Nice Post. I don't know if he's still playing through injuries but he's definitely uncomfortable out there.
I will keep saying this: Why trade anyone right now without giving another coach a shot at managing this team??? We have too much talent to just give up all because Antoni can't figure it out. He's not a coaching GOD. Perhaps someone else with a different philosophy can get better results here.
I just don't understand why people want to break up a talented roster before at least exploring other coaching options first. Melo and Amare have always played as the #1 options. In Amare's case he was the primary recipient to Nash's passes in PHX. Now they are just glorified role players and the just can't adapt to that. It has to be difficult for them not knowing when their next shot will come and when it finally does their always expected to be great and in rhythym.
Metro man, you know I agreed with you and we argued with what seemed like everyone on this forum that Melo and STAT would not be a great combo.... TRADE MELO for Howard!!!!
The Knicks must and I mean MUST make this trade if there is any validity to the rumor. MELO and Chandler for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu! I'm not happy with Hedo's contract but he is fundamentally sound and can be a GREAT 6th man type player. Howard and STAT at the 5/4 would give the Knicks an NBA elite front court!
I know this next scenario will be an unpopular one but I would trade Lin while his value is high, I would contact Portland and see if we can get Felton back on this team. Lin is a turnover machine and while there is a chance he could refine his game, it's still the great unknown and Felton proved that when he QB'd this team, he was rock solid! I know the numbers need to be worked out but I would explore it. Even if that trade is never explored, you would still have this:
Howard
STAT
Fields (Yes move Fields to the 3) You will see his game elevate with a move to the 3 spot
Shumpert
Lin (hopefully cutting down turnovers)
Now that is a starting 5 that can ball with the best of them! JR Smith, Davis, Turkoglu, Harrellson, Jeffries and Novack off the bench.... Still a nice bench
^ Yes.
Hedo isn't just fundamentally sound.....he would be our starting SF, I hope. And with his versatility (and lack of ego) our rotation would grow even stronger with Fields getting quality minutes backing up the 3, and JR too.
Lin-Baron
JR-Shumpert-Fields
Hedo-Fields-JR
Amare-Novak-Jeffries-Harrelson
Howard-Harrelson-Novak
That **** is boss. The range and passing of Hedo alone would be worth its weight in gold on that team..
Next step: trading Amare for Gallinari and Mozgov,
I don't see us trading for Howard, though; since he doesn't seem keen on playing here and signing. It would be a risk akin to the Deron situation in NJ -- but exponentially more deadly.
@iSaYughh and @hometheaterguy
So neither one of you is interested in seeing what this team could look like with a different coach? You think all because Antoni can't get it right, nobody can?
Glad you guys aren't working for the Knicks.
From what I have read, Howard would sign with NY... I don't think he wants to be here if Melo is here but I think he is all for teaming up with STAT. Also, a Howard, Stat 5/4 is an extremely athletic front court as well. I think you would see Stat's game take off under this scenario. Stat has dropped some considerable weight and you saw that last night with Dirk.... His side to side movement was fluid and he gained a few inches back on his elevation...
The only other scenario I would entertain is Melo to Atlanta for Josh Smith and Williams or just Smith and 2 #1 draft picks... I would Start STAT at the 5 and Smith at the 4... Again, very athletic front court, 5/4 that can score and you would have a nice 3 man rotation with Chandler that would allow all 3 guys to play fewer minutes, thus letting their bodies heal and rest up for the post season.
The Howard scenario is the best one but the Josh Smith scenario is an excellent second option (if Atlanta is game).
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Knicks lose to Mavericks; Anthony has 6 points
By MARC BERMAN
Last Updated: 9:08 AM, March 7, 2012
EPA
DALLAS -- Carmelo Anthony’s postgame behavior was as puzzling as his recent oncourt play.
The Knicks forward scored 6 points in a 2-of-12 disaster and sat and watched the second unit nearly steal a win over the defending champion Mavericks. As a capper, Anthony bolted the locker room early, heading for the bus, saying to a reporter, “Not tonight.’’ Fifteen minutes later, Anthony returned to the locker-room area to speak to a small group of writers and admitted adjusting to the new alignment has him confused on the court.
The Knicks fell to the Mavericks, 95-85, last night to go 2-4 since Anthony returned to a new structure created by Jeremy Lin, whose emergence stoked a 7-0 spurt with Anthony missing most of those games with a groin injury.
