Bonn1997 wrote:

Papabear wrote:

holfresh wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

holfresh wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

holfresh wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

holfresh wrote:The so called scoring specialist has been the best all around player in the NBA the last month, playoffs included...He shut down Jeff Green in the second half of game 1 after a great start...No one has been playing better basketball than Carmelo the last month, regular season and playoffs, LeBron included...Tim Duncan has been balling but hardly played in the last month..

Our views couldn't be more diametrically opposed but I can't imagine that there's anything left to discuss. I do give Melo credit for excelling in one dimension of the game though. He's playing his role as the efficient high PPG player well.

Well you are wrong as usual..His defense has been excellent as well...He is doing exactly what the team needs to do the most important thing and that's win games...His rebounding numbers was excellent as well in April because the team needed it...You was trying to marginalized his contribution as you usually do, but he is leading this team to wins, the most critical stat in the NBA, and not even you can argue that..

His defensive stats are average. His rebounding in March was a little below average for a PF but you shouldn't give more weight to any one month of the season anyway. I don't marginalize his contributions - the team would be in trouble without him (but also in trouble without Kidd, Prigs, K-Mart, or Chandler). I just don't glorify scoring specialists either. I would not call him remotely close to a superstar but I would call him an important player.
BTW, telling someone they're wrong - no matter how many times you repeat it - does not make it so.

You absolutely do try to marginalize him by calling him a scoring specialist...He has played excellent defense the last month...I'm not sure what defensive stats you refer to...His rebounding at the end of the season was excellent as well...He isn't a PF, he plays the position because the team needs him to...Felton isn't a SG...He did win player of the month in the NBA, did you miss that???...And If you don't think Melo is a Superstar, you can understand the reason we are hold such diametrically opposing views...The most important stat possible in the NBA is being up 3-0 in the playoffs on an opponent...Melo is the most important ingredient on the team to create that outcome...

Right, I can understand your view - but I believe there is strong evidence refuting its validity. I believe most fans (including those voting for the awards) have glorified high PPG rather than viewing it as just one of many dimensions of the game. There's strong scientific evidence for that. If you're not going to accept that premise, there is nothing left to discuss. We will be diametrically opposed in any specific evaluation of players simply because we're starting from a very different premise. There's really no point in going through each player in the league on a month by month basis.

No, there are fans? like yourself that glorify stats while missing the rest of the game..There are very important parts of the game that stats can't come close to quantifying...STATs are a byproduct of the game...There is only one stat that matters, wins...

Papabear Says

Hey Holfresh my friend. Just let it go! A guy like him gets his rocks off debating in this manner. You proved your point and case. He has showed one thing to me. He is a person with an agenda and you know what that is hate on Melo in a phony way. Let me tell you why. Deep down inside he wants nothing to do with this Knicks run as long as Melo is the Superstar and he is a superstar. if Melo won the MVP of the playoffs he would have something to say negative about Melo. But hey you said your piece. Now just relax have a beer or soda or juice. Watch some of the games or just post your opinion about something else. Just let this dude go and believe me you won the debate hands down. Peace.

This is funny because I guarantee you most in the stats community would say I'm letting my love for the Knicks cloud my judgment when I call Melo a scoring specialist. He's been above average but not outstanding in scoring efficiency. You are right that I don't care about how lay people vote for awards though.

how the F are you guys still having this conversation with whats on TNT right now???!!