Analysis
The move to New York pretty much guaranteed that Anthony would become the most overrated player in basketball, and folks haven't disappointed me on that front. Routinely referred to as a superstar despite the pesky fact that his teams don't improve all that much with him on the court, Anthony is better described as an extreme volume scorer. Last season he averaged a staggering 26.5 points per 40 minutes, but with a league-average true shooting percentage, ordinary assist and turnover numbers, and little to no defense. It's hard to conclude that he made a huge impact on New York's bottom line.

The big problem for Melo is that he likes long 2s, but long 2s don't like him. He made only 36.9 percent of his 2s from 10 feet and beyond, but attempted nearly eight a game. He also shot just 30.5 percent on 3s. Going to the cup it's a different story; Anthony had the eighth-best free throw rate among small forwards and makes his free throws. But he had two jump shots for every attempt at the rim.

The exception was when he played as a power forward, in which case he just destroyed people. Bigger defenders can't keep up with him on the dribble and struggle chasing him around the perimeter; according to 82games.com, Anthony had a PER of 29.5 as a 4 and just 17.3 as a 3 last season.

His splits from other seasons aren't quite as dramatic, but he certainly isn't worse as a 4; between the league's trend toward smaller and faster lineups and Anthony being a huge 3 who isn't getting any younger, it seems an obvious progression. He already rebounds like a power forward, ranking eighth among small forwards in rebound rate.

Playing the 4 may also diminish Anthony's defensive problems. He openly loafs on the perimeter and isn't all that quick laterally to start, but relishes physical play and has no problem banging against bigger players. New York gave up 4.2 points per 100 possessions more with Anthony on the court last season, which is another reason he just doesn't move the needle that much as a small forward. As a floor-spacing 4 with an elite defender behind him, perhaps he could finally deliver production that's at least somewhat close to his exalted reputation.

Melo is

- a great rebounder
- a great POST defender
- decent passer
- great scorer when he drives more to the hole vs. taking long 2s (duh this applies to most elite wings)

Optimistic forecast for this season

Hopefully:

1) Woody will play a lot of lineups with:

Melo at PF, Chandler at C (pretty much everytime Amare sits)
Melo at PF, Amare at C
Amare at PF, Chandler at C (when Melo is in foul trouble needs a rest)

2) Melo will

- get even better as a passer
- take less long 2s, drive more
- continue playing inspired defense under Woody

Also we will somehow flip Amare, Felton and Kidd for Chris Paul. Big dreams baby.

CrushAlot wrote:

nixluva wrote:To me it's not about the past anymore. We now know some things about Melo and how he is best used. Plus last year to me is an aberration. Things just didn't work in so many areas that I won't base any judgment off of last year. I think the team has a new focus and I think Woody has seen that Melo really shined at the PF. I think we'll see a lot of different lineups that will allow him to play there for good stretches of every game. I look forward to a much better overall attitude now that Melo has a coach he likes and that is real important. Look we've all seen what a FOCUSED and HAPPY Melo looks like!!! The dude can be a beast when he's motivated. I have no reason to believe he won't be extremely motivated this season. I think the entire team is gonna be highly motivated.

Woody is fresh and not beaten down like MDA was at the end. Trust me that makes a huge difference when you have been taking it on the chin for years in NY verses having a clean slate. Amar'e is healthy and coming of a solid summer of work on his game. That is gonna be HUGE!!! Forget what you saw last year cuz that wasn't the real Amar'e. The team is deeper and we actually have PG's to start the year. Melo just came off his big Olympic performance and he's in great shape and happy. I think he's gonna have a career season.

Great post. I also don't think Melo is overrated by fans on this site or by most knowledgeable b-ball fans. Not sure who Hollinger is talking about.

NUPE wrote:It is always funny to me that people bash Melo for NOT playing D. Then turn around hype players that play LESS D and/or are NOTORIOUS FLOPPERS such as Love and Blake and Durant and Nash and many others. People selectively choose who they want to bash for not playing D. It's so convenient!

