93BUICK wrote:

BasketballJones wrote:

gunsnewing wrote:

callmened wrote:@bball jones...how could u or anyone criticize the half melo had...not only is he making shots...but hes playing GREAT D

sarcasm

...without smileys....

Watch him come back this season and dish a lot of assits - just to get compliments!

They would find something else to rag on him for. They hate him because he isnt Lebron James. If u dont have Lebron James,Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant U shouldnt try. Just put loads of bench players and low grade starters on the floor instead.I think thats what they want but im not sure

Jmpasq wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:His career assists were 3.0

This past season it was 3.6 and could have easily been 5.0 if there were fewer brickers.

So there was definitely improvement. I am hoping for 4.5 this season.

Melo has played with many very good players but never come close to 5.0 assists per season. This team was tied for 17th in FG%, which means that they are an average scoring team and Melo was passing to average scorers.

I did not say he has ever had a 5.0 year but I said he could have. He also only had 3.6+ once.

Who were the "very good players" that he played with?

Kobe averaged 4.7 and look who he played with.

This is where stats can be really out of context if they are misused.

Melo's played with many efficient scorers who will bump up your assist totals if you make good passes to them: Chauncey Billups, Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudemire, Steve Novak, Nene, Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby

C'mon - now you are just flailing.

How would he do with the teams that Kobe had? OR WITH A TOP 5 SQUAD?

Come on man playing with in the prime Shaq isnt an advantage at all.Denver had Marcus Camby his post play is just as good. Gasol and Bynum garbage. Denver had just as good of players as those Laker teams

mrKnickShot wrote:Like i posted, most of his seasons, they were not good.

But again, replace him with Kobe on those Laker teams and he probably averages 4.5 assists and gets a couple of rings.

Bonn1997 wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:Like i posted, most of his seasons, they were not good.

But again, replace him with Kobe on those Laker teams and he probably averages 4.5 assists and gets a couple of rings.

Is there a precedent for this thinking? Do you have any examples of players who joined the Lakers and then saw their assist numbers increase drastically?

4.5 is not drastic

Yes. The precedent is: when you play with top flight hall of famers you play better and win more. See Kobe Bryant. See Lebron James. See AMARE. See Wade.

You have switched the topic from an increase in assists to the much broader issue of playing better without any clear reason for doing so. I do not remember those players assists increasing drastically or even by about 30% (what you're saying Melo's would) when playing with top teammates.

I retracted the assist argument ... see above