First off I would like to say that I believe Carmelo Anthony is one of the best players in the NBA today.
I’ve been a fan of Melo since seeing him at Oak Hill Academy. Melo can score with the best of them, but he lacks in other areas. This is Carmelo’s 11th year in the NBA, and he is still getting the same criticism that he received in his early years as a Denver Nugget.
Even though Melo is a top notch scorer it does not necessarily mean that he is in the same light as LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. There is nothing wrong with not being LeBron James or Kobe Bean Bryant, but Melo is a superstar in his own right.
I believe Melo is on his way to be a future Hall of Famer, but he still has holes in his game where he can improve. There are too many times where Melo goes 12/30 from the field when he does not have to.
Carmelo Anthony may be the most unstoppable player from 15 feet and
in, so why doesn’t he operate closer to the bucket?
All of the skills are there, but it all comes down to will.
When you are the focal point you have to do what you can improve your team. If you have to motivate your team by showing leadership, work ethic, or play on the court you have to do what is needed for everyone to succeed.
Melo is one of few Knicks that can create his own shot, so he has a role in how his fellow teammates perform.
For someone who has the ball as much as Melo he should at least average 5-6 assists per game. Even in the days where it seemed like the ball was glued to Allen Iverson’s hands and a young Kobe’s hands they at least averaged at least 5-6 per game to go along with their 30 plus shots.
Melo has the ability to see the floor pretty well, so there is no excuse why he can’t get his assists and points at the same time. If Melo knows that he is one of a few people that can get it going for himself he should set his teammates up to get their confidence going early, and then pick and choose his spots when to take over.
When playing with someone of Melo’s magnitude it’s hard to get in the flow of the game if he takes the first 5 or so shots in the game.
I know Anthony is playing with a broken down Amar’e Stoudemire and a wildcard in J.R. Smith, but he can help lift them as well as his other teammates by being more of a well-rounded player.
When playing in the Olympics Anthony is a top three player in the world. When surrounded around great players you tend to take your game to new heights. Melo needs to translate that type of play when he is playing with his Knicks.
The skill and talent is there, but the will has to be there as well. Though Melo is in his eleventh season he is still in his prime as a pro.
Time is ticking for Melo as free agency awaits him, but it is not too late. It’s yet to be determined if he will remain in a Knicks uniform beyond this season, but if he stays or leaves he needs to adopt a new approach towards the game.
Scoring is what he does best, and he can do it at any given moment.Remember that team work makes the dream work, and Melo may have to utilize his teammates a little more often to make his dream come true.
