StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Swishfm3 wrote:Is any one considering that maybe Melo's improved defense and passing is because he is (finally) surrounded with MUCH better players?

uh ... no. You can play defense and rack up assists on terrible teams. Ask chris duhon.

Yeah but he hasn't had a team like this around him in NY. He doesn't have to do it all on offense and when he passes it is to competent players. The Knicks had a 'big three' for awhile but Tyson and Amare were not muchers either because of injuries or lack of character and usually were not around for part or all of the spring. I rooted hard for the collection of mid level, vet mini and undrafted free agents that rolled through NY during Melo's tenure but aside from the 54 win team he never had much to play with.

he had good teams in denver and didnt play defense. Im happy he is starting to change his game to help the team BUT gotta be honest about his past too

I didn't follow him much in Denver. I loved him at Cuse but hated him after the fight. Glad the Knicks have something going that looks sustainable for a while.

ive watched him since high school and then obviously syracuse. Defense has always been a weakness. Thankfully he is showing more effort BUT he needs to do it every game

Swishfm3 asked,

Is any one considering that maybe Melo's improved defense and passing is because he is (finally) surrounded with MUCH better players?

What is your opinion on his question?

my opinion is that it doesnt matter if you have great players around you it doesnt make you play better defense. Ive played on some bad teams but my defense remained the same either way

So Melo's effectiveness as a defender is increased by the people around him. That being said he is 100% giving more effort there, both a knock on his past and a positive sign he's focusing on other parts of the game besides putting the ball in the basket

fishmike wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Swishfm3 wrote:Is any one considering that maybe Melo's improved defense and passing is because he is (finally) surrounded with MUCH better players?

uh ... no. You can play defense and rack up assists on terrible teams. Ask chris duhon.

Yeah but he hasn't had a team like this around him in NY. He doesn't have to do it all on offense and when he passes it is to competent players. The Knicks had a 'big three' for awhile but Tyson and Amare were not muchers either because of injuries or lack of character and usually were not around for part or all of the spring. I rooted hard for the collection of mid level, vet mini and undrafted free agents that rolled through NY during Melo's tenure but aside from the 54 win team he never had much to play with.

he had good teams in denver and didnt play defense. Im happy he is starting to change his game to help the team BUT gotta be honest about his past too

I didn't follow him much in Denver. I loved him at Cuse but hated him after the fight. Glad the Knicks have something going that looks sustainable for a while.

ive watched him since high school and then obviously syracuse. Defense has always been a weakness. Thankfully he is showing more effort BUT he needs to do it every game

Swishfm3 asked,

Is any one considering that maybe Melo's improved defense and passing is because he is (finally) surrounded with MUCH better players?

What is your opinion on his question?

my opinion is that it doesnt matter if you have great players around you it doesnt make you play better defense. Ive played on some bad teams but my defense remained the same either way

BS... better players around you cant make you a better defender? Simply not true. Tons of guys who were never good defensive players played pretty good defense because they were surrounded by better teammates. Two easy ones are Alan Houston and Rip Hamilton. Two guys who never guarded anyone, but surround them with good defensive players and they can play a role on defense and not get exposed.

So Melo's effectiveness as a defender is increased by the people around him. That being said he is 100% giving more effort there, both a knock on his past and a positive sign he's focusing on other parts of the game besides putting the ball in the basket

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have all gotten better because of Garnett

jrodmc wrote:

mreinman wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:Melo's assists have been great this year. Going from a 1:1 assist:to ratio (career #s) to a 2:1 is a tremendous jump. He's at 4 assists and 2 TOs a game. Usually only PGs have a ratio that good. And he's never rebounded this well as an SF. If only he could get his shooting back to normal.

really need to post more often. The board needs your unbiased view.

Very, very true. I love when Bonn posts numbers based on a 12 game sample size.

I think it's been said that Melo's shooting has to change. Instead of lighting it up early in the first half and having nothing in the 4th quarter, he's got to get to the point where he's back to showing the ability LeQ shows as a matter of fact at the end of games. Patience, it's going to happen. Fish does have to keep his minutes down though, or we're going to see Melo on the IR again.

I've also noticed (and Mike Crispino on 98.7FM ESPN mentions it almost every game) that the Knicks get called for fouls for fighting through screens that the opposition never gets called for. Along the same lines, Melo just does not get the calls around the basket that he should.

Melo does not get the calls because it looks like he is forcing the issue. You think the refs are just Melo haters because of Linsanity?

Melo should be doing many more ball fakes too. Would love if KP could teach him the dream shake.

Melo gets regularly abused for jab stepping and ball faking his brains out, but he doesn't ball fake enough. Okay. Forcing the issue? He's getting clobbered just about every time he goes to the basket; how exactly does he go about not forcing the issue? By just taking more long twos?

I have no idea why the refs don't give him the calls that other star players get. Is it the normal NY hate? I actually play pickup every summer with one of the NBA refs, and his clear disdain for Melo is always evident when I bring up the Knicks. Not quite sure what causes it. The guy clearly can't stand Harden's game either, but Harden gets the ticky tack calls.

Carmelo needs to become a better actor. He needs to sell it more. When you are a tough player, you often don't get the calls

Knicks1969 wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mreinman wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:Melo's assists have been great this year. Going from a 1:1 assist:to ratio (career #s) to a 2:1 is a tremendous jump. He's at 4 assists and 2 TOs a game. Usually only PGs have a ratio that good. And he's never rebounded this well as an SF. If only he could get his shooting back to normal.

really need to post more often. The board needs your unbiased view.

Very, very true. I love when Bonn posts numbers based on a 12 game sample size.

I think it's been said that Melo's shooting has to change. Instead of lighting it up early in the first half and having nothing in the 4th quarter, he's got to get to the point where he's back to showing the ability LeQ shows as a matter of fact at the end of games. Patience, it's going to happen. Fish does have to keep his minutes down though, or we're going to see Melo on the IR again.

I've also noticed (and Mike Crispino on 98.7FM ESPN mentions it almost every game) that the Knicks get called for fouls for fighting through screens that the opposition never gets called for. Along the same lines, Melo just does not get the calls around the basket that he should.

Melo does not get the calls because it looks like he is forcing the issue. You think the refs are just Melo haters because of Linsanity?

Melo should be doing many more ball fakes too. Would love if KP could teach him the dream shake.

Melo gets regularly abused for jab stepping and ball faking his brains out, but he doesn't ball fake enough. Okay. Forcing the issue? He's getting clobbered just about every time he goes to the basket; how exactly does he go about not forcing the issue? By just taking more long twos?

I have no idea why the refs don't give him the calls that other star players get. Is it the normal NY hate? I actually play pickup every summer with one of the NBA refs, and his clear disdain for Melo is always evident when I bring up the Knicks. Not quite sure what causes it. The guy clearly can't stand Harden's game either, but Harden gets the ticky tack calls.

Carmelo needs to become a better actor. He needs to sell it more. When you are a tough player, you often don't get the calls

Most of his shots at the rim get blocked first though, all ball. The incidental contact happens afterwards, it's why refs don't blow the whistle.