Dirk...Fact is he has been playing decent defense since coming to the Knicks...I have to admit I never really paid attention to his game in Denver but I go by what I see...

holfresh wrote:All this stuff really doesn't matter...I think we all have been fed this Melo is all bad for your team and for the game stuff that I don't react to it anymore...I just want the season to start so I can watch some games...I want to see Felton and Amare, that's the key to our season...

Stoudemire was still a fairly useful player last season, but it was impossible to watch him and not think instead of what he was a year or two earlier. That explosive first step to his right? Gone. Utterly, irretrievably, gone.

What's interesting is that it didn't impact his stats the way you'd expect. Stoudemire took nearly as many shots at the rim as he had previously and converted a strong 69.7 percent of them. Instead, the issue is that opponents now feel free to crowd his jumper. He declined to 34.5 percent on long 2s last season, en route to a career-low 48.3 percent mark from the field. Moreover, with more arms around him, his ballhandling numbers went completely to pot; Stoudemire ranked 67th out of 70 power forwards in pure point rating. All told, he lost more than six points off his 40-minute scoring rate.

Defensively, Stoudemire was a major drain. The Knicks tried playing him at the 4 to fit in with their other two high-priced frontcourt players, but he struggles getting to the perimeter against floor spacers and often gets confused on the weak side. New York gave up 5.0 points per 100 possessions more with him on the court, and even this assessment may be kind.

Ideally, New York would make Stoudemire a sixth man so he wouldn't have to guard good players as often and could play center more. Then it could move Carmelo Anthony to power forward and have everybody in a more suitable role. For some reason there seems to be tremendous internal resistance to trying this.

holfresh wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

holfresh wrote:All this stuff really doesn't matter...I think we all have been fed this Melo is all bad for your team and for the game stuff that I don't react to it anymore...I just want the season to start so I can watch some games...I want to see Felton and Amare, that's the key to our season...

Well I don't think we could possibly be closer to 180 degrees apart. I think we've been fed so much of this "Melo is a true superstar - the kind of player you need in order to build a championship team" stuff that I don't even pay attention to it anymore.

So after Bron and the gang headed to Miami, who was your next best option??..Keeping in mind that we are trying to be realistic and not idealistic..We just gave Amare 100 mil..

Tyson and Amare should not see significant time on the floor together IMO..

Our best line up will be

kidd
shump
novak
melo
tyson

2nd team

Amare
camby
melo
brew
felton

True, last season was a weird one being shortened and hobbled and Linspired...

If Melo is more active on man and help defense, screens, and is more efficient by taking his ISO from the 4 along with clutch efficient (did I say efficient?) swingmanship... wow.

If the court was a little bigger, both Amar'e and Melo could get theirs. How do you juggle the touches, minutes, floorspace, and defense with those two on the floor starting and ending games? Show me your magic Woody...

GodSaveTheKnicks wrote:There's really no excuse for either Amare or Melo that they don't have enough talent. If Amare is really worth $100M, Melo as a top 10 player should be a worthy sidekick.

Ditto for Melo.

The plague known as MDA has been removed. Ballhog, can't go left, chemistry ruining Lin is gone.

If all the critics and Woody can't make those 2 play at least average D then all hope is lost for the next 3 years.

Of course STAT and Melo aren't worth $100 mil. That's really not the point. That's what it took for NY to land them so that's what it is. What matters most if for Woody to find a way to get both players going this year. They have to find a flow that works when Melo, STAT & Tyson are all on the floor. I think Woody and his staff will find a way for these guys to flow now that they have Felton and Kidd running the point. I think Hakeem will be able to get them on the same page mentally as well.

When STAT and Melo are focused they can defend and I fully expect them to be more focused this year. I think they realize that this is their time to really put it all together. This roster is built to defend and to win at a high level IMO.

MDA was not a plague, he simply didn't fit this team as it was constructed after the Melo trade. The team was mismatched at that point. Lin needs his own team and I think he'll be good in Houston. This team has a much more clear direction now with MDA and Lin gone. Now this team can play a style that fits Melo better and the hope is that Woody can get the rest of the team to excel playing a style that is a bit more post oriented. They can still spread the floor but now will focus on going inside 1st and that should work for this current roster. We've got bigs that should be able to score inside and draw fouls. That should open up shots on the perimeter when teams collapse. The passing has to be crisp.