Utah W 99-88- Melo 6min 2pts
New Jersey W 99-92 - Melo 35min 3-15FG 11pts 3ast
Charlotte W 111-72 - Melo 30min 0-7fg 1pt

the team plays better when melo isn't stopping the ball, particularly with J Lin, but overall, they move the ball better and the offense works better. The loss in Miami when Melo was out was one of the better efforts of the season.

I'm not saying they don't need Melo - it's more complicated than that - they DO need Melo. But they need to find a version of the offense that works.

Tonight, when he went out with a groin injury I was almost relieved, because I knew Lin would get a chance to run the team. Anyone who watched the first six minutes that Melo played knows what I mean. Melo was still trying to be point forward and was waving off Lin. I love Melo and want him to do well here, but he is not buying into the offense. The team's best games have come with him on the bench. When he has a good game, it's usually a lost cause because no one else is involved.

The team is 4-8 when Melo scores 25pts or more, and that's counting two wins against woeful Detroit and one against woeful Washington. The only "Melo" game we've won this season against a real opponent was against Boston on Christmas Day.

I want Melo playing well, but he needs to buy in. You hear Jeffries talking about being willing to die for MDA. You hear STAT saying the offense works but everyone needs to buy in, it sounds like a message to Melo.

I really hope Melo gets it, but I worry he won't. This team will struggle until he does.

Now Melo doesn't have to try and do too much. He can relax and play within the offense. If he let's the game come to him he'll find that he gets more open and easier shots. Now when the defense is stiff, that's when he can use us great talent to create a shot out of nothing. It's just a balance. The same goes for STAT. He can just work with Lin to develop that chemistry. Once it's all flowing it's amazing how it all works.

Look at how effective Novak was. All of that is the PG. Novak isn't out there to create. He's out there to finish. When he's wide open he's a BEAST. That's gonna be huge down the line and he and Lin already have a good rapport. Everyone on the team not just Melo have to stay within the team concept and play their role. I liked how Shump played within himself and shared the ball. In fact he was much more aggressive going to the hole, which I think was inspired by Lin's drives.

If Melo doesn't buy in and plays like he did in the first few minutes against Utah - we're phucked!

MDA needs to reel him in, change his game (a bit) and get him to flow. If he can do that then you can brag all you want about and he will deserve it. If he can't, PJax gets his shot ...
I would love it to be MDA.

No need for Optimism, Pessimism ... just the facts sir - just the facts. Don't explain how and why he will do it ... He's gotta just get it done. Actions only.

holfresh wrote:I'm always amazed at how posters react to the individual eb and flow of individual games..We beat the Nets and Jazz and we think we are world beaters and know how to win...Without guys like Melo and STAT, we are not even a 30 win team..We are now quoting Jared Jeffries on team play...Carmelo has to buy in, really?..No one has changed their game more than Carmelo since he has been here..I have seen 30 win teams for most of the last decade...This team doesn't have a chance without Melo and STAT playing like they are capable of playing...Enjoy the ride, we found a backup PG and let's hope he hangs in there until BD can really get going...

Nobody is saying we can win without Melo - but if you think he has changed his game he better change it alot more to be a true winner. Jordan needed to do it so he does not have to be embarrassed. This has not changed with the Ebb and Flow of each game. This is a consistent problem that is brought up day in and day out.

He is arguably the best pure scorer in the League but he has to adjust to his team. Karl Malone, Jordan ... He can join the club, hopefully ...

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:I'm always amazed at how posters react to the individual eb and flow of individual games..We beat the Nets and Jazz and we think we are world beaters and know how to win...Without guys like Melo and STAT, we are not even a 30 win team..We are now quoting Jared Jeffries on team play...Carmelo has to buy in, really?..No one has changed their game more than Carmelo since he has been here..I have seen 30 win teams for most of the last decade...This team doesn't have a chance without Melo and STAT playing like they are capable of playing...Enjoy the ride, we found a backup PG and let's hope he hangs in there until BD can really get going...

