On Melo:

"Carmelo a lot of times wants to hold the ball longer than -- we have a rule: If you hold a pass two seconds, you benefit the defense. So he has a little bit of a tendency to hold it for three, four, five seconds, and then everybody comes to a stop," Jackson said in an interview with CBS Sports Network that aired Tuesday. "That is one of the things we work with. But he's adjusted to [the triangle], he knows what he can do and he's willing to see its success."

Jackson's comments were prompted by a question about whether Anthony can fit in the triangle offense. Jackson made it clear he believes Anthony can.

"He can play that role that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant played," Jackson said. "It's a perfect spot for him to be in that isolated position on the weak side, because it's an overload offense and there's a weakside man that always has an advantage if the ball is swung."

On the triangle

Jackson also shared his thoughts on the resistance to the triangle offense in the modern NBA. Jackson ran the triangle while winning an NBA-record 11 championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks, though, have struggled with the offense, winning a total of 49 games over the past two seasons. That lack of success has led to public backlash of the triangle.

"I think there are two reasons," Jackson said of the resistance to the offense. "One is it's always a little bit of a pie-in-your-face type of thing to say that this [the triangle offense] has been the reason for winning. The reason for winning, obviously, is good players. And when good players want to play together and they join in a form or a format to play together, then really good things happen."

"I think the other thing is, simply, it becomes something to attack," Jackson added. "And I think it's easy to attack it because it doesn't promote basic basketball that's being played now in the NBA, which is an open floor. Keep the lane open, allow the opportunity of guard play, screen roll play ... big men rolling the lane, and then 3-point shooting. But there's a place for it. It doesn't matter. It's still basketball and there's still a place for it."

Have at it

First that Melo can play the Jordan or Kobe role in the Triangle. He has the ability to dominate in an isolation from the weak wing. We see this. But like some of us have been saying he has to do it quickly, not hold on to the ball more than 2 seconds. That if he starts to hold it for 5, 6 seconds or more it kills the offensive flow. This is what I want Melo to do. He can shoot and be aggressive but do it quickly. If he wants to take it into the post or drive, he needs to make the move quickly after his catch, not hold on to it for 5 seconds, then make a move, then take a shot. That kills the offense and makes others ball watchers and allows easy chances for poor defense in transition. I think this is a key element to our season.

Next seems Phil is gushing about Kristaps. Way he plays, how he's a unicorn in the league. Nice words on KP. Considering Phil has coached and been around a couple of the greatest players of all time those are not empty words. He knows talent and he knows greatness. KP is not there at that level, but he is a star and there is no reason KP should aim any lower than being one of the best if not the best player in the league. This is also why I love Jeff as our coach, he pushes KP to be the best and believes KP has the talent. Same with Rambis. I never felt that Fisher felt KP could be that good, although Fisher was very supportive and gave KP lots of chances, you get the feeling these coaches know how to get more from KP.

Going back to what Phil said about Melo, I think the same applies to Jennings and Rose. They have too many possessions where they can just dribble the shot clock out. Not what we want to do. Make the quick move. And Jennings needs to shoot the ball when he's open. If he starts passing up good looks it hurts the team's game plan in the long run. It will make defenses not take Jennings shot as a threat and just play him as a passer. This is why he often can have high turnover games as well.

Overall I am pleased with the Jackson interview and this team's current play, They are still a work in progress but are running the Triangle, pushing the break, using screen and rolls and do a little bit of everything. We don't dump the ball in the post as much as last year which is good. Even when we set up the Triangle spacing we move towards getting a shot from using motion within the offense after screens come into play. Jeff is also doing a good job of mixing it up and in the 4th going with what has become tradiotional basketabll these days with pace and space, the paint open. If you look at the offense in the 4th with Jennings in most games, or even Rose, we are spreading the floor with KP out at the corner or wing, and having the 5 (if it's not KP) come set a high screen. Very basic pace and space game plan with no one in the post. The rest of the game we do have someone in the post. It's a nice game plan by Hornachek, I think designed in accordance with Phil.

