Chandler at #27

J.R. Smith at #83 and Amare at #85.

One interesting thing to note about Amare is his per 36 stats were 21.8 ppg and 7.7 rpg. It makes it awfully hard to guage how good a player is when he is never on the court, but when he is, he still puts up similar numbers to when he was regarded as a star.

Overall i think those rankings are pretty fair.

Melo at 10, I can live with that.

ChuckBuck wrote:Agree. Pretty fair rankings and explanation of each player:

http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/

10. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks (F, 29)
2012-13 stats: 37 MPG, 28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 24.8 PER, 9.5 Win Shares, +2.3 RAPM

Anthonys move to New York in 2011 put him on a much larger stage, serving to escalate the passionate debate thats long raged between his supporters and detractors. Its unclear whether the terms of that debate have meaningfully shifted, even after a season in which the Knicks won their first playoff series since 2000 and Anthony become the only player besides LeBron James to receive a first-place MVP vote. Yes, Anthony led the league in scoring for the first time in his career, he registered a career-high PER that ranked No. 4 in the league, and he earned All-Star and All-NBA Second Team honors. And, yes, the Knicks, designed to make the most of Anthonys strengths, ranked No. 3 in offensive efficiency.

But the biggest recent developments in Anthonys game his use as both a three and a four, and the increased frequency with which he launches three-pointers seem to be positive wrinkles rather than quantum leaps. Look, its tough and unfair to compare anyone to James, but thats always been the standard for Anthony. The two came into the NBA in the same draft class, they play the same position, and Anthony has publicly declared his desire to win a title, something James has now delivered twice. Heres a snapshot look at their statistical developments as they have progressed through their twenties.

Anthony

Age 22: 28.9 PPG, 22.4 FGA, 47.6 FG%, 26.8 3FG%, 6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 22.1 PER, 7.3 Win Shares
Age 25: 28.2 PPG, 21.8 FGA, 45.8 FG%, 31.6 3FG%, 6.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 22.2 PER, 7.9 Win Shares
Age 28: 28.7 PPG, 22.2 FGA, 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3FG%, 6.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 24.8 PER, 9.5 Win Shares

James

Age 22: 27.3 PPG, 20.8 FGA, 47.6 FG%, 31.9 3FG%, 6.7 RPG, 6 APG, 24.5 PER, 13.7 Win Shares
Age 25: 29.7 PPG, 20.1 FGA, 50.3 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 31.1 PER, 18.5 Win Shares
Age 28: 26.8 PPG, 17.8 FGA, 56.4 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 31.6 PER, 19.3 Win Shares

With James, you see a true evolution, especially during his Miami period. With Anthony, the story has been one of mere consistency, plus some improvement as a three-point shooter thats bumped up his advanced numbers a touch. James has transformed into the most lethal, efficient weapon in the game; Anthony has seemingly become a slightly better version of himself, and his stagnant, unimpressive defensive ratings and his wavering plus-minus numbers over the years only reinforce this conclusion. New Yorks impressive team defensive performance in 2011-12 didnt stick; neither did Anthonys one-year improvement as a distributor that season.

Anthony, then, is more or less the same player that hes been for the last half-decade. He shoots a lot, scores a lot, makes baskets in many different ways and from many different locations, draws lots of fouls and defensive attention, and he rebounds well for his position. He isnt excactly in James class when it comes to lockdown defense on opposing wings and hes definitely no Rajon Rondo when it comes to sharing the rock.

Indeed, Anthony led the NBA with his 35.6 usage rate, which marked a career-high. He also posted his lowest assist total of his career and a 14.1 assist percentage, his lowest mark since 2005. That combination of an extraordinarily high usage rate and a middling assist rate puts Anthony among the greatest black holes the NBA has ever seen. Only two other players George Gervin in 1982 and Dominique Wilkins in 1988 have used such a large share of possessions while registering such a low assist rate. For comparison, Kobe Bryant, notorious for his ball-dominating ways, hasnt posted an assist percentage below 22 since 1999. Sorry, Anthonys hockey assists cant explain this away.

Even those who wish Anthony would be a little less single-minded on offense, a little more selective with his shots, and way more committed on defense can acknowledge that hes an overall offensive powerhouse capable of serving as the No. 1 guy on a championship contender, assuming the right mix is in place around him. Will Anthony ever find that right mix, or will James continue to lord over him like Michael Jordan did to so many of his talented contemporaries? Ben Golliver

this is a fair observation and a 100 million dollar question. i wonder where else the issue of high usage and low assist rate has been discussed?

smackeddog wrote:How long until this becomes a Melo bashing thread?!