Nobody is saying we can win without Melo - but if you think he has changed his game he better change it alot more to be a true winner. Jordan needed to do it so he does not have to be embarrassed. This has not changed with the Ebb and Flow of each game. This is a consistent problem that is brought up day in and day out.

He is arguably the best pure scorer in the League but he has to adjust to his team. Karl Malone, Jordan ... He can join the club, hopefully ...

How did Jordan change?

He was a super Chucker under doug collins. His team all hated him cause they never saw the ball. Jax had to change that.

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:I'm always amazed at how posters react to the individual eb and flow of individual games..We beat the Nets and Jazz and we think we are world beaters and know how to win...Without guys like Melo and STAT, we are not even a 30 win team..We are now quoting Jared Jeffries on team play...Carmelo has to buy in, really?..No one has changed their game more than Carmelo since he has been here..I have seen 30 win teams for most of the last decade...This team doesn't have a chance without Melo and STAT playing like they are capable of playing...Enjoy the ride, we found a backup PG and let's hope he hangs in there until BD can really get going...

Nobody is saying we can win without Melo - but if you think he has changed his game he better change it alot more to be a true winner. Jordan needed to do it so he does not have to be embarrassed. This has not changed with the Ebb and Flow of each game. This is a consistent problem that is brought up day in and day out.

He is arguably the best pure scorer in the League but he has to adjust to his team. Karl Malone, Jordan ... He can join the club, hopefully ...

How did Jordan change?

He was a super Chucker under doug collins. His team all hated him cause they never saw the ball. Jax had to change that.

Jordan was and has always been an ISO player..He averaged 23/24 shots per game with Phil as the coach...

Seriously? I am not sure if you are just messing around. They even made a movie about this.

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

holfresh wrote:I'm always amazed at how posters react to the individual eb and flow of individual games..We beat the Nets and Jazz and we think we are world beaters and know how to win...Without guys like Melo and STAT, we are not even a 30 win team..We are now quoting Jared Jeffries on team play...Carmelo has to buy in, really?..No one has changed their game more than Carmelo since he has been here..I have seen 30 win teams for most of the last decade...This team doesn't have a chance without Melo and STAT playing like they are capable of playing...Enjoy the ride, we found a backup PG and let's hope he hangs in there until BD can really get going...

Nobody is saying we can win without Melo - but if you think he has changed his game he better change it alot more to be a true winner. Jordan needed to do it so he does not have to be embarrassed. This has not changed with the Ebb and Flow of each game. This is a consistent problem that is brought up day in and day out.

He is arguably the best pure scorer in the League but he has to adjust to his team. Karl Malone, Jordan ... He can join the club, hopefully ...

How did Jordan change?

He was a super Chucker under doug collins. His team all hated him cause they never saw the ball. Jax had to change that.

Jordan was and has always been an ISO player..He averaged 23/24 shots per game with Phil as the coach...

Seriously? I am not sure if you are just messing around. They even made a movie about this.

Which part do u think I'm not serious about?
You gonna tell me Jordan wasn't ISO and he didnt take 23/24 shots a game?

He took alot of shots but when he was doubled, how great was he about hitting Paxon, Hodges, Kerr, Grant, Armstrong - he trusted his teammates and they in turn delivered. The knock on him early was that was much more selfish. Not necessarily in assists because he sometimes he was just forced to pass because the whole team was on him.

Jax came introduced the triangle got Jordan to buy in and become an unselfish part of the system. Of course he took many shots - geez he was jordan.

Initially, Jordan did not want Pjax because Pjax thought Jordan scored too much and Jordan did not want Pjax to come in and change that.

Every star needs to buy into the coaches philosophy and learn to trust his teammates if they wanna win. Melo will need to do the same. He is a great player and is a great passer but he needs to be a willing passer and he also needs to allow the offense to flow through Lin not him.

MDA does not run an ISO offense. JVG did and it worked for their personnel but it won't work here with this coach.

Im sure many are looking for any angle to discredit MDA and perhaps convince others he needs to go.

And that might come to be in time but the reality is Melo appears to be playing team ball and is passing.