Jennings has become the most important player on this team in terms of X factor. He is vital for the 4th Quarter pace and space game plan, he is the team's most energizing perimeter defender and he's a game changer when he's on. When he plays well, we look like contenders. When he doesn't play well we look like a .500 type of team.

ActionJackson wrote:Maybe I'm not the basketball genius that Phil is but it appears to me that the double teams on Melo don't happen until the 3-4 second range and then he often makes the pass to a hopefully wide open teammate. If he does that consistently,should that be considered "ball hogging"???

From what I have seen, that is when he has the ball at the post where he can often take his man one on one. If there is help, there is someone open, but if that's the play, its intiated by the Defense.
Also I have observed when melo gets the ball and holds it, he needs to instinctively act, not think. while he has been around the triangle enough, the act must be that as a cohesive unit. Melo is often thinking about "Gee, I could have come here as a free agent and had a fuller cupboard!" Or, "Who is La La out to the movies with?".

Phil can often be seen at games smirking about his 12 mil salary in his special seat thinking about the Triangle. Not on the court, but his three bank accounts!

BTW: Jordan and Kobe were able to do things to effect games without the ball better than Melo. Astute as that statement is, its lost on some. Melo is not Jordan, but he is paid like him.
Trump is the president. Things change.

Melo rebounds. Melo can dime. Melo is not Kobe or MJ because Melo don't play SG. By the way, Melo's not LeFlop, either. Just in case you forgot.

Melo gets paid like he should for what he does. A first ballot HOF forward who wants and gets buckets. Some people need to get over the money, as well as the last election.

he and the team would be much better off if he made a quick decision

Would love to see stats on Melo's shooting success based on:

Time he has the ball before making a jump shot

Dribbles before making or missing a shot

Making a shot with the assistance of a pick or screen

How close an opponent is to him when he makes a shot and misses a jumper.

Klay Thompson and 11 dribbles...someone else Melo needs to be like in order to have a HOF career. SMH

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:And now after last night's debacle, we can have lots of threads on how Melo doesn't shoot enough.

Klay Thompson and 11 dribbles...someone else Melo needs to be like in order to have a HOF career. SMH

simple question. If Melo makes an attempt to change his game to faster scoring and less holding the ball do you think it has a positive impact on the team? A negative impact on the team, or no impact at all? Serious honest question.

Seriously simple answer in the form of a question:
A)If Melo starts implementing his own version of SSOL and starts hoisting up 3's 3 seconds into the shot clock, or
B)never gets into his moves around the basket, or
C)never manages to evolve into an older, larger, slower, stronger version of Klay Thompson, or
D)never gets Lebron/Harden calls, how exactly is he supposed to change his game to be "faster scoring"?

If he does A) we will see the loving knick fanbase petitioning Congress to declare the NTC unconstitutional and a human rights violation.
If he does B) is he still a PF or is he a really big SG? And it's a little tough to be a SG at this age and size
C) I threw this in here because of that other thread about Klay's 60 points on 11 dribbles idiocy.
D) Maybe we start an "Occupy The Effing Refs" movement?

I'd love quick scoring. I'd love to have Lebron. I'd love if Melo was actually MJ. Or BK, for that matter.

But he's not. And I think it's a bit nuts to suggest he's going to change that much, this late. Sorry, but I don't think we're ever going to see a Knicks squad that can give us Olympic Melo.

jrodmc wrote:And now after last night's debacle, we can have lots of threads on how Melo doesn't shoot enough.

Klay Thompson and 11 dribbles...someone else Melo needs to be like in order to have a HOF career. SMH

except that even last night he held the ball long enough, often enough for the double team to develop -- to which he tried to spin away for the fall away base line jumper (i.e., not find the uncovered man -- not saying he doesn't do that; just that he didn't do it last night)

Phil is right. The team and Melo will benefit with quicker decisions to shoot or pass

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:And now after last night's debacle, we can have lots of threads on how Melo doesn't shoot enough.

