is Lebron James. Not Durant, not Kobe, not Rose, not CP3 because none of those players can carry a team by themselves deep into the playoffs.

Word has come out that with JR Smith back and Hardaways play that they may trade Shump. I'm all for it if it brings back a NBA starting caliber point guard because Felton, Prigs and Udrih are not that. The pg position is why our team is awful right now. Not much you can do without anyone capable of running the offense or making a wide open clutch shot. Don't even get me started on those jokers defense. Of course the defense looks awful when ever pg is able to break down the defense at the point of attack every time down the floor.

Two Points: No one can do it alone. Lebron couldn't do it in Cleveland, Kobe couldn't do it in LA, even MJ couldn't do it until Pippen came into his own. For anyone to expect Melo to win with the team the Knicks have assembled around is unfair. That said, Durant is clearly a better player than Melo. I can't think of anything Durant doesn't do better than Melo. That isn't an insult to Melo, Durant is great.

 

[longislandcuse]

I'm not arguing who's better. My point is that people arguing that Melo doesn't deserve a max contract because he can't lead this Knicks team, as assembled right now, deep into the playoffs is ridiculous. Durant wouldn't do any better and honestly he would be very Melo-like in terms of criticism if he didnt have Westbrook.

 

[BostonOrange]

I'm not arguing who's better. My point is that people arguing that Melo doesn't deserve a max contract because he can't lead this Knicks team, as assembled right now, deep into the playoffs is ridiculous. Durant wouldn't do any better and honestly he would be very Melo-like in terms of criticism if he didnt have Westbrook.

Melo is absolutely a max contract guy, unless you think there are only 4-5 max guys in the league. If Durant hasn't won when he is 29 he will get plenty of criticism. Some of it just comes with age I think.

 

[Gabjon]

Two Points: No one can do it alone. Lebron couldn't do it in Cleveland, Kobe couldn't do it in LA, even MJ couldn't do it until Pippen came into his own. For anyone to expect Melo to win with the team the Knicks have assembled around is unfair. That said, Durant is clearly a better player than Melo. I can't think of anything Durant doesn't do better than Melo. That isn't an insult to Melo, Durant is great.

Post...but I agree otherwise

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[Madbiker]

It's frustrating as hell to hear idiots discuss the Knicks on sports radio and trash Melo as though he's the reason they aren't a title contender. Outside of Melo and maybe Tyson Chandler the rest of the roster is below mediocre. Who else on that team can score? Nobody. That's why Melo has to take so many shots. The backcourt stinks. Felton isn't even in the top 1/2 of the league's PG's. Prigioni at 36 is a waste of more money.The 2G's are totally inconsistent shooters. Metta WP is a decent role player but that's about it at his age. Amare was supposed to be the 2nd star but he can't play anymore with bad knees but they still have his $20M salary so they're capped out. There is no back up center for the 2nd straight year. Bargnani, their big offseason acquisition, is a 7 ft jump shooter who plays on the perimeter and is as soft as they come. He never heard of the word rebound. The owner is a total moron who surrounds himself with yes men. I'm a Knicks fan but realistic. Without Melo they wouldn't be a playoff team. He's all they really have.

 

[OrangeDW]

It's frustrating as hell to hear idiots discuss the Knicks on sports radio and trash Melo as though he's the reason they aren't a title contender. Outside of Melo and maybe Tyson Chandler the rest of the roster is below mediocre. Who else on that team can score? Nobody. That's why Melo has to take so many shots. The backcourt stinks. Felton isn't even in the top 1/2 of the league's PG's. Prigioni at 36 is a waste of more money.The 2G's are totally inconsistent shooters. Metta WP is a decent role player but that's about it at his age. Amare was supposed to be the 2nd star but he can't play anymore with bad knees but they still have his $20M salary so they're capped out. There is no back up center for the 2nd straight year. Bargnani, their big offseason acquisition, is a 7 ft jump shooter who plays on the perimeter and is as soft as they come. He never heard of the word rebound. The owner is a total moron who surrounds himself with yes men. I'm a Knicks fan but realistic. Without Melo they wouldn't be a playoff team. He's all they really have.

As a fan of another team, Carmelo and Chandler are the only players on that roster I'd want on my team. Maybe Hardaway and Shumpert due to their youth. Last year was one of the great overachieving seasons of recent times, which is why Melo was 3rd in MVP voting.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Shall we revisit the Paul George vs Melo argument again? George is the better overall player now, imo. Guy does everything on floor well. No brainer.