Im sure we'd love to see him flip a switch and convert over nite but this is an on going process that takes time.

while we read over and over how inflexible MDA is, I don't hear what the solution is. As if letting Melo go Iso is the answer.

Melo can go for 30 every nite and we won't be more than a .500 team. If the concept is to employ the superior talent into the system that just takes time.

How much? I don't know.

With Lin we are seeing AGAIN (last year with felton) what a certain type point guard can do.

Last nite Lin was quoted talking about "the system" by which it creates space.

Utah was 13 and 9 coming in but not a good road team. Still, any victory over a .500 team is progress. He is excelling against Deron and Devon, both pretty good pts themselves.

What we saw last nite was a glimpse of why players want to play for MDA. Take a guy like Novak and plug him in and he looked like larry freaking bird for 10 minutes! Take a guy like Lin who was discarded by two teams has now killed two teams this week.

Can it continue? Is Lin the real deal?

Tune in. Its interesting!

Nalod wrote:I don't agree with the title.

Im sure many are looking for any angle to discredit MDA and perhaps convince others he needs to go.

And that might come to be in time but the reality is Melo appears to be playing team ball and is passing.

Im sure we'd love to see him flip a switch and convert over nite but this is an on going process that takes time.

while we read over and over how inflexible MDA is, I don't hear what the solution is. As if letting Melo go Iso is the answer.

Melo can go for 30 every nite and we won't be more than a .500 team. If the concept is to employ the superior talent into the system that just takes time.

How much? I don't know.

With Lin we are seeing AGAIN (last year with felton) what a certain type point guard can do.

Last nite Lin was quoted talking about "the system" by which it creates space.

Utah was 13 and 9 coming in but not a good road team. Still, any victory over a .500 team is progress. He is excelling against Deron and Devon, both pretty good pts themselves.

What we saw last nite was a glimpse of why players want to play for MDA. Take a guy like Novak and plug him in and he looked like larry freaking bird for 10 minutes! Take a guy like Lin who was discarded by two teams has now killed two teams this week.

Can it continue? Is Lin the real deal?

Tune in. Its interesting!

i'm not blaming MDA. i'm saying Melo needs to buy in.

crzymdups wrote:

Nalod wrote:I don't agree with the title.

Im sure many are looking for any angle to discredit MDA and perhaps convince others he needs to go.

And that might come to be in time but the reality is Melo appears to be playing team ball and is passing.

Im sure we'd love to see him flip a switch and convert over nite but this is an on going process that takes time.

while we read over and over how inflexible MDA is, I don't hear what the solution is. As if letting Melo go Iso is the answer.

Melo can go for 30 every nite and we won't be more than a .500 team. If the concept is to employ the superior talent into the system that just takes time.

How much? I don't know.

With Lin we are seeing AGAIN (last year with felton) what a certain type point guard can do.

Last nite Lin was quoted talking about "the system" by which it creates space.

Utah was 13 and 9 coming in but not a good road team. Still, any victory over a .500 team is progress. He is excelling against Deron and Devon, both pretty good pts themselves.

What we saw last nite was a glimpse of why players want to play for MDA. Take a guy like Novak and plug him in and he looked like larry freaking bird for 10 minutes! Take a guy like Lin who was discarded by two teams has now killed two teams this week.

Can it continue? Is Lin the real deal?

Tune in. Its interesting!

i'm not blaming MDA. i'm saying Melo needs to buy in.

We agree.

Its not easy for melo to buy in. His whole life he has been a go to guy, and he does have very good moments when he is moving the ball. I loved the play last nite where he pulls his groin, limping he throws an "ooop" to chandler. Assist!

I was not for this trade but thats all been done, what I am watching is the transformation. I see it in spurts.

But lets not forget Melo is one of the games best closers so we can't take him all the way out of his game.

There is a time to iso, and a time to move the ball. He does not know when to trust his team when triple teamed and move the ball.

Took Jordan some time with Jax, it was not over nite.

I see progress. Maybe Melo and Karl were together too long to get it together.

Melo was young and hard headed building his career and earning those max contracts.

Melo had a choice coming here. I think he is bought in but it does not come easy. Lack of training camp did not help.