Papabear Says

It started. They can't help themselves. It's a sickness.

Papabear wrote:

smackeddog wrote:How long until this becomes a Melo bashing thread?!

Papabear Says

It started. They can't help themselves. It's a sickness.

Oh noes!!! The guys form SI, they're with them!

nixluva wrote:I'm fine with having a top 10 player in the NBA on our team. Melo is good enough to win with IMO. What's wrong with having to put a complementary team around him in order to win a title? Outside of having Jordan/Pippen, Duncan/Parker, Kobe/Shaq, Durant/Westbrook or Lebron/Wade, it's pretty much the only way we have to go. The only thing this team could've done different IMO is to wait on CP3 rather than make the deal for Tyson. That was the one move that cemented this team's path. Now we have to hope for a Mavs type of title run.

nixluva wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:I'm fine with having a top 10 player in the NBA on our team. Melo is good enough to win with IMO. What's wrong with having to put a complementary team around him in order to win a title? Outside of having Jordan/Pippen, Duncan/Parker, Kobe/Shaq, Durant/Westbrook or Lebron/Wade, it's pretty much the only way we have to go. The only thing this team could've done different IMO is to wait on CP3 rather than make the deal for Tyson. That was the one move that cemented this team's path. Now we have to hope for a Mavs type of title run.

Well, top 10 in one analysis. That doesn't mean he factually is top 10.

Come on man. I know it's a guilty pleasure to hate on Melo but he's definitely a top player in this league. I think the article made a good case for that. IMO he's not a perfect player but he's good enough to win with if you have a good roster around him.

Notice how most of those top players have a running mate of similar talent level and complementary skills? If we had more than a broken JR, Sickly Tyson, worn down Kidd and Felton this team could surely have won more games in the playoffs. We needed more talent around Melo.

Now we should be able to be more versatile and sturdy enough to go a full 82 and playoffs. Is this team enough to win a title? Can't say. However, this team is in the mix and a big part of that is due to Melo. I find it entirely a waste of time to declare the Knicks a lost cause because we have Melo. Far better for the Knicks to find ways to improve the team and for fans to recognize that they have a playoff team that is at the least a top 5 team in the East with a chance to win a title.

Melo need a leading mate not running mate.
He needs to be kept in check. We saw this at Olympics.
He was really on top of his game when played secondary role.
Melo cannot push himsel and his team to the win.
This is his soft personality and there is not something that can be changed.
Veteran presence we had last year was good to maximize his game.
Having a player who is a better bbal player with Melo is the way to the chip.

CrushAlot wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:I'm fine with having a top 10 player in the NBA on our team. Melo is good enough to win with IMO. What's wrong with having to put a complementary team around him in order to win a title? Outside of having Jordan/Pippen, Duncan/Parker, Kobe/Shaq, Durant/Westbrook or Lebron/Wade, it's pretty much the only way we have to go. The only thing this team could've done different IMO is to wait on CP3 rather than make the deal for Tyson. That was the one move that cemented this team's path. Now we have to hope for a Mavs type of title run.

Well, top 10 in one analysis. That doesn't mean he factually is top 10.

Come on man. I know it's a guilty pleasure to hate on Melo but he's definitely a top player in this league. I think the article made a good case for that. IMO he's not a perfect player but he's good enough to win with if you have a good roster around him.

Notice how most of those top players have a running mate of similar talent level and complementary skills? If we had more than a broken JR, Sickly Tyson, worn down Kidd and Felton this team could surely have won more games in the playoffs. We needed more talent around Melo.

Now we should be able to be more versatile and sturdy enough to go a full 82 and playoffs. Is this team enough to win a title? Can't say. However, this team is in the mix and a big part of that is due to Melo. I find it entirely a waste of time to declare the Knicks a lost cause because we have Melo. Far better for the Knicks to find ways to improve the team and for fans to recognize that they have a playoff team that is at the least a top 5 team in the East with a chance to win a title.