 

[longislandcuse]

Shall we revisit the Paul George vs Melo argument again? George is the better overall player now, imo. Guy does everything on floor well. No brainer.

Paul George plays on a virtual All-Star team right now. Pacers are LOADED.

 

[Gabjon]

Paul George plays on a virtual All-Star team right now. Pacers are LOADED.

Correct! You can't double anyone on that team! The Spurs doubled and a couple of times tripled Melo today and won by 30! Do that to George and they lose by 30!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[SoBeCuse]

Paul George plays on a virtual All-Star team right now. Pacers are LOADED.

And he still does it all. I love Melo but this dude George does everything. No holes in his game.

 

[OrangeDW]

Shall we revisit the Paul George vs Melo argument again? George is the better overall player now, imo. Guy does everything on floor well. No brainer.

What argument? Carmelo was clearly better last year. There was no argument, beyond some wanting to hop on the bandwagon of the "next big thing" before everyone else did.

George being 23-24 or whatever and Carmelo being 29...obviously George is going to pass him soon enough.

George is on a much better team in a much better situation right now. He's younger and the better athlete and defender...Melo still has better offensive skills.

 

[SoBeCuse]

What argument? Carmelo was clearly better last year. There was no argument, beyond some wanting to hop on the bandwagon of the "next big thing" before everyone else did.

George being 23-24 or whatever and Carmelo being 29...obviously George is going to pass him soon enough.

George is on a much better team in a much better situation right now. He's younger and the better athlete and defender...Melo still has better offensive skills.

Just because Carmelo won the scoring title? Scorer yes. Better player no, imo. Last year or this year.

 

[BostonOrange]

Paul George plays on a virtual All-Star team right now. Pacers are LOADED.

I bet no one on that team outside of George makes the all-star team. Good team no doubt, but not really an all star team.

 

[OrangeDW]

Just because Carmelo won the scoring title? Scorer yes. Better player no, imo. Last year or this year.

Scoring title.

3rd in MVP voting. (George got zero votes)

2nd team All NBA, while receiving the 5th most points(meaning he earned first team, but plays the same position as the 2 best players in the league). Duncan was 6th but got 1st team over Melo based on positions. George made 3rd team, receiving the 15th most points, (meaning he was the last player picked).

And dragging the carcass of a crappy, old, weak NY Knicks roster to 57 wins.

Melo was better by every single measure out there. George was good and played on a better team, and jumps higher(for people who value that stuff) and is younger(for the GM types out there thinking long term).

 

[OrangeDW]

I bet no one on that team outside of George makes the all-star team. Good team no doubt, but not really an all star team.

That's because Hibbert dorks around in too many games to have the overwhelming numbers.

But(as much as I hate to credit a Hoya for anything), he has an all star level impact when he is at his best and when it matters.

 

[BostonOrange]

Just because Carmelo won the scoring title? Scorer yes. Better player no, imo. Last year or this year.

I'll take Melo over George last year. His offensive usage was so much higher than George's, and he still had higher percentages across the board. Yeah George is a better defender, but I don't think it offsets Melo's offensive superiority. We'll see if George can keep it up this year - he is awesome but not sure I buy him as a 25 pt a game scorer

 

[SoBeCuse]

Scoring title.

3rd in MVP voting. (George got zero votes)

2nd team All NBA, while receiving the 5th most points(meaning he earned first team, but plays the same position as the 2 best players in the league). Duncan was 6th but got 1st team over Melo based on positions. George made 3rd team, receiving the 15th most points, (meaning he was the last player picked).

And dragging the carcass of a crappy, old, weak NY Knicks roster to 57 wins.

Melo was better by every single measure out there. George was good and played on a better team, and jumps higher(for people who value that stuff) and is younger(for the GM types out there thinking long term).

Simply not true. George is a better passer, defender, playmaker, and has a better handle. Melo is the better scorer. All-NBA is a bunch of malarkey. Popularity contest.

 

[BostonOrange]

That's because Hibbert dorks around in too many games to have the overwhelming numbers.

But(as much as I hate to credit a Hoya for anything), he has an all star level impact when he is at his best and when it matters.

He played at an all-star level in last year's postseason, but he's never done that before, either in a reg season or post season. I guess he could be an all star, borderline