martin wrote:meloshouldgo wrote:A great deal was made about his assist numbers last year. It was a sure sign that he had turned into a mature team player and blah blah blah. I would say reading between the lines he is still a dim witted low awareness one dimensional ball hog. Knicks will be bad for another 2 seasons after this. It is what it is.
Melo's assists are down to 2.6 this year, lowest mark of his career. 4.1 last year.
I find it disheartening. It's pretty clear Melo is no longer an elite athlete and he hasn't realized it yet. Still doesn't know when to pass, when to shoot, when he is doing too much iso/bully ball. And yet he is a pretty darn good passer but he gets locked in to his own play too often.
Disheartening is the right word. That has been my feeling watching this unfold. I really thought Melo had taken a step as a player last year. He was playing fantastic. Looking to get everyone going. This year he should have done the same. He's best as a scoring threat who passses vs complete vortext and in bully mode. He's a one in every third or fourth game, dominant scoring type of player. If he could have those games 75% of the time, I could support it. For every great game like Friday he has playing that way, he has a few more than that where he can not play as well and shoots his team out of it. He has to pass the ball and he has to set up teammates because right now he has good teammates. 2 of his teammates are even more effective than him in some situations. Rose is getting to the basket at will and finishing better now than at season's start. KP has been playing like an all-star and when given even a little bit of space is an outstanding scorer. Lee can shoot open looks as can Holiday (his backup).
For Melo to operate this way is inexcusable. This isn't a team with role players and 1 star. It's a team with 3 legitimate star level shot creators and makers and some good outside shooters at the wing (Lee/Holiday). It may not seem that important, but in my opinion the difference in Melo playing more like a point forward and Melo playing purely as a scorer is this team being a 37 win lottery team or a 45 win 6th seed. How Melo plays will distinguish whether this team can make the playoffs or not. As he is playing right now and as much of a liabilty Noah is, I think we'll just miss out (unless everyone current below us at 9, 10, 11 all continue to play without improvement).
11/29/2016 10:33 AM