“I think any time you go from the early part of the season and having the ball and distributing and now waiting for it to come to me, it’s quite an adjustment for myself,’’ said Anthony, a minus-18 and 0-for-3 from 3-point range.
The Knicks, who fell to 17-19, were spearheaded in the fourth quarter by the subs and Amar’e Stoudemire while an atrocious Anthony and Lin sat on the pine. The Knicks proceeded to scare the defending champions with a ferocious 15-0 run to start the fourth that gave them their first lead since the opening minutes.
But as soon as it got real interesting and Anthony and Lin returned, the defending champs fought back with their own 14-0 spurt, powered by Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 8 points in the game-sealing run and spoiled Tyson Chandler’s return to Big D.
Anthony usually is the last Knicks player out of the locker room after games. Asked why he seemed so upset earlier in leaving quickly for the bus, Anthony said, “We lost. Losses don’t sit well with me.’’
Look, George Karl probably got the most out of Anthony than anyone could have expected and that was a constant struggle because Anthony doesn't want to play that type of game, that's why he wanted out of Denver; it's almost unnatural for him. Mike D's system is what Melo wants but... it perpetuate the bad side of his game and sacrifices the team. Everyone knocks Mike D but ask Raymond Felton about Mike D... Look what Mike D did for his game and where he is at now. If you have any of the games from last season, prior to the trade... Like the Bulls game and that Heat game when the Knicks were wining... You will see Mike D's influence on this team and how fluid a team can be under his system. PG's flourish under his system (true PGs not combo guards). I re-watched those bulls, heat games last season prior to Mello and man what a difference!!! Even the ones we lost the Knicks looked better than we have looked since the Melo trade.
Am I reading this right? Melo is pouting because he doesn't have the ball as much as he did before. So how much longer do we have to wait before the 20-million dollar man decides to show up for a big game?
Melo played like a scrub last night. There is no sugarcoating around his dismal performance. He needs to wake the f*ck up and start producing.
That's why you get rid of Pringles ASAP and look into coaches like Jerry Sloan, see if Phil Jackson is still interested, see if SVG is interested even though it's highly unlikely he ever works under James Dolan. We have such a talented team but our coach is just squandering a beautiful opportunity that we may not have for a long time.
Exactly!!
Pringles is the major source of our problems
Holy christ are you two serious? *sigh*
This is why I say trade Melo. Making things up, spouting nonsense, not looking at things logically....smh. It's a tragedy NY fans treat players such a way. Just trade him so he doesn't have to put up with this & we can hope & pray Lin and the rag-tag bunch of misfits with up & down Amar'e can get us further than the first round.
People have compared Melo to Glenn Robinson for years and it's not a bad one. At times he can take over a game with his scoring and is a really good player, but at the same time is not in the conversation as one of the best players in the league. Their stats are very similar too
In his first few games back, I thought Melo's approach was great. He virtually never held on to the ball an excessive period of time. He moved without the ball. He looked to pass often. His shot was not falling, but that seemed just a matter of time.
Last night was entirely different. He looked completely disinterested, or at least confused.
It's hard to say from the outside who's fault this is. D'Antoni should be making it a priority to get Melo the ball, where he's comfortable. Perhaps Melo and Lin should work the pick/n/roll some, which I don't think I've seen yet. Or maybe D'Antoni is saying the right things, but Melo hasn't followed the plan. Or maybe last night was an aberration, the culmination of a frustrating few games when his shot just wasn't falling.
It's too early to conclude Melo can't play with Lin and the others. But if last night's game is repeated for the rest of this week, I will join the chorus of criticism.
Never seen a so called star player make so many excuses or have fans make so many excuses for him.
Either you play good or you don't.
I don't here Kobe bitching about playing with a broken finger, nose or sore knees. Don't remember Bernard King bitching when he single hand took out the Pistons with 2 dislocated thumbs.
Fact is -- Melo is acting like a puta and playing like a stiff. He only had like 4 good games this season
He is shooting is poor, Brandon Jennings like -besides his shooting...Melo is a good offensive rebounder and makes solid assist...Melo can play like a 25 ppg 8 reb 5 assist type player... effect the game like a god.
His latest excuse is that he's having trouble adjusting to waiting off the ball but he fails to admit is that when he was controlling the ball we sucked and his stats were still dreadful.
Melo GROW UP or go find another city to play for....you Puerto Rican traitor!
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