Klay Thompson and 11 dribbles...someone else Melo needs to be like in order to have a HOF career. SMH

simple question. If Melo makes an attempt to change his game to faster scoring and less holding the ball do you think it has a positive impact on the team? A negative impact on the team, or no impact at all? Serious honest question.

Are those my only choices?

Seriously simple answer in the form of a question:
A)If Melo starts implementing his own version of SSOL and starts hoisting up 3's 3 seconds into the shot clock, or
B)never gets into his moves around the basket, or
C)never manages to evolve into an older, larger, slower, stronger version of Klay Thompson, or
D)never gets Lebron/Harden calls, how exactly is he supposed to change his game to be "faster scoring"?

If he does A) we will see the loving knick fanbase petitioning Congress to declare the NTC unconstitutional and a human rights violation.
If he does B) is he still a PF or is he a really big SG? And it's a little tough to be a SG at this age and size
C) I threw this in here because of that other thread about Klay's 60 points on 11 dribbles idiocy.
D) Maybe we start an "Occupy The Effing Refs" movement?

I'd love quick scoring. I'd love to have Lebron. I'd love if Melo was actually MJ. Or BK, for that matter.

But he's not. And I think it's a bit nuts to suggest he's going to change that much, this late. Sorry, but I don't think we're ever going to see a Knicks squad that can give us Olympic Melo.

so you cant answer the question? Seriously dude. Its not OK to ask a player to make adjustments at this stage in his career?

Yes, to answer your question, faster scoring would be great; positive impact all around;

Unfortunately what does that actually mean to a player like Melo?
It means he either hoists threes and misses 70% of them or he drives to the hole and gets his bloodied head shoved up his azz with no call.
Shooting 50-60% from 3 would also be great.
Getting the trips to the line that elite scorers get would also be great.
Yes, all these things, if Melo could just change his game, if the refs suddenly change this season, would have a positive impact on the team.

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

I just don't see the point in wishing Melo into becoming H2O mixed with Klay Thompson, sorry.

So, please dude, just seriously tell me how Melo, the HOF scoring PF who put the fear of God into people like Kobe and PP with his power game is suddenly going to become Allen Iverson? How does this Knick team turn him into Olympic Melo?

Serious question.

jrodmc wrote:

fishmike wrote:

jrodmc wrote:And now after last night's debacle, we can have lots of threads on how Melo doesn't shoot enough.

Klay Thompson and 11 dribbles...someone else Melo needs to be like in order to have a HOF career. SMH

simple question. If Melo makes an attempt to change his game to faster scoring and less holding the ball do you think it has a positive impact on the team? A negative impact on the team, or no impact at all? Serious honest question.

Are those my only choices?

Seriously simple answer in the form of a question:
A)If Melo starts implementing his own version of SSOL and starts hoisting up 3's 3 seconds into the shot clock, or
B)never gets into his moves around the basket, or
C)never manages to evolve into an older, larger, slower, stronger version of Klay Thompson, or
D)never gets Lebron/Harden calls, how exactly is he supposed to change his game to be "faster scoring"?

If he does A) we will see the loving knick fanbase petitioning Congress to declare the NTC unconstitutional and a human rights violation.
If he does B) is he still a PF or is he a really big SG? And it's a little tough to be a SG at this age and size
C) I threw this in here because of that other thread about Klay's 60 points on 11 dribbles idiocy.
D) Maybe we start an "Occupy The Effing Refs" movement?

I'd love quick scoring. I'd love to have Lebron. I'd love if Melo was actually MJ. Or BK, for that matter.

But he's not. And I think it's a bit nuts to suggest he's going to change that much, this late. Sorry, but I don't think we're ever going to see a Knicks squad that can give us Olympic Melo.

Has to do with being in an optimum position to score when you get the ball, OR BEFORE YOU GET THE BALL,and not forcing the issue...you do understand this concept...right? This goes for Melo, Rose, and KP.

You are right about his age and being a moving/cutting SF, though I think he can make better use of screens and picks, which he has done at times.