10. Carmelo Anthony F, New York Knicks
9. Kobe Bryant G, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Dwyane Wade G, Miami Heat
7. Dwight Howard C, Houston Rockets
6. Tim Duncan F/C, San Antonio Spurs
5. Russell Westbrook G, Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Tony Parker G, San Antonio Spurs
3. Chris Paul G, Los Angeles Clippers
2. Kevin Durant F, Oklahoma City Thunder
1. LeBron James F, Miami Heat
Great point Nix. Every other guy has a marquee teammate. Not sure where Pau is rated but he is a nice weak link for this list and teammates. Harden is 11.

This is what is crazy about people bashing Melo! Sure he's got his flaws, but dang, can we at least admit that these other top players have a partner who is also a top player??? Now the league is actually pretty stocked with talent at different levels of development, but this team has the kind of talent that puts them in the mix for a title run.

This is a really good team! If we had this roster in last years playoffs I think we would've beaten the Pacers! Now that doesn't guarantee we'll get the Finals this year but I do think we've got the best team we've had since the last finals team. We just don't have a lot of sexy names. We're gonna have to do it more like the Mavs did. One top ten player and a bunch of really good players versatility and depth.

nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

nixluva wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:I'm fine with having a top 10 player in the NBA on our team. Melo is good enough to win with IMO. What's wrong with having to put a complementary team around him in order to win a title? Outside of having Jordan/Pippen, Duncan/Parker, Kobe/Shaq, Durant/Westbrook or Lebron/Wade, it's pretty much the only way we have to go. The only thing this team could've done different IMO is to wait on CP3 rather than make the deal for Tyson. That was the one move that cemented this team's path. Now we have to hope for a Mavs type of title run.

Well, top 10 in one analysis. That doesn't mean he factually is top 10.

Come on man. I know it's a guilty pleasure to hate on Melo but he's definitely a top player in this league. I think the article made a good case for that. IMO he's not a perfect player but he's good enough to win with if you have a good roster around him.

Notice how most of those top players have a running mate of similar talent level and complementary skills? If we had more than a broken JR, Sickly Tyson, worn down Kidd and Felton this team could surely have won more games in the playoffs. We needed more talent around Melo.

Now we should be able to be more versatile and sturdy enough to go a full 82 and playoffs. Is this team enough to win a title? Can't say. However, this team is in the mix and a big part of that is due to Melo. I find it entirely a waste of time to declare the Knicks a lost cause because we have Melo. Far better for the Knicks to find ways to improve the team and for fans to recognize that they have a playoff team that is at the least a top 5 team in the East with a chance to win a title.

10. Carmelo Anthony F, New York Knicks
9. Kobe Bryant G, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Dwyane Wade G, Miami Heat
7. Dwight Howard C, Houston Rockets
6. Tim Duncan F/C, San Antonio Spurs
5. Russell Westbrook G, Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Tony Parker G, San Antonio Spurs
3. Chris Paul G, Los Angeles Clippers
2. Kevin Durant F, Oklahoma City Thunder
1. LeBron James F, Miami Heat
Great point Nix. Every other guy has a marquee teammate. Not sure where Pau is rated but he is a nice weak link for this list and teammates. Harden is 11.

This is what is crazy about people bashing Melo! Sure he's got his flaws, but dang, can we at least admit that these other top players have a partner who is also a top player??? Now the league is actually pretty stocked with talent at different levels of development, but this team has the kind of talent that puts them in the mix for a title run.

This is a really good team! If we had this roster in last years playoffs I think we would've beaten the Pacers! Now that doesn't guarantee we'll get the Finals this year but I do think we've got the best team we've had since the last finals team. We just don't have a lot of sexy names. We're gonna have to do it more like the Mavs did. One top ten player and a bunch of really good players versatility and depth.

They had an elite efficient scorer who raised his game even higher...we dont have that.

They rebounded the ball well and played good defense....we dont know if we have that.

As far as the other comment goes Melo has his top 10 player too...he's just injured, but when they were on the court together somebodies game would go south...usually Melo's.

Now take a real close look at that top 10 list, there is something all of them do consistently except Melo.

They all do a combo of scoring, playmaking, defense....they all do two of the three...some do all three.....Melo only does one, and the one he does all of them can do that too.

You look at it as bashing when it's actually telling the truth.

It's a cop out to just say "hey those guys have another top 10 player"...there is a reason why they are top 10.

Last week I was talking about the Knicks with a group of co-workers and quite a few of them really said they dont want LeBron to come here if he did choose so, because they want to beat him and if he did come here and we won a championship all the credit would go to Lebron.

Dumbest shyt I've ever heard.

ChuckBuck wrote:Agree. Pretty fair rankings and explanation of each player:

http://nba.si.com/2013/09/20/top-100-players-of-2014-nos-10-1/

10. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks (F, 29)
2012-13 stats: 37 MPG, 28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 24.8 PER, 9.5 Win Shares, +2.3 RAPM

Anthonys move to New York in 2011 put him on a much larger stage, serving to escalate the passionate debate thats long raged between his supporters and detractors. Its unclear whether the terms of that debate have meaningfully shifted, even after a season in which the Knicks won their first playoff series since 2000 and Anthony become the only player besides LeBron James to receive a first-place MVP vote. Yes, Anthony led the league in scoring for the first time in his career, he registered a career-high PER that ranked No. 4 in the league, and he earned All-Star and All-NBA Second Team honors. And, yes, the Knicks, designed to make the most of Anthonys strengths, ranked No. 3 in offensive efficiency.
But the biggest recent developments in Anthonys game his use as both a three and a four, and the increased frequency with which he launches three-pointers seem to be positive wrinkles rather than quantum leaps. Look, its tough and unfair to compare anyone to James, but thats always been the standard for Anthony. The two came into the NBA in the same draft class, they play the same position, and Anthony has publicly declared his desire to win a title, something James has now delivered twice. Heres a snapshot look at their statistical developments as they have progressed through their twenties.

Anthony

Age 22: 28.9 PPG, 22.4 FGA, 47.6 FG%, 26.8 3FG%, 6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 22.1 PER, 7.3 Win Shares
Age 25: 28.2 PPG, 21.8 FGA, 45.8 FG%, 31.6 3FG%, 6.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 22.2 PER, 7.9 Win Shares
Age 28: 28.7 PPG, 22.2 FGA, 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3FG%, 6.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 24.8 PER, 9.5 Win Shares

James

Age 22: 27.3 PPG, 20.8 FGA, 47.6 FG%, 31.9 3FG%, 6.7 RPG, 6 APG, 24.5 PER, 13.7 Win Shares
Age 25: 29.7 PPG, 20.1 FGA, 50.3 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 31.1 PER, 18.5 Win Shares
Age 28: 26.8 PPG, 17.8 FGA, 56.4 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 8 RPG, 7.3 APG, 31.6 PER, 19.3 Win Shares

With James, you see a true evolution, especially during his Miami period. With Anthony, the story has been one of mere consistency, plus some improvement as a three-point shooter thats bumped up his advanced numbers a touch. James has transformed into the most lethal, efficient weapon in the game; Anthony has seemingly become a slightly better version of himself, and his stagnant, unimpressive defensive ratings and his wavering plus-minus numbers over the years only reinforce this conclusion. New Yorks impressive team defensive performance in 2011-12 didnt stick; neither did Anthonys one-year improvement as a distributor that season.

Anthony, then, is more or less the same player that hes been for the last half-decade. He shoots a lot, scores a lot, makes baskets in many different ways and from many different locations, draws lots of fouls and defensive attention, and he rebounds well for his position. He isnt excactly in James class when it comes to lockdown defense on opposing wings and hes definitely no Rajon Rondo when it comes to sharing the rock.

Indeed, Anthony led the NBA with his 35.6 usage rate, which marked a career-high. He also posted his lowest assist total of his career and a 14.1 assist percentage, his lowest mark since 2005. That combination of an extraordinarily high usage rate and a middling assist rate puts Anthony among the greatest black holes the NBA has ever seen. Only two other players George Gervin in 1982 and Dominique Wilkins in 1988 have used such a large share of possessions while registering such a low assist rate. For comparison, Kobe Bryant, notorious for his ball-dominating ways, hasnt posted an assist percentage below 22 since 1999. Sorry, Anthonys hockey assists cant explain this away.

Even those who wish Anthony would be a little less single-minded on offense, a little more selective with his shots, and way more committed on defense can acknowledge that hes an overall offensive powerhouse capable of serving as the No. 1 guy on a championship contender, assuming the right mix is in place around him. Will Anthony ever find that right mix, or will James continue to lord over him like Michael Jordan did to so many of his talented contemporaries? Ben Golliver

LeDouche's Miami "period". How very apt.
Also, how nice of him to have a "true evolution" when playing with DWade and